Dougy Center
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.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1982
- HeadquartersPortland, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
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.
Dougy Center firmographics
Firmographics- 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
Dougy Center industry classification
Industry- 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
Where Dougy Center is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Portland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
Dougy Center business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Campaign/Fundraising Events: Special fundraising initiatives including raffles (such as the 2026 Porsche Boxster raffle) and capital campaign contributions for facility expansion.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free peer grief support programs for children and families |
| Other | Pay-as-you-go | Professional training and webinars |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Dougy Center product offering
Product offeringCore 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
Companies that use Dougy Center
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Dougy Center technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
Dougy Center partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- Scott Edwards ArchitectureminorArchitectural design services for the Dougy Center West facility in Beaverton. Responsible for the building design and architectural renderings.
- Säzän GroupminorMechanical, Electrical, and Plumbing (MEP) engineering partner for the Dougy Center West construction project.
- Urban Resources, Inc.minorOwner's Representative and Construction Management Services for the Dougy Center West capital campaign project.
- Walsh ConstructionminorGeneral contractor for the Dougy Center West building project in Beaverton.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Dougy Center competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect 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
Dougy Center social profiles
Digital presenceDougy Center financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Dougy Center leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
Dougy Center funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors2 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Dougy Center M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Dougy Center
What does Dougy Center do?
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.
Is Dougy Center a public or private company?
Dougy Center is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Dougy Center founded?
Dougy Center was founded in 1982. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Dougy Center based?
Dougy Center is headquartered in Portland, United States, in the North America region.
How does Dougy Center make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Foundation Grants are the primary driver. The others are individual Donations, training and Professional Services and campaign/Fundraising Events.
Who are Dougy Center's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Experience Camps, Ele's Place, Kids Konnected, The WARM Place, Comfort Zone Camp, The Children's Room, Judi's House and Bo's Place. GriefNet is listed as an emerging player. National Alliance for Grieving Children is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Dougy Center have an API?
No public API is recorded for Dougy Center.
What industry is Dougy Center in?
Dougy Center's product category is Bereavement and Grief Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HLAFAEAO, Bereavement, Grief & Family Support Services (Hospice-Linked), with a secondary code of HLADAHAL, Bereavement & Grief Support Services (Hospice-Affiliated/Independent). Its NAICS code is 624120.