irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2025
What they reported doing
- #1 primary $0PUBLICATIONS - TO PROVIDE PERIODIC INFORMATION EDUCATING THE FUNERAL DIRECTOR PROFESSION
- #2 $208KOTHER PROGRAM EXPENSES-DISASTER RELIEF PROGRAM AND OTHER GRANTS AND GIFTS
named programs · 4 · from sources
What they call their work
Children’s Grief Toolkit
Provides educational resources for professionals and families on supporting grieving children, developed in partnership with the National Alliance for Children’s Grief (NACG).
Education Webinar and Convention Presentation
Collaborates with NACG to deliver educational webinars and presentations for funeral service professionals on supporting grieving children.
Flip the Script Campaign
Participates in a national initiative during Children’s Grief Awareness Month to promote grief-informed responses and replace harmful statements with supportive actions.
Grant Program
Awards grants to organizations providing grief support services, particularly for children and families, including Camp Heartstrings, Comfort House, Hospice of Westchester, and SIBSPlace, Inc.
activities · 8 groups
What they do
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Grief Support Groups and Counseling 3 activities
- Conducting public awareness campaigns on childhood griefParticipates in the #FlipTheScript campaign during Children's Grief Awareness Month by sharing tools, resources, and actionable guidance to promote a more grief-informed society and support for grieving young people.
- Delivering grief support resources for children and familiesDistributes research- and practice-based toolkits and resources for supporting grieving children, including materials developed in partnership with the National Alliance for Children’s Grief (NACG), guidance on age-appropriate conversations about death, and resources specific to substance-use-related deaths and participation in end-of-life rituals.
- Providing capacity-building training for grief support professionalsOffers training programs for facilitators of suicide and substance use bereavement support groups and provides certified celebrant training to strengthen professional capacity in the field of death and bereavement.
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Industry-Specific Student Scholarships and Competitions 1 activity
- Funding education and workforce development in funeral serviceAwards grants and scholarships to support individuals pursuing careers in funeral service, including students in mortuary science programs, early-career funeral directors, and those returning to the profession; also funds the National Board Exam reimbursement program and provides seed grants for new organizations in the field.
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Religious Education Support 1 activity
- Funding operational costs for death-related programs and educationProvides financial support for the operational costs of programs including publications, conferences, seminars, curriculum development, and educational material creation related to death, dying, and bereavement.
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Medical Research Funding 1 activity
- Funding research on end-of-life, death, dying, and bereavementFunds research projects, clinical trials, demonstration projects, and pilot investigations related to end-of-life issues, death, dying, and bereavement, including a study on pandemic influenza preparedness in the funeral service sector conducted by Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health.
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Disaster Relief and Recovery Services 1 activity
- Providing disaster relief and supporting other charitable initiativesMakes grants or gifts to support other initiatives and provides disaster relief assistance as part of its charitable activities.
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Palliative and End-of-Life Care Education 1 activity
- Providing public and professional education on end-of-life issuesSupports research, professional education, public outreach, and policy dialogue forums on end-of-life issues; provides periodic publications for funeral directors and educational programming at NYSFDA Annual Conventions starting in 2021.
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Healthcare Education Scholarships and Fellowships 1 activity
- Providing scholarships to mortuary science students and funeral directorsOffers financial assistance to qualified New York residents enrolled in accredited mortuary science programs, including first- and second-year students and those pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree, and supports continuing education for recently licensed and early-career funeral directors through named scholarships such as the Franklin O.L. Steinberg, Samuel Q. Baxter, and R. Barry McPhillips awards.
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Uncategorized 1 activity
- Funding collaborative research on funeral industry recruitment and retentionSupported a longitudinal study on recruitment and retention in the funeral industry through collaboration with the New York State Funeral Directors Association and other state associations.
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financials · form 990 · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$497K
Contributions & grants$91K18%
Program service revenue$2K0%
Investment income$385K77%
Other revenue$20K
expenses
Total expenses$299K
Program expenses79%
Admin / overhead19%
Fundraising2%
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$161K
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$8.52M
Cash$691K
Investments$7.77M
Liabilities$50
Net assets$8.52M
Liquid reserves339.4 mo
6 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue +41.6%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2025
Who runs it
board members · 13
- DANFORD BAXTER — MEMBER
- DAVE ROBERTS — MEMBER
- DOUGLAS WILSON — MEMBER
- GARY ROG — MEMBER
- GORDON TERRY CFSP — MEMBER
- JOANNE SULLIVAN — SECRETARY/TREASURER
- MARGARET ANDERTON — MEMBER
- MARIKA MCMEANS CFSP — MEMBER
- PASTOR BYRON WILLIAMS SR — MEMBER
- ROBIN JENNINGS — MEMBER
- SABRINA JOYNES CFSP — MEMBER
- STEVEN JOHNSON — MEMBER
- TIMOTHY DOYLE CFSP — CHAIR
relationships · 17
Who they work with
- Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health Partner — Funded and collaborated on research regarding pandemic preparedness in the death care profession.
- Dougy Center Partner — Partners with Dougy Center as part of the national initiative to support children who are grieving through the #FlipTheScript campaign.
- Eluna Partner — Collaborates with Eluna in the national effort to create a more grief-informed society through the #FlipTheScript campaign.
- Experience Camps Partner — Works alongside Experience Camps to support grieving children through the #FlipTheScript initiative.
- Fowler Funeral Home, Inc. Partner — Employer of a recipient of the R. Barry McPhillips Scholarship, indicating a connection through professional development support.
- Judi’s House Partner — Partners with Judi’s House in the national campaign to improve support for grieving young people.
- National Alliance for Children’s Grief Network — Collaborates with NACG on the #FlipTheScript campaign during Children’s Grief Awareness Month.
- National Alliance for Children’s Grief Partner — Collaborates with NACG to provide grief resources and participate in Children’s Grief Awareness Month initiatives.
- National Alliance for Children’s Grief Partner — Partner organization providing education, resources, and toolkits to support childhood bereavement.
- National Alliance for Children’s Grief Partner — Partnership to develop and deliver resources, webinars, and presentations for funeral service professionals on supporting grieving children.
- National Association for Children’s Grief Partner — Collaborates with the National Association for Children’s Grief to distribute school-focused grief support resources.
- New York State Department of Law Charities Bureau Government — Requires grant applicants to be registered with the NYS Department of Law Charities Bureau.
- New York State Funeral Directors Association Partner — Collaborated on a longitudinal study of recruitment and retention in the funeral industry.
- New York State Funeral Directors Association Partner — Collaborates with NYSFDA to deliver educational programming at its annual conventions.
- New York State Funeral Directors Association Partner — Collaborates with student members of the New York State Funeral Directors Association for NBE Reimbursement Grant eligibility.
- Siena College Research Institute Partner — Analyzed and reported survey data for the longitudinal study on the funeral industry workforce.
- funeral service professionals throughout New York State Network — Network of funeral service professionals whose knowledge and resources the Foundation was created to unite
strategies · 5
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Developmentally Informed Grief Supportmethodology: developmental-approach-to-griefBy tailoring grief support to children’s developmental stages and recognizing individual variation, the foundation improves emotional adaptation after loss because age-appropriate, personalized strategies are more effective in school and community settings.
- Education-First Public Awarenessmethodology: education-firstBy prioritizing education programs, public outreach, and research, the foundation increases public understanding of end-of-life issues because informed communities engage more meaningfully with death and dying. This approach integrates multimodal communication to sustain awareness across diverse audiences.
- Professional Empowerment Through Resources and Peer Engagementmethodology: professional-resource-partnershipBy equipping funeral service professionals with educational tools and fostering peer networks, the foundation enhances grief support capacity because trained, connected practitioners are better able to meet the needs of grieving families, especially children.
- Strategic, Collaborative Grantmakingmethodology: strategic grantmakingBy using a two-stage grantmaking process and fostering cross-sector collaboration, the foundation maximizes impact through aligned funding and shared innovation because structured screening and multi-stakeholder engagement ensure resources are directed to high-leverage initiatives.
- Workforce Development Through Research and Scholarshipsmethodology: research-driven workforce developmentBy combining data-driven research on workforce dynamics with targeted scholarships and recruitment incentives, the foundation strengthens the funeral service profession because sustainable growth requires both empirical insight and financial support for diverse career pathways.