Dougy Center

What Dougy Center does

Dougy Center (legal name: The Dougy Center for Grieving Children & Families) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1982 in Portland, Oregon, that pioneered the world's first peer grief support program for children, teens, young adults, and families experiencing the death of a parent, sibling, or other important person. Its core offering is age-specific peer support groups organized by both age and type of death, complemented by "expression rooms" for music, art, hospital play, and high-energy activities, plus a portfolio of specialized programs including Tapestries (for Black and African American families), dedicated programming for youth in foster care, and resources for those living with advanced serious illness. The organization also runs the internationally distributed Grief Out Loud podcast, a worldwide program directory, professional training and consulting (including the LYGHT initiative), webinars, and an extensive library of publications and toolkits.

The underlying operating model is community-led: services are delivered primarily by trained volunteer facilitators at no cost to participants, supplemented by paid staff for professional training, advocacy, and program development. Technology components are minimal and human-centric — there is no app, API, or platform; the "tech stack" is essentially the codified Dougy Center Model, a set of principles, training curricula, and program materials refined over 40+ years, plus standard content distribution channels (podcast, webinar, web resources).

Revenue mechanics are typical of a mid-sized nonprofit: foundation grants (notably The Standard Charitable Foundation and Unlikely Collaborators), individual donations through multiple giving vehicles (Smooth Stone Circle, legacy society, endowment funds, workplace giving, raffles), and modest fee-based income from professional training and select paid webinars (e.g., $65 per attendee). The organization is governed by a Board of Directors, has 11–50 employees, and is preparing to open Malcolm's House, a new 14,000 sq ft permanent facility in Beaverton in early 2027 that will double in-person service capacity.

Name

Dougy Center

Legal name

The Dougy Center for Grieving Children & Families

Website

https://dougy.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Dougy Center is a Portland-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1982 that pioneered peer grief support groups for children, teens, and families, delivering free in-person services, professional training, the Grief Out Loud podcast, and a worldwide program directory.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Bereavement and Grief Support Services

NAICS

Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (624120), Services for the Elderly and Persons with Disabilities (62412)

akta.pro primary industry

Bereavement, Grief & Family Support Services (Hospice-Linked) (HLAFAEAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Bereavement & Grief Support Services (Hospice-Affiliated/Independent) (HLADAHAL), Palliative Care, Hospice & Serious Illness Support (BPAGACAK), Community Center Education Programs (EDAAAFAB)

Keywords

• Grief support services
• Bereavement counseling
• Peer grief groups
• Grief education training
• Childhood bereavement

Headquarters

HQ city

Portland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Foundation Grants: Dougy Center receives significant funding through grants from foundations including Unlikely Collaborators and The Standard Charitable Foundation. These grants support program expansion, new initiatives, volunteer training, and facility development.
2. Individual Donations: Individual donors contribute through various giving programs including the Smooth Stone Circle, gift planning, endowment funds, legacy society, workplace giving, and general donations.
3. Training and Professional Services: Fee-based grief education and training programs for professionals, community organizations, and individuals seeking to support grieving children. Includes webinars and consulting services.
4. Campaign/Fundraising Events: Special fundraising initiatives including raffles (such as the 2026 Porsche Boxster raffle) and capital campaign contributions for facility expansion.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Dougy Center provides free, age-segregated peer grief support groups for children, teens, young adults, and families, organized by type of death experienced. Its secondary offering is grief education, professional training, webinars, the LYGHT initiative, consulting services, and the Grief Out Loud podcast, which export the Dougy Center Model to professionals and communities nationally and internationally.

Product overview

Dougy Center is a nonprofit grief support organization offering a portfolio of peer grief support programs and grief education services. The core offering consists of peer grief support groups organized by age and type of death, complemented by professional training, the Grief Out Loud podcast, and specialized programs like the Tapestries group for Black and African American families. Dougy Center West (Malcolm's House), opening in 2027, will expand physical presence on Portland's Westside with expression rooms and a national training center.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Tapestries: A support group specifically for Black and African American families experiencing grief
• The Dougy Center Model
• Grief Out Loud
• Dougy Center West (Malcolm's House)

Products and services

• Peer Grief Support Groups
• Grief Education & Professional Training

Quantifiable outcome

• Thousands of people reached annually through grief education programs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• Scott Edwards ArchitectureminorOthersArchitectural design services for the Dougy Center West facility in Beaverton. Responsible for the building design and architectural renderings.
• Säzän GroupminorOthersMechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) engineering partner for the Dougy Center West construction project.
• Urban Resources, Inc.minorOthersOwner's Representative and Construction Management Services for the Dougy Center West capital campaign project.
• Walsh ConstructionminorOthersGeneral contractor for the Dougy Center West building project in Beaverton.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Direct peers

• Experience Camps: National nonprofit running free summer camps and year-round programs for grieving children, comparable in mission and free-service delivery model.
• Ele's Place: Michigan-based nonprofit providing free peer support groups for grieving children and families, sharing Dougy Center's peer-group facilitation and age-segmented approach.
• Kids Konnected: National nonprofit offering peer support programs for children who have lost a parent, sharing Dougy Center's child-focused bereavement mission and peer group methodology.
• The WARM Place: Fort Worth nonprofit providing free peer grief support groups for children and families, closely mirroring Dougy Center's model and target population.
• Comfort Zone Camp: National nonprofit offering free bereavement camps and programs for children who have experienced the death of a parent or sibling, overlapping with Dougy Center's child and family focus.
• The Children's Room: Massachusetts-based nonprofit offering free peer support groups for grieving children and families, directly comparable in age-specific group facilitation and free services.
• Judi's House: Denver-based nonprofit providing peer grief support for children and families, directly comparable to Dougy Center's in-person peer group model and age-specific programming.
• Bo's Place: Houston-based nonprofit offering free peer support groups for grieving children, teens, and adults, sharing Dougy Center's freemium pricing and group-facilitation model.

Emerging players

• GriefNet: Online community-based grief support platform with email-based support groups, representing a digital-native peer to Dougy Center's in-person model.

Broad incumbents

• National Alliance for Grieving Children: National umbrella organization supporting children's bereavement programs across the U.S., comparable in mission but operating as a network and advocacy body rather than direct service.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/thedougycenter
• Facebookfacebook.com/thedougycenter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds2 records

Investors2 records

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 Dougy Center