New York Life Foundation - Grief Reach Grants

Request for Proposals Overview

The New York Life Foundation in partnership with the National Alliance for Grieving Children is excited to soon announce the opening of the RFP cycle for Grief Reach, a grant program that will expand capacity and increase access of bereavement services for grieving youth with local organizations. 

The New York Life Foundation has committed $1.25 million up to thirty-seven grants to be given to organizations serving grieving children across the country. There are two different grant opportunities:

• Cycle 1: Community Expansion Grants: These grant funds may be used to expand services to bereaved children and youth.
• Cycle 2: Capacity Building Grants: Funds to enhance organizational capacity, development and effectiveness.

Applicants can only apply for and receive one of these grants.

About Grief Reach:

This grant program began in 2011 as a partnership between the National Alliance for Grieving Children and the New York Life Foundation. The goal is to provide funding to expand the reach and capacity of organizations that offer local bereavement services for youth focused on unmet needs and diverse populations.

The funds for these grants are provided by New York Life Foundation and the oversight and RFP process is managed by the National Alliance for Grieving Children. Final decisions on grants are made by a review committee consisting of representatives from both the National Alliance for Grieving Children and the New York Life Foundation.

*The funds for these grants are generously provided by the New York Life Foundation.  The oversight and RFP process is managed by the National Alliance for Grieving Children.

Dates to Apply

For More Information: Grief Reach Request for Proposals Information for Download

Eligibility and Priorities

This competitive grant program is open to all nonprofit organizations that serve bereaved children and meet the requirements laid out below. Organizations that have a current grief reach grant from the New York Life Foundation are ineligible to apply until the current grant is completed.

1. 501(c)(3) status
   
   Organizations applying for these competitive grants must be 501(c)(3) organizations and will be required to submit their Employer Identification Number (EIN) to verify their status.

2. Bereaved Children Served- NEW DEFINITION!
   
   This competitive grant program is limited to those organizations that serve bereaved children and youth. For the purposes of this grant program, bereaved children and youth are defined as children under the age of 25 who have had a loved one die. Applicants for this grant program may serve students outside of these limits but grant funds, if awarded, are for supporting bereaved children under the age of 25

3. High percentage of low-income youth served
   
   Applicants for this grant program must serve at least 50 percent—of low-income youth and/or minority children. For the purposes of this grant program, “low-income” is defined as students who qualify for the Federal Free or Reduced-Price Lunch Program (FRPL). Serving a high-need population is a priority area for this competitive grant program.

4. Organizations Not Eligible to Apply
   
   An organization who is currently receiving a grief reach grant are ineligible to apply. Current grants must be completed, and final reports turned in prior to applying for a new grief reach grant.

What's New?

New criteria and guidelines were made to the Grief Reach RFP please review the full request for proposals, including information about the grief reach program and an application to submit a proposal.

• For the purpose of this grant program, bereaved children and youth are defined as children under the age of 25 who have had a loved one die. Applicants for this grant program may serve youth outside of these limits but grant funds, if awarded, are specifically used to support bereaved youth under the age of 25.
• Each cycle will focus on one of the two grant opportunities
• Expansion grants: the organization must still serve diverse populations, but the categories have grown to include:
  • Geographic Expansion: expanding your services into a new geographic location.
  • Number Expansion: expanding to serve more children and families where you are currently located.
  • Population Expansion: expanding to a new age or population group, such as pre-school, LGBTQ, etc...
  • Program/Service Expansion: starting new programming or services to the same children and families you are currently serving, such as a specific programming for suicide survivors; or if you are an already existing non-profit who will begin offering bereavement services to children.
• Capacity Building – this year, there are two grant levels: $10K or $20K instead of one plus one new category:
  • New Organization: Specifically, for organization under 3 years old to conduct an organizational needs assessment or strategic planning.

To access our Grief Reach FAQ page click HERE.

Questions?
Please contact Megan Lopez at: