CPAS

What CPAS does

CPAS (Church Pastoral Aid Society) is a UK-registered Anglican evangelical charity founded in 1836, governed as a board-trusteed organisation with His Majesty King Charles III as Royal Patron. It functions as the largest patron in the Church of England, supporting over 700 patronage parishes and facilitating approximately 100 clergy appointments annually through its Patronage Secretary and EPCC register. The organisation's core mission is to enable churches to help every person hear and discover the good news of Jesus Christ through clergy deployment, leadership development, and church resourcing. Its primary customer segments are Anglican parishes, clergy, Parochial Church Councils (PCCs), diocesan staff, and emerging leaders under 40, operating primarily in the UK and Ireland with selected global programme reach.

CPAS operates a multi-product portfolio across three functional pillars: (1) Clergy Appointments and Patronage — including vacancy management, the EPCC register shared with evangelical patronage trusts, and support for parishes in vacancy; (2) Equipping Leaders — featuring the Arrow 18-month residential Leadership Programme (£4,350 per participant), Growing Leaders course, Leading Well, Leading Evangelism Learning Hub, Oversight Ministry, Area Dean Training, and the Emerging Leaders Network; and (3) Resources and Services — including PCC Tonight (£15-£18.75), Thrive Collection, the Lead On monthly newsletter (7,000+ subscribers), Lead On Live webinars, Blended Coaching (one-to-one, group, Threshold), and Consultancy (Orientate, Align, Establish tiers). Additional services encompass Schools Partnerships, grants (Ministers in Training fund, Society for the Relief of Poor Clergy), and the Ventures and Falcons holiday programmes for children and young people.

The underlying technology stack is CMS-driven, using Odoo for website and e-commerce operations, with Google Analytics for traffic analysis and PrayerMate integration for prayer content delivery. The business model combines donations (the primary revenue stream, supplemented by a Summer Appeal 26 JustGiving campaign and Connected supporter magazine), programme/participant fees, resource sales through the CPAS shop, and coaching/consultancy services. Distribution is multi-channel: direct enterprise sales through patronage services, e-commerce for resources, online event registration for training, and partnership-based delivery through diocesan relationships. The organisation is led by CEO Revd Canon Jon Scamman with a senior leadership team spanning 10+ named roles across leadership development, patronage, coaching, consultancy, and school ministry.

Name

CPAS

Legal name

Church Pastoral Aid Society

Website

https://cpas.org.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1836

Operating status

Operating

Short description

CPAS (Church Pastoral Aid Society) is a 190-year-old UK Anglican evangelical charity and the largest patron in the Church of England, supporting 700+ parishes and facilitating 100 clergy appointments annually. It provides leadership development programmes, coaching, consultancy, and church resources to clergy, PCCs, dioceses, and emerging leaders across the UK and Ireland.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Leadership Development Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Faith-Based Missions & Evangelism Organizations (Domestic & International) (BPAGAJAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ministerial Training Institutes (Clergy Formation) (EDAHAKAE), Denominational & Ecclesiastical Governance Bodies (Dioceses, Synods, Conferences) (BPAGAJAB)

Keywords

• Church leadership development
• Clergy appointment services
• Ministry training programmes
• Evangelism church resources
• Parish consultancy and coaching

Headquarters

HQ city

Coventry

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Giving: CPAS relies on the faithful generosity of donors who share their passion for seeing churches grow in confidence. One-off and regular donations support leadership training, mission work, and practical resources. Churches can also contribute through one-off or regular giving.
2. Resource and Product Sales: Sale of leadership development books, courses, and resources through the CPAS shop including PCC Tonight (£15-18.75), Growing Leaders Course (£45), Thrive resources, and other ministry materials.
3. Leadership Programme Fees: The Arrow Leadership Programme charges £4,350 total per participant, comprising a £350 deposit plus four £1,000 payments before residentials. This covers residential accommodation, materials, mentoring, and assessment inventories.
4. Coaching and Consultancy Services: Blended coaching services for church leaders including one-to-one sessions (£85-97), group coaching (£720-£5,000 depending on format), and Threshold transition coaching (£340). Consultancy services include Orientate, Align, and Establish packages.
5. Training Course Fees: Area Dean Training at £21 per person per session, Leading Well course at £300, Leading Evangelism Learning Hub at £390, and Oversight Ministry course with enquiry-based pricing.
6. Grant Administration: CPAS provides grants to ordinands in training through the Ministers in Training (MIT) fund and manages the Society for the Relief of Poor Clergy (SRPC) fund distribution.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

CPAS (Church Pastoral Aid Society) is an Anglican evangelical mission agency that equips churches and church leaders through structured leadership development programmes (Arrow, Growing Leaders, Leading Well, Leading Evangelism Learning Hub, Oversight Ministry), coaching and consultancy services, governance resources (PCC Tonight, Thrive), clergy appointment and patronage services for 700+ parishes, training events, and an online resource shop. Its mission is to enable every person to hear and discover the good news of Jesus Christ through the ministry of local churches, operating primarily across the UK and Ireland with the Arrow programme extending to 11 countries.

Product overview

CPAS (Church Pastoral Aid Society) is a UK charity and the largest patron in the Church of England, offering a comprehensive portfolio of leadership development resources and church support services. The offering comprises leadership programmes (Arrow 18-month programme, Growing Leaders course, Leading Well, Emerging Leaders network), church governance resources (PCC Tonight, Thrive for multi-parish benefices), evangelism training (Leading Evangelism Learning Hub), coaching services (Blended Coaching in one-to-one, group, and threshold streams), consultancy (Orientate, Align, Establish approaches), school ministry partnerships, clergy placement services (EPCC Register), and grant programmes. The portfolio also includes the Lead On monthly newsletter (7,000+ subscribers) and Lead On Live webinars. These products are primarily delivered through a mix of online platforms, downloadable digital content, residential experiences, and face-to-face coaching/training.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Arrow: An 18-month leadership programme for emerging leaders aged 25-40, focusing on being led more by Jesus, leading more like Jesus, and leading more to Jesus.
• Lead On
• Growing Leaders
• Thrive
• PCC Tonight
• Emerging Leaders
• Leading Evangelism Learning Hub (LELH)

Products and services

• Arrow Leadership Programme An 18-month intensive leadership development programme for emerging Christian leaders aged 25-40, combining residentials, mentoring, peer groups, and structured curriculum covering character, leadership, and evangelism. Total programme cost is £4,350.
• Growing Leaders Course A ten-month practical downloadable course combining teaching, mentoring, and practical application to develop characteristics and skills of Christian leadership, priced at £45. Used to develop over 10,000 leaders.
• Leading Well Course A five-session online leadership course running October-March at £300 per person, covering outer life (practical skills) and inner life (rhythms and character) for sustainable missional church leadership.
• Leading Evangelism Learning Hub (LELH) An eight-session, 14-month programme at £390 helping churches embed evangelism practices and create pathways to faith through themes of connect, model, order, and mobilize. Core team of 2-5 plus church leader recommended.
• Oversight Ministry Course A six-session course equipping leaders for oversight ministry in multi-parish settings, beginning September 2026, covering change understanding, gift identification, leadership skills, vision formulation, and culture change. Enquiry-based pricing.
• PCC Tonight A comprehensive guide and resource package helping clergy lead Parochial Church Councils effectively, featuring a 166-page book, six PCC sessions, and 35 online resources covering meeting facilitation, mission planning, and church governance. Priced £15 (download) / £18.75 (print).
• Thrive Collection An innovative collection for multi-parish benefices comprising a book (£14.99), PCC sessions, downloadable course (£17.50), and prayer guide, addressing prayer, church stories, leadership development, disciple growth, faith sharing, and vision.
• Blended Coaching Coaching service combining coaching and mentoring for Christian leaders, available in three streams: One-to-One (60-min £85 / 80-min £97), Group (six sessions online £720 / hybrid £2,800 / onsite £5,000), and Threshold (four sessions £340 for ministry transitions). Subsidised provision available for CPAS-supported clergy.
• CPAS Consultancy Consultancy services for parishes with three approaches: Orientate (one-day PCC workshop), Align (three-visit leadership review), and Establish (extended whole-parish evidence-led review up to c. £5,000).
• Area Dean Training An online programme for Area and Rural Deans with stand-alone sessions covering role clarity, chapter culture, deanery strategy, conflict navigation, and pastoral oversight, priced at £21 per person per session.
• CPAS Grants Grant programmes including the Ministers in Training (MIT) fund for ordinands and the Society for the Relief of Poor Clergy (SRPC) for clergy facing financial difficulties.
• Schools Partnerships Church-school partnership support including training for church and school leaders, grants for school residentials, and teaching resources for reflection days.
• EPCC Register A register of evangelical clergy seeking new appointments, securely shared with partner patronage trusts and consulted by bishops and archdeacons for clergy deployment planning.
• Emerging Leaders Network A growing network for Christian leaders and ministry leaders under 40 years old, providing resourcing emails, leadership events, and coaching circles focused on vocation, formation, gifting, and mission.
• CPAS Shop Online shop offering downloadable and printed resources including PCC Tonight (£15-£18.75), Growing Leaders Course (£45), Thrive resources, Growing Younger Leaders (£7.99), and various books and prayer guides.

Quantifiable outcome

• 400+ Arrow GB participants, 3,500+ worldwide in 11 countries
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Ventures and FalconscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorVentures and Falcons operates as CPAS's holiday programme for children and young people, offering residential holidays and adventure experiences. CPAS directs donations and supporter engagement through this partner organisation.
• Evangelical Patronage Consultative Council (EPCC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPAS administers the EPCC register on behalf of evangelical patronage trusts. The register is securely shared with partner trusts, bishops, and archdeacons across the Church of England for clergy deployment and pastoral planning.
• Dioceses (Church of England)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCPAS works collaboratively with dioceses across the Church of England for patronage appointments, leadership development, and mission support. Approximately 100 clergy appointments annually involve diocesan partnership.
• Fundraising RegulatorminorOthersCPAS is registered with the Fundraising Regulator, committing to the highest standards of honesty, transparency, and integrity in all fundraising activities.
• Church House PublishingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoint venture between CPAS and Church House Publishing for the Thrive Collection, supporting multi-parish benefices with theological and practical resources.
• Arthur Rank CentreminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThrive Collection was originally created in partnership with the Arthur Rank Centre and LEAD Academy, providing content for multi-parish benefice support.
• King Charles IIIcoreOthersHis Majesty King Charles III serves as Patron of CPAS, the Church Pastoral Aid Society.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Church Mission Society: Long-established UK Anglican mission agency that sends and supports cross-cultural missionaries and equips church leaders. Directly comparable to CPAS as a fellow historic Anglican evangelical mission and leadership development organization.
• Anglican Board of Mission: Anglican mission agency connecting Australian churches with global mission and leadership development. Comparable to CPAS through shared mission remit, Anglican evangelical positioning and training programme offerings.
• Church Army: Anglican evangelism-focused charity that trains and deploys evangelists, planters and community missionaries across the UK. Comparable to CPAS in mission orientation, church-facing delivery and UK evangelical identity.
• USPG (United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel): Historic Anglican mission society with global footprint and theological education partnerships. Comparable to CPAS in Anglican missional DNA, international programme reach and donor-supported operating model.

Broad incumbents

• Tearfund: Large UK Christian relief and development charity with significant church-engagement programmes. Comparable to CPAS as a major UK Christian charity but operates at much greater scale in humanitarian rather than leadership formation.
• Bible Society: Major UK Christian charity focused on Bible distribution, translation and engagement. Comparable to CPAS as an established UK Anglican-aligned charity with similar donor base and resource publishing model.
• Scripture Union: UK and Ireland Christian charity focused on children's and youth ministry, schools work and Bible engagement. Comparable to CPAS in faith-based education and youth/holiday programming overlap.

Emerging players

• New Wine: UK network for church renewal and leadership development running conferences, training and church planting initiatives. Comparable to CPAS in evangelical leadership equipping but operates as a more agile, conference-led network.

Others

• Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge: Long-standing UK Christian charity promoting faith through publishing, education and grants — co-publisher of the Thrive Collection with CPAS. Adjacent to CPAS in theological publishing and Anglican-aligned mission programming.
• SPCK: UK Christian publisher and partner with the Church of England, producing theological and ministry resources. Comparable to CPAS through the Thrive publishing partnership and shared Anglican publishing and resource distribution channel.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@CPASnews
• Facebookfacebook.com/cpasnews
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cpas

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about CPAS