New round of grants announced to support grieving youth.

New York Life  |  August 14, 2025

Eleven organizations have each been awarded a $10,000 Grief Reach Community Education grant to fund local events that train professionals to better support bereaved children in their communities. 

NEW YORK — The New York Life Foundation, in collaboration with the National Alliance for Children’s Grief (NACG), proudly announces the recipients of the 2025 Grief Reach Community Education Event grants. The grants in this latest cycle are funding local education events that equip professionals — such as teachers, counselors, and social workers — with the skills and knowledge they need to better support bereaved children in their communities.

Eleven  organizations have been selected to receive $10,000 each in funding. The organizations’ events will directly engage over 1,775 professionals and are projected to indirectly impact up to 22,000 children and families across diverse communities.

“Through Grief Reach event grants, we are investing in the power of community-based education to transform the way professionals support children navigating grief,” said Maria Collins, vice president, New York Life Foundation. “These 11 grantees exemplify innovative, inclusive and deeply needed approaches to grief support training.”

2025 Grief Reach Event Grantees:

• Bo’s Place (Houston) – Trauma-informed training for educators and counselors
• Roberta’s House (Baltimore) – Exploring trauma and grief intersections in underserved communities
• Center for Applied Research Solutions (California) – Grief literacy for rural educators
• Hospice & Palliative Care of Western KY (Paducah, Ky.) – Pediatric bereavement integration for hospice and education professionals
• Adam’s Place (Las Vegas) – National conference focused on grief facilitation and youth trauma
• 100 Black Men of Metro Baton Rouge (Baton Rouge, La.) – Culturally responsive grief support for African American youth
• Willow Center (Lewiston, Idaho) – Statewide training for K–12 staff on school-based grief intervention
• Good Grief (New Jersey) – Inclusive grief education for high school professionals
• Calm Waters (Oklahoma City) – Community workshops on non-clinical grief response tools
• The Elizabeth Hospice (San Diego) – Grief assessments and academic intervention strategies for school staff
• Park Nicollet Foundation (Minneapolis) – Creating grief-informed school environments through restorative practices

The Grief Reach events are taking place throughout summer and fall 2025, with nine of the 11 offering Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for professional participants. Together, they reach a broad range of professionals — including school staff, counselors, community leaders and hospice teams. Nearly half of the events will take place in rural or underserved communities, helping to expand access.

“When we equip professionals in the systems surrounding children with the skills to recognize and respond to grief, we build stronger, more compassionate communities,” said Deirdra Flavin, chief executive officer of the National Alliance for Children’s Grief. “This work is especially critical in under-resourced communities, where access to grief support is often limited. The NACG is honored to partner in this effort with the New York Life Foundation and the dedicated organizations funded through this cycle.”

This initiative builds on the New York Life Foundation’s longstanding commitment to bereavement support and reflects its belief in the transformative role of education and collaboration in healing. Through its partnership with the NACG, the New York Life Foundation continues to strengthen a national network dedicated to helping children and families navigate loss with compassion, understanding and resilience.

ABOUT THE NEW YORK LIFE FOUNDATION

Inspired by New York Life’s tradition of service and humanity, the New York Life Foundation has, since its founding in 1979, provided over $470 million in charitable contributions to national and local nonprofit organizations. The Foundation supports programs that benefit young people, particularly in the areas of educational enhancement and childhood bereavement. The Foundation also encourages and facilitates the community involvement of employees and agents of New York Life through its Volunteers for Good program and Grief-Sensitive Schools Initiative. To learn more, please visit newyorklifefoundation.org. 

ABOUT NACG

The National Alliance for Children’s Grief (NACG) is a nonprofit organization that raises awareness about the needs of children and teens who are grieving a death and provides education and resources for anyone who supports them. Through the collective voice of their members and partners, they educate, advocate, and raise awareness about childhood bereavement. Their mission is to raise awareness about the needs of children and teens grieving a death and provide education and resources to anyone who wants to support them. Their vision is for no child to have to grieve alone. All bereaved children, no matter where they live or their circumstances, should have the support and resources they need to positively adapt to a loss in their lives.

For additional information, please email info@nacg.org or phone 833-432-1542.

For more information on Grief Reach or to learn about future grant opportunities, visit newyorklifefoundation.org or contact info@nacg.org.