Fernside Center for Grieving Children

Name

Fernside Center for Grieving Children

Legal name

Fernside: A Center for Grieving Children

Website

https://fernside.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Bereavement Support Services

NAICS

Other Individual and Family Services (624190), Child and Youth Services (62411), Individual and Family Services (6241)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Bereavement & Grief Support Services (Hospice-Affiliated/Independent) (HLADAHAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bereavement, Grief & Family Support Services (Hospice-Linked) (HLAFAEAO), School Counseling Services (Individual & Group) (EDAKAMAB), Family & Parent Support Services (Parent Coaching, Advocacy) (EDAJALAK), Youth Housing, Foster Care & Wraparound Support (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAO)

Keywords

• Children's grief support
• Peer support groups
• School-based bereavement
• Family grief programs
• Crisis response services

Headquarters

HQ city

Cincinnati

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Fernside is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that relies on donations from individuals, corporations, and community groups. All donations are processed through the Bethesda Foundation.
2. Foundation Grants: Funding from health-focused grant initiatives such as the $1.3 million bi3 grant for expanding youth mental health services in Greater Cincinnati schools over three years.
3. Planned and Estate Gifts: Bequests, charitable trusts, annuities, life insurance policies, and IRA beneficiary designations that provide legacy giving options for donors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Fernside Center for Grieving Children provides free grief support services to children ages 3-18, teens, adults, and families in the Greater Cincinnati area. Core offerings include age-appropriate peer support groups (Family Program), on-site school-based groups (School Program), crisis response following deaths (Crisis Program), customized support for individuals with special needs (Special Collaboration Program), outdoor camp and retreat experiences (Camp Program), and community education and professional training (Community Outreach & Education).

Product overview

Fernside Center for Grieving Children offers a comprehensive suite of grief support services organized into six core programs: Family Program (peer support groups for children ages 3-18 and families), School Program (on-site support groups in schools), Crisis Program (support following deaths in schools/organizations), Special Collaboration Program (services for individuals with special needs), Camp Program (outdoor experiences and camps for various ages), and Community Outreach & Education (presentations and trainings). Additional support services include Phone Consultations and a Resources & Reading library. All services are provided free of charge to grieving children, teens, adults, and families in the Greater Cincinnati area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Family Program Peer support groups for children ages 3-18 and parents/guardians. After pizza dinners, children and teens meet with others close to their age while parents/guardians also meet. Uses expressive arts and offers twice-a-month meetings September through May at five Greater Cincinnati locations.
• School Program Time-limited groups delivered on-site during the school day at area elementary, middle, and high schools. Addresses themes such as Feelings, Changes & Rebuilding, Special Days and Memories using expressive arts.
• Crisis Program Provides support to schools and other organizations following a death, offering consultation and on-site support for faculty, students, and staff.
• Special Collaboration Program Serves children and adults with special needs or in special settings by collaborating with schools and social service agencies to ensure accessible grief support, including partnerships with juvenile detention centers, developmental disabilities services, and Down Syndrome Association of Greater Cincinnati.
• Camp Program Offers outdoor experiences throughout the year for all ages, including Summer Day Camp (ages 3-8), Summer Camp (ages 7-12), Teen Retreat (ages 13-18), and Family Outings at Cincinnati Nature Center.
• Community Outreach & Education Tailored outreach programs and trainings offered to organizations at no cost on grief-related topics, available in-person or virtually, to raise community awareness among helping professionals, caregivers, and community members.
• Phone Consultations Consulting with families and helping professionals with grief-related questions or concerns. Staff provides answers to questions about children and grief and referrals to other resources.
• Resources & Reading Materials for grieving families and helping professionals, including How To Help Booklets, Recommended Reading list, Support Groups & Counselors listing, and the Wiltse Family Lending Library of bereavement education materials.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1,300 children, teens, and adults attend support groups annually

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, significant, notable and supporting.

• Hospice of CincinnaticoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFernside is an affiliate of Hospice of Cincinnati, with an affiliation established in 2002. Fernside services complement Hospice of Cincinnati's comprehensive bereavement program by addressing the unique needs of grieving children. The relationship provides increased bereavement support capabilities and organizational infrastructure.
• Bethesda Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBethesda Inc. is a nonprofit established in 1983 that co-sponsors TriHealth. It provides organizational sponsorship and governance oversight for Hospice of Cincinnati and its affiliates including Fernside.
• TriHealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerTriHealth is a collaborative community partnership between Bethesda Inc. and Bon Secours Mercy Health. It serves as a strategic partner supporting Hospice of Cincinnati operations, including Fernside programs.
• Bon Secours Mercy HealthcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPart of the collaborative community partnership (TriHealth) that sponsors Bethesda Inc. and supports Hospice of Cincinnati operations including Fernside.
• Bethesda FoundationcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHandles all donations to Fernside. Works with Bethesda Hospitals, Hospice of Cincinnati, and Fernside to raise funds needed for community programs and services.
• National Alliance for Children's Grief (NACG)significantStrategic or Co-development PartnerNACG collaborated with Judi's House/JAG Institute and New York Life Foundation on the Childhood Bereavement Changemaker Program, of which Fernside was selected as a participant.
• Judi's House/JAG InstitutesignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerConceived the Childhood Bereavement Changemaker Program with support from New York Life Foundation and NACG. Selected Fernside as one of 30 grief-centered organizations to participate in capacity building.
• Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical CentersignificantStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborates with Fernside through the Special Collaboration Program, providing grief support services to patients in their Residential Treatment Program.
• Butler & Hamilton County Juvenile Detention CentersnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner agencies in Fernside's Special Collaboration Program, bringing grief support to youth in non-traditional settings.
• Butler & Hamilton County Developmental Disabilities ServicesnotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner agencies providing grief support for individuals with developmental disabilities through Fernside's Special Collaboration Program.
• Down Syndrome Association of Greater CincinnatinotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner nonprofit providing grief support accessibility for individuals with Down syndrome through Fernside's Special Collaboration Program.
• Cincinnati Nature CenternotableStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Fernside Family Outings, providing nature-based healing experiences for bereaved families through 2-hour outdoor sessions.
• Northern TrustsupportingOthersFinancial institution handling electronic stock transfers for stock donations to Fernside via the Bethesda Foundation.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Children's Bereavement Center: Provides free peer support groups and counseling for grieving children, teens, and young adults in South Florida. Comparable model of free, ongoing peer-based grief support for bereaved youth.
• Camp Erin: Nationwide network of free bereavement camps for children and teens, operated through the Eluna Network in partnership with hospices. Comparable grief camp programming often affiliated with hospice organizations.
• Experience Camps: National nonprofit providing free summer camp programs and year-round support for grieving children who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, or primary caregiver. Comparable camp-based grief support model for bereaved youth.
• The Dougy Center: The nation's first children's grief center, founded in 1982 in Portland, Oregon. Directly comparable mission of providing peer support for grieving children, teens, and families; Fernside was explicitly inspired by and modeled after The Dougy Center.
• Judi's House / JAG Institute: Denver-based children's bereavement center offering peer support programs, research, and training for grieving children and families. Directly comparable services and operated the Childhood Bereavement Changemaker program in which Fernside participates.
• Good Grief: Nonprofit providing free peer support programs for children, teens, and families after the death of a parent or sibling. Comparable mission of free grief support programming for grieving youth and families.

Others

• National Alliance for Children's Grief (NACG): National membership organization supporting professionals and programs serving bereaved children and families. Fernside is a member/partner organization; NACG is the industry's central convening body.
• New York Life Foundation: Major philanthropic funder of childhood bereavement programming nationally, including the Childhood Bereavement Changemaker program. Key ecosystem funder rather than a direct service peer.

Emerging players

• Courageous Parents Network: Nonprofit providing support and resources for families and providers caring for children with serious medical conditions, including bereavement support. Partial overlap with pediatric grief support mission.

Regional players

• Kids Konnect: Hospice of Cincinnati's pediatric bereavement program. Operates within the same parent ecosystem as Fernside and may overlap or complement its children's grief programming regionally.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC57yDT2C2lybXTPMoXj4FGA
• Facebookfacebook.com/FernsideCenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fernside-inc-a-center-for-grieving-children
• Instagraminstagram.com/fernsidecincinnati

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fernside Center for Grieving Children