catholic foundation of southeastern massachusetts

What catholic foundation of southeastern massachusetts does

The Catholic Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts is a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation established in spring 2018 by the Diocese of Fall River to consolidate all stewardship, development, and philanthropic fundraising functions across Southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod, and the Islands. The Foundation operates as a portfolio of donor-restricted funds, including the annual Catholic Appeal (running since 1942, now in its 85th year), the Foundation to Advance Catholic Education (FACE, originally the St. Mary's Education Fund founded in 1991), the Serving the Shepherds Fund for clergy support, the Anima Christi Legacy Society for planned giving, and the Founders Society for major-donor cultivation. Endowment products include named endowed scholarships with a $50,000 minimum commitment and general endowments at a $10,000 minimum, both restricted to perpetuity. The Foundation does not sell products or services; it raises and distributes charitable contributions to support more than 100,000 individuals and families served annually by diocesan parishes, schools, Catholic Charities, seminarian and retired-priest programs.

The Foundation operates from a single headquarters in Fall River, Massachusetts with a five-person staff (CEO, VP of Operations, Director of Major Gifts and Grants, Major Gift Officer, and Development Associate). Its technology stack is non-proprietary and standard for the nonprofit sector: GiveCentral for online donation processing, Morgan Stanley as the brokerage for gifts of appreciated securities, and Vimeo, Facebook, and LinkedIn for content and community engagement. The website and donor communications are offered in English, Spanish, and Portuguese to serve the diverse regional Catholic population. Distribution of donated funds flows exclusively to entities within the Diocese of Fall River ecosystem, including Catholic Charities, the Secretariat for the New Evangelization, the Office of Pastoral Ministry for the Sick, the Catholic Schools Office, the Cardinal Medeiros Residence (housing roughly 25 retired priests), and seminarian tuition and support.

Revenue is generated entirely through charitable giving rather than commercial sales. Streams include annual Catholic Appeal pledges, one-time and recurring online donations, gifts of stock, IRA Qualified Charitable Distributions (up to $111,000 per donor annually for those 70½+), employer matching gifts, memorial and honorary gifts, mass card purchases, planned-giving vehicles (Charitable Remainder Unitrusts, Charitable Lead Trusts, gifts of real estate, life insurance, and retained life estates), and endowed fund contributions. The Foundation's go-to-market motion is direct-to-donor, combining digital channels (website, email, social), multilingual content, signature events such as the annual Lumen Christi Cathedral Gala, and personalized major-gift officer outreach. Financial figures are not publicly disclosed in the input data, and the Foundation operates without external fundraising rounds or public capital.

Name

catholic foundation of southeastern massachusetts

Legal name

Catholic Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts

Website

https://catholicfoundationsema.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Catholic Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit foundation established in 2018 that raises and distributes charitable funds for the Diocese of Fall River, managing the Catholic Appeal, FACE scholarships, clergy support, and endowments serving more than 100,000 individuals and families annually across Southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod, and the Islands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Charitable Foundation and Philanthropic Fund Management

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Religious Organizations (81311)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK), K–12 Support & School Improvement Nonprofits (BPAGADAB), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC), Endowments (Universities, Foundations, Nonprofits) (FSAAAGAC), Faith-Based Advocacy & Public Policy Organizations (BPAGAJAK)

Keywords

• Charitable fundraising
• Donation management
• Endowment funds
• Planned giving
• Annual catholic appeal

Headquarters

HQ city

Fall River

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Gifts: The foundation accepts various forms of charitable contributions including online donations, checks, gifts of stock, IRA distributions (Qualified Charitable Distributions up to $111,000 annually for donors 70½+), matching gifts from employers, memorial and honorary gifts, and mass card purchases.
2. Endowment Fund Establishment: The foundation manages endowed funds established by donors with minimum commitments of $50,000 for named endowed scholarships or $10,000 for general endowments. These funds are restricted and remain in perpetuity, with only revenue from the endowment supporting designated purposes.
3. Planned Giving and Bequests: The Anima Christi Legacy Society encourages donors to include the foundation in their wills or estate plans. Various planned giving vehicles are offered including Charitable Remainder Unitrusts, Charitable Lead Trusts, gifts of real estate, life insurance donations, and retained life estates.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Catholic Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts is a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation that raises, manages, and distributes philanthropic funds to provide long-term sustainable support for parishes, schools, and ministries of the Diocese of Fall River. It operates the annual Catholic Appeal and a portfolio of endowed funds, planned giving programs, and specialized cause funds (FACE, Serving the Shepherds). Donations are accepted via online platform, check, stock transfers, IRA distributions, and planned giving vehicles.

Product overview

The Catholic Foundation of Southeastern Massachusetts is a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation that operates as a unified portfolio of philanthropic funds rather than a technology product. The organization offers structured giving programs including the Catholic Appeal (annual campaign), Named Endowed Scholarships ($50,000 minimum), and General Endowments ($10,000 minimum), alongside specialized funds such as the Serving the Shepherds Fund (clergy support), Foundation to Advance Catholic Education/FACE (student scholarships), and the Catholic Foundation General Fund. Additional offerings include the Anima Christi Legacy Society for planned giving, Mass Cards, Memorial and Honorary Gifts, and the annual Lumen Christi Cathedral Gala. All programs support the parishes, schools, and ministries of the Diocese of Fall River.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Serving the Shepherds Fund: A fund created to care for seminarians, active priests, and retired priests in the diocese, supporting the Cardinal Medeiros Residence, health and wellness for retired priests, tuition for seminarians, and vocations promotion.
• Foundation to Advance Catholic Education (FACE)
• Anima Christi Legacy Society
• Founders Society

Products and services

• Catholic Appeal The annual fundraising campaign that supports parishes, schools, and ministries of the Diocese of Fall River, distributing funds to Catholic Charities, the Secretariat for the New Evangelization, Office of Pastoral Ministry for the Sick, and Catholic Schools Office.
• Serving the Shepherds Fund A fund supporting seminarians, active priests, and retired priests in the Diocese through the Cardinal Medeiros Residence, clergy pension contributions, vocational support, and the Clergy Support Office.
• Foundation to Advance Catholic Education (FACE) Established in 1991 (formerly St. Mary's Education Fund), this foundation provides scholarships and financial assistance for students with need to access Catholic education in the Diocese.
• Catholic Foundation General Fund
• Named Endowed Scholarship
• General Endowment
• Anima Christi Legacy Society
• Mass Card
• Memorial and Honorary Gifts
• Founders Society
• Charitable IRA (Qualified Charitable Distribution)

Quantifiable outcome

• Catholic Appeal assists more than 100,000 individuals and families annually across the Diocese of Fall River
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Diocese of Fall RivercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Catholic Foundation was established to serve the Diocese of Fall River and is fully endorsed by Bishop Edgar M. da Cunha. The foundation is responsible for all stewardship, development functions, and fundraising within the Diocese, including the annual Catholic Appeal.
• Foundation to Advance Catholic Education (FACE)coreOthersFACE, formerly the St. Mary's Education Fund established in 1991, is managed by the Catholic Foundation. It provides scholarships and support for students with financial need to access Catholic education in the Diocese.
• Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Fall RivercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCatholic Charities is the largest non-government provider of emergency assistance in the Diocese and a primary beneficiary of the Catholic Appeal. They provide comprehensive social services including basic needs, homelessness assistance, immigration services, housing, and mental health ministry.
• Morgan StanleyminorOthersMorgan Stanley serves as the foundation's broker for stock transfers. Foundation Account Manager Gina Riccardi at the Newport, RI office handles gifts of appreciated securities transfers.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Catholic Foundation of the Archdiocese of Hartford: A regional Catholic diocesan foundation serving the Archdiocese of Hartford with similar structure — endowed funds, planned giving, annual appeal — and comparable geographic scope in New England, making it the closest direct peer.
• Catholic Community Foundation of Minnesota: A Catholic diocesan foundation offering endowed funds, charitable gift planning, and donor-advised services to Minnesota parishes and ministries — a direct operational peer with a similar grantmaking and stewardship model.
• The Catholic Foundation of Greater Philadelphia: A regional Catholic foundation serving the Archdiocese of Philadelphia through endowment management, planned giving, and donor stewardship — directly comparable in mission, fund structure, and diocesan integration.
• Catholic Foundation of the Diocese of Green Bay: A diocesan Catholic foundation managing endowed funds, scholarships, and planned giving programs for the Diocese of Green Bay — a comparable regional grantmaking and donor stewardship organization.
• The Catholic Foundation of the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis: A Catholic diocesan foundation offering endowment, planned giving, and scholarship programs across the Twin Cities archdiocese — directly comparable in scope, fund offerings, and diocesan partnership model.
• National Catholic Community Foundation: A national Catholic-focused community foundation providing donor-advised funds, endowed scholarships, and planned giving services to Catholic donors and parishes nationwide — a broader-scale peer with an overlapping service model.

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Charities USA: The national umbrella organization for Catholic Charities agencies — overlapping as a large-scale Catholic social services and fundraising entity, though operating as a federation rather than a single diocesan foundation.
• Fidelity Charitable: The largest U.S. donor-advised fund sponsor — competes with the foundation's planned-giving and endowment offerings by providing a secular, highly scalable alternative for Catholic donors seeking tax-advantaged giving vehicles.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks1 record

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubevimeo.com/cfsema
• Facebookfacebook.com/CatholicFoundationSEMA
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/uas/login?session_redirect=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fcompany%2Fthe-catholic-foundation-of-southeastern-massachusetts%2Fabout%2F

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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