What Hospice Foundation of America does

Hospice Foundation of America, Inc. (HFA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded around 1984 and headquartered at 1707 L Street NW, Suite 220, Washington, DC. It operates a dual-mission educational platform serving both the general public and healthcare professionals on hospice, palliative care, caregiving, grief, and bereavement. Public-facing assets include a free resource library of articles, guides, videos, and FAQs, plus an "Ask an Expert" service. For professionals, HFA runs an accredited continuing education catalog — the trademarked Living with Grief® series, Five Wishes® advance care planning curriculum, and 130+ on-demand and live CE courses — accredited by ANCC, NASW, California BRN, and Florida Boards. Ancillary products include the Journeys/Recorridos bereavement newsletters (English and Spanish), books, DVDs, the A Butterfly Has Been Released documentary, and licensed theatrical works used in clinical and conference settings.

The underlying technology is a standard web-based educational publishing platform: a WordPress-hosted e-commerce storefront (hospicefoundation.org) using Authorize.net for payment processing, Constant Contact for email/text marketing, and Google Analytics for site analytics. The site delivers on-demand and live webinar CE programs, downloadable PDFs, video content, and newsletter subscription products. No mobile app, no public API, and no proprietary software beyond the trademarked content frameworks are disclosed.

HFA's revenue model is hybrid and typical of an educational nonprofit. Streams include online CE course sales (per-seat, tiered from individual to institutional), annual Journeys/Recorridos newsletter subscriptions and bulk packs (50-100 units for organizational use), individual/organization/company membership dues (with free CE access for members), tax-deductible donations (online, phone, text, planned, and workplace giving), and one-time book/DVD sales ($4.99-$64.95). Distribution is direct-to-consumer via the website and virtual webinars; bulk newsletter products are physically or digitally shipped to hospital, church, and hospice lists. Geographic scope is U.S.-only per the Terms of Use.

Name

Hospice Foundation of America

Legal name

Hospice Foundation of America, Inc.

Website

https://hospicefoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Hospice Foundation of America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that delivers accredited continuing education, bereavement newsletters (Journeys/Recorridos), and public education resources on hospice, palliative care, and grief to families and healthcare professionals across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hospice and Palliative Care Education

NAICS

Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Home Health Care Services (8082)

akta.pro primary industry

Home Hospice Agencies (HLAFAEAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bereavement, Grief & Family Support Services (Hospice-Linked) (HLAFAEAO), Residential Hospice / Hospice House (Facility-Based) (HLADAHAC), Bereavement & Grief Support Services (Family Aftercare) (HSABAFAI), Bereavement & Grief Support Services (Hospice-Affiliated/Independent) (HLADAHAL)

Keywords

• Hospice education
• Palliative care training
• Bereavement support
• Continuing education
• Advance care planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Online continuing education (CE) course sales: Sells on-demand and live CE courses priced in tiers (individual, 2-12 employees, 13-25 employees, institutional), including 1-Credit, 1.5-Credit, and 2-Credit programs approved by ANCC, NASW, California BRN, Florida Boards, and Certificate of Attendance.
2. Donations and planned giving: 501(c)(3) tax-deductible donations accepted online, by phone, text, planned, and workplace giving; major donor acknowledgment program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Hospice Foundation of America is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that educates the public and trains professionals on hospice, palliative care, caregiving, grief, and end-of-life issues. It sells accredited continuing education (CE) courses, books, DVDs, the Journeys/Recorridos bereavement newsletters, and signature trademarked programs (Five Wishes®, Living with Grief®) through its online shop, while providing a free public resource library, Ask-an-Expert guidance, and downloadable guides/videos.

Product overview

Hospice Foundation of America (HFA) operates a unified educational-publishing platform rather than a single discrete product. The platform is anchored by its signature Living with Grief® Series of multi-format continuing education programs and is complemented by a catalog of On-Demand CE Courses spanning topics from death doula practice to deprescribing medication. Its Five Wishes® Programs provide a structured advance care planning training curriculum (Presenter Foundations, Facilitator Foundations, Facilitator Communication Skills, Advance Care Planning for Serious Illness). The Journeys Bereavement Newsletter (including the Spanish edition Recorridos) and bulk booklets such as Returning to Work After a Loss and Supporting a Friend or Loved One deliver written bereavement support to families. Standalone media products include the documentary A Butterfly Has Been Released and its companion program From Caregiver to Patient. Backed books (e.g., Guide for Recalling and Telling Your Life Story, Managing Conflict, Finding Meaning) and DVDs round out the publication portfolio, all distributed through HFA's online shop. The HFA Membership ties these offerings together by providing members with free course access and product discounts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Journeys: Bereavement support newsletter for families who have experienced a loss, including themed issues (Newly Bereaved, Anticipatory Grief, Anniversary, Spring/Winter Holidays, Understanding Support Groups) and an annual subscription.
• Recorridos (Journeys)
• Living with Grief®
• Five Wishes®
• A Butterfly Has Been Released
• The AD Project

Products and services

• Living with Grief® Series Signature continuing education program for hospice, palliative care, and grief professionals; multi-format bundles including CE courses, companion books, and DVDs taught by leading national experts.
• Five Wishes® Programs Advance care planning training curriculum for clinicians and community educators, teaching facilitators to guide compassionate, values-based end-of-life conversations using the Five Wishes framework.
• Journeys Bereavement Newsletter Bereavement support newsletter sold as annual subscriptions, single special-topic editions, and bulk packs; used by hospices, hospitals, and churches to meet bereavement compliance requirements.
• A Butterfly Has Been Released Award-winning documentary chronicling hospice nurse Allyson's final 39 days, distributed through HFA's From Caregiver to Patient program for hospice professionals and community audiences.
• From Caregiver to Patient Professional education program built around the A Butterfly Has Been Released documentary, designed to help hospice professionals reflect on the caregiver-to-patient experience.
• HFA Membership Annual membership program for individuals, organizations, and companies providing free CE course access, product discounts, and members-only content.
• On-Demand CE Courses Self-paced online catalog of accredited continuing education courses for nurses, social workers, counselors, and end-of-life care professionals, offering CE hours and certificates of attendance.
• Free Educational Programs No-cost on-demand educational programs for hospice volunteers, family caregivers, and community audiences seeking introductory hospice and grief education without CE credit.
• Guide for Recalling and Telling Your Life Story Award-winning workbook for hospice patients, family members, and reminiscence activities that prompts individuals to capture and share their life stories.
• Managing Conflict, Finding Meaning Companion book and DVD bundle to the Living with Grief® program, edited by Kenneth J. Doka, examining family conflicts during end-of-life care with 18 chapters by leading clinicians and researchers.
• Returning to Work After a Loss Printed bereavement booklet providing grief support guidance for individuals returning to the workplace after the death of a loved one; sold individually and in bulk packs.
• Recorridos (Journeys Spanish Edition) Spanish-language edition of the Journeys bereavement newsletter covering grief topics, distributed to Spanish-speaking communities served by hospitals, churches, and hospices.

Quantifiable outcome

• 42 years of impact on end-of-life care and education
• +2 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and moderate.

• Authorize.net (Visa)coreTechnology or IntegrationAuthorize.net processes credit card transactions on HFA's website; HFA does not collect, store, or share customer credit card information. Authorize.net is a wholly owned subsidiary of Visa, Inc., and is governed by Visa's privacy policy.
• Constant ContactcoreTechnology or IntegrationConstant Contact is used to send HFA's email marketing and text message communications; governed by Constant Contact's Customer Data Notice. Users consent to receive marketing emails from HFA via Constant Contact, with SafeUnsubscribe available.
• HealGrief® (Actively Moving Forward®)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerHealGrief's Actively Moving Forward (AMF) program is referenced from HFA's Support for children and teens page as a national network supporting bereaved young adults. HFA refers visitors to HealGrief.org/actively-moving-forward/.
• Children's Bereavement CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerReferenced on HFA's Support for children and teens page; provides free peer support groups for children, young adults, and adults after the death of a loved one.
• The Compassionate FriendsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerReferenced from HFA's Support for children and teens page; provides support to families experiencing the death of a child, grandchild, or sibling.
• Dougy CenterminorGTM or Marketing PartnerReferenced from HFA's Support for children and teens page; the Dougy Center is also where HFA expert Cristina Chipriano directs the Esperanza program. Provides grief support and training for children, teens, young adults, and families.
• National Alliance for Children's Grief (NACG)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerReferenced from HFA's Support for children and teens page; raises awareness about the needs of grieving children and teens and provides education and resources.
• TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerReferenced from HFA's Support for children and teens page; TAPS offers support programs for children and teens grieving the death of a military family member.
• Dougy Center (Esperanza program)moderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerHFA expert Cristina Chipriano serves as the Director of Equity and Community Relations and coordinator of the Esperanza program at the Dougy Center; Brenda Hernández is Satellite Program Coordinator for the Spanish-language program at OUR HOUSE Grief Support Center, both co-branded with HFA's Recorridos (Journeys) bereavement newsletter.
• The Joint Commission / Community Health Accreditation Program (CHAP)minorOthersAccrediting agencies referenced on HFA's How to choose a hospice provider page; HFA informs consumers that hospice providers may be accredited by Joint Commission or CHAP.
• Five Wishes (program)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing PartnerHFA offers the Five Wishes® advance care planning training curriculum (Presenter Foundations, Facilitator Foundations, Facilitator Communication Skills, Serious Illness) developed under license from Five Wishes for clinician and community education.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves1 record

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO): Largest U.S. membership organization for hospice and palliative care providers, offering professional education, advocacy, and resources that directly overlap with HFA's CE and member services for hospice professionals.
• Aging with Dignity (Five Wishes): Owner and licensor of the Five Wishes® advance care planning framework, which HFA offers as a training curriculum. They are the upstream content owner for one of HFA's flagship programs and a direct overlap in advance care planning education.
• Center to Advance Palliative Care (CAPC): National organization providing palliative care training, tools, and CE for clinicians, with substantial overlap to HFA's professional hospice and palliative care CE catalog.
• Hospice Education Institute: Nonprofit focused on hospice education and public information, closely comparable in mission, public education resources, and professional training offerings to HFA.
• Association for Death Education and Counseling (ADEC): Professional association for death education, grief counseling, and hospice care, offering CE and certification that overlap with HFA's bereavement and grief CE programs and whose Lifetime Achievement honoree serves as HFA's SVP.
• Respecting Choices (Gundersen Health System): Nationally recognized advance care planning curriculum and facilitator certification program, directly competing with HFA's Five Wishes®-based facilitator training for clinician and organizational customers.

Emerging players

• Dougy Center: National grief support center for children, teens, and families; co-brands HFA's Spanish-language Recorridos and Esperanza program, making it a closely aligned partner/peer in pediatric and family bereavement education.
• VitalTalk: Nonprofit that trains clinicians in serious illness communication, overlapping with HFA's Five Wishes® Facilitator Communication Skills and advance care planning course line.
• HealGrief: Digital bereavement support platform for young adults and broader grieving populations; referenced by HFA as a referral partner and an emerging peer in online grief education and support.

Broad incumbents

• Compassion & Choices: Large end-of-life advocacy and education nonprofit that delivers consumer-facing advance care planning resources and professional education, partially overlapping with HFA's public-facing content mission.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hfahospice

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Hospice Foundation of America