The Grief Reach 2025 Cycle 1 Grant, supported by the New York Life Foundation and the National Alliance for Children’s Grief, offers a three-year funding cycle for U.S.-based nonprofit organizations that provide bereavement services to children. This cycle focuses on community expansion through innovative program development, with grants awarded at either $110,000 or $160,000 over three years. During the first year, grantees participate in the Childhood Bereavement Changemaker (CBC) Initiative, led by Judi’s House, which includes intensive training, evaluation, and consultation resources valued at $10,000. In years two and three, grantees receive either $50,000 or $75,000 annually to implement their expansion initiatives, with ongoing consultation support from Judi’s House.

Eligible organizations must be 501(c)(3) nonprofits with at least three years of continuous operation, a minimum annual budget aligned with the grant amount requested, and must employ at least one paid staff member. Applicants must also demonstrate how their program will address specific cultural needs within the grieving communities they serve. Disqualifications include current or incomplete Grief Reach grants, and eligibility is further limited to organizations that have not previously participated in the CBC Initiative. Applicants are encouraged to consider unique community needs and propose innovative approaches, such as scheduling accessible sessions or offering programs in local community spaces.

The application process opens on November 1, 2024, with a deadline of December 16, 2024, at 8:00 p.m. ET. Interested applicants are invited to join informational calls on November 19 and December 10 to address questions. Applications must include both the Grief Reach and CBC Initiative sections, and late submissions will not be accepted. A committee of representatives from NACG, New York Life Foundation, and bereavement experts will review applications, with grantees notified by February 2025.

Annual progress and financial reports are required from grantees, detailing progress on objectives, challenges faced, and the allocation of funds. Collaboration is encouraged, and partnering organizations should provide letters of support or MOUs. The Grief Reach grant cycle supports both programmatic innovation and the operational expansion of bereavement services, fostering long-term community impact in child grief support across the United States.