New Evangelization
Shark Tanks
How It Works
In a format similar to the well-known television series, "Shark Tank", vetted, personal evangelizing ministries are given the opportunity to pitch their organization before a panel of "angel sharks" (donors). The sharks are then provided the opportunity to challenge the ministries, in a spirit of charity and astute philanthropy, with questions.
Prior to entering the tank, Mission Capital provides individualized advisory services to each of the presenting ministries, helping them to craft a succinct pitch that highlights their organization's mission, infrastructure, prior successes, and future goals. Each donor is also provided with a packet that outlines each ministry and an evaluation of its growth opportunity.
Following the ministry presentations and questions, donors are asked to make a one-time donation to Mission Capital to commit funds to one or more ministries of their choosing. Mission Capital then makes grant awards based on the total amount that all donors committed to each ministry at the Shark Tank. Mission Capital also evaluates the effectiveness of each award and reports back to donors.
Our
Evaluation Method
All featured ministries undergo a rigorous vetting process that accounts for the listed metrics. We are committed to ensuring that each ministry will be effective in evangelizing and forming leaders and groups that are focused on growing and living as disciples.
Growth Opportunity
The ministry has traction, but is still in its early stages, as measured by annual budget, age, and number of FTEs. There is potential for scalability and reproducibility.
Proven Effectiveness
The ministry has been successful in accomplishing its objectives thus far, as measured by participation rates, well-constructed outcomes surveys, and numbers for completion of specific courses of study.
Leadership & Team
The ministry's founders and team are well-suited to the mission, with a background and skills that contribute to the likelihood of success.
Objectives & Mission
The ministry has clear, well-defined future goals. Its mission is innovative and has a clear evangelizing and/or disciple-making focus with strong potential for radical fruitfulness.
Financial Health
The ministry manifests overall financial health. Its financial stability and growth is evident from a thorough evaluation of financial reports, including tax statements and debt-to-asset assessments.
Orthodoxy
The ministry and its objectives are in complete accordance with the teachings of the Catholic Church.
2023 Ministries
Serva Fidem
The Mission
Serva Fidem, formerly Ut Fidem, leads weekly small groups in Catholic high schools, focusing on conversion, personal prayer, sacraments, catechesis, and living one's entire life for God. 58 adult mentors led 341 students in 2022 at Dowling Catholic High School (Iowa), and the program expanded to two more schools in 2023 (including Lansing Catholic). Parental, school, and parish donations sustain a chapter after its launch.
Success Story
Serva Fidem sought funding to launch at Flint Powers, Father Gabriel Richard, or Lumen Christi in 2024, raising $21,100 through its participation in Mission Capital's Shark Tank. With that support, Serva Fidem launched groups at three new high schools: 8 groups at Bishop Kelley (Oklahoma), 10 groups at Father Gabriel Richard (Michigan), and 4 groups at Xavier High School (Iowa).
2022 Ministries
St. Paul Evangelization Society
The Mission
St. Paul Evangelization Society (SPES) sought funding for ongoing consulting and creation of work-groups for bishops as an add-on to its “Bishop Conferences on Evangelizing Dioceses," a forum that has helped 74 Bishops develop diocesan-wide evangelization plans.
Success Story
Through its participation in Mission Capital's Shark Tank, SPES raised $14,000, with which it hosted its fifth and sixth conferences, reaching 23 bishops in the Archdioceses of Portland and Denver.
