Common Ground Grief Center
Common Ground Grief Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Manasquan, NJ that delivers free peer support groups for grieving children ages 6-18, young adults 19-30, and their caregivers, using the Dougy Center model and multi-modal expressive therapies.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2009
- HeadquartersManasquan, United States
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Common Ground Grief Center does
Common Ground Grief Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2009 and headquartered at 67 Taylor Ave., Manasquan, New Jersey. It provides open-ended peer support groups for children ages 6-18, young adults ages 19-30, and concurrent adult caregiver groups for families who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, or primary caretaker. All core services are delivered free of charge and the program is delivered on-site using a residential-house facility that includes dedicated rooms for each therapeutic modality and an outdoor memory garden for engraved memorial stones.
The organization's underlying intervention model is adapted from the peer support framework pioneered by The Dougy Center for Grieving Children and Families in Portland, Oregon. Groups meet every other week in the evenings under trained volunteer facilitators who complete a 24-hour certification program and make a one-year commitment, supervised by Founder/Executive Director Lynn Snyder, a Licensed Professional Counselor, Registered Board Certified Art Therapist, and Fellow in Thanatology. Multi-modal expressive therapies (talking circle, art, music, sand-play, puppetry, gross motor activity) are used alongside the core peer group mechanism. The product surface also includes Camp Common Ground (annual day camp), engraved memorial stones, and curated educational resources distributed in English and Spanish.
The business model is a donations-and-events nonprofit with no commercial sales. Revenue is sourced from private individual contributions, corporate sponsorships (notably Manasquan Bank for the Light a Life Walk of Remembrance and The Provident Bank Foundation grants), four annual fundraising events (Clambake Benefit, Light a Life Walk of Remembrance, Chefs Extraordinaire, Super Gift Auction), and nominal volunteer training fees of $95 ($35 non-refundable deposit). GTM is community-led: families reach out via phone, complete an orientation, and are matched to groups through school, agency, and word-of-mouth referrals. The organization has stated it serves hundreds of children and teens cumulatively and that post-pandemic demand has pushed group sizes beyond comfortable capacity.
Common Ground Grief Center firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Common Ground Grief Center
- Legal name
- Common Ground Grief Center
- Website
- https://commongroundgriefcenter.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2009
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Common Ground Grief Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in Manasquan, NJ that delivers free peer support groups for grieving children ages 6-18, young adults 19-30, and their caregivers, using the Dougy Center model and multi-modal expressive therapies.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Common Ground Grief Center industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Childhood Bereavement and Grief Support Services
- NAICS
- Other Individual and Family Services (624190)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Palliative Care, Hospice & Serious Illness Support (BPAGACAK)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Bereavement & Grief Support Services (Hospice-Affiliated/Independent) (HLADAHAL)
Keywords
Where Common Ground Grief Center is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Manasquan
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Common Ground Grief Center business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Private donations and contributions: The center is supported solely by private donations from individuals, corporations, foundations, and grants. Services are provided free of charge to families.
- Fundraising events: Annual events including Clambake Benefits, Light a Life Walk of Remembrance, Chefs Extraordinaire culinary events, and Super Gift Auctions generate revenue through ticket sales, sponsorships, and donations.
- Volunteer training fees: Volunteers pay a training fee of $95 (with $35 non-refundable deposit) to complete the 24-hour facilitator training program.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Others | Free grief support services for families |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Common Ground Grief Center product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Common Ground Grief Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free, open-ended peer support groups for grieving children ages 6-18, young adults ages 19-30, and concurrent adult caregiver groups who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, or primary caretaker. Programs are delivered through biweekly in-person group sessions using multiple expressive therapy modalities, and supplemented by an annual day camp, educational resources, and a memorial memory garden.
Product overview
Common Ground Grief Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing peer support-based grief services. The organization operates a single integrated program model centered on peer support groups for children (ages 6-18), young adults (ages 19-30), and concurrent adult caregiver groups. Supporting services include Camp Common Ground (annual day camp), engraved memory stones for memorial purposes, and educational resources including recommended reading materials. The center also organizes annual fundraising events including Light a Life Walk of Remembrance, Chefs Extraordinaire culinary event, and Clambake Benefit. All core grief support services are provided free of charge to participating families.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Peer Support Groups for Children and Teens Open-ended peer support groups for children ages 6-18 who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, or primary caretaker. Groups meet every other week for 90 minutes and use talking circles, art, play, sand-play, and games to help children process grief.
- Young Adult Support Groups Support groups for young adults ages 19-30 who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, or primary caretaker.
- Concurrent Adult Support Groups Adult support groups for surviving parents or primary caregivers that meet at the same time as the children's groups, supporting the entire family unit through the bereavement process.
- Camp Common Ground An annual day camp for children and teens ages 6-18 who have experienced the death of a significant person, featuring fun, food, creative activities, and healing activities. Held at Oak Tree Lodge in Wall Township, NJ.
- Engraved Memory Stones Personalized engraved memory stones available for purchase from Common Ground Grief Center for placement in the center's memory garden or in a location of the family's choosing.
- Volunteer Facilitator Training Program A 24-hour facilitator training program that prepares volunteers to facilitate Common Ground's peer support groups. Volunteers pay a $95 training fee (with a $35 non-refundable deposit) and make a one-year commitment.
Quantifiable outcome
- Transformation and adjustment to a 'new normal' sprinkled with hope for grieving children and families
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Common Ground Grief Center
Customer profileNamed customers1 record
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Common Ground Grief Center technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
Common Ground Grief Center partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.
- jSteel DesignminorjSteel Design provides website design services for Common Ground Grief Center, having built and maintained the organization's web presence.
- The Dougy Center for Grieving Children and FamiliescoreCommon Ground's program was derived from the peer support model pioneered by The Dougy Center in Portland, Oregon. The Dougy Center granted permission for Common Ground to share educational resources and content on talking with children about death and tragic events.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Common Ground Grief Center competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- The Dougy Center: The Dougy Center in Portland, Oregon is the originator of the peer support model for grieving children that Common Ground has adopted. It is the largest and most established organization in this specific niche and provides the methodology, training materials, and resource library that Common Ground licenses in spirit.
- Camp Erin: Camp Erin is the largest national network of free bereavement camps for children and teens ages 6-17, operated by The Moyer Foundation. It directly parallels Camp Common Ground as a free, peer-driven bereavement camp experience for grieving youth.
Emerging players
- GriefNet: GriefNet hosts online community support groups for people experiencing grief and loss, including dedicated children's and teen communities. It offers a virtual, scalable alternative to Common Ground's in-person peer support model.
- MISS Foundation: MISS Foundation is a nonprofit providing peer support, crisis intervention, and bereavement services to families after the death of a child. It shares Common Ground's nonprofit grief-support orientation but focuses on bereaved parents rather than bereaved children.
Direct peers
- Experience Camps: Experience Camps runs free, one-week summer camps for grieving children who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, or primary caregiver. It operates a similar bereavement-support model to Camp Common Ground, with a comparable target population and volunteer-driven service delivery.
- Tomorrow's Rainbow: Tomorrow's Rainbow is a nonprofit in Florida providing free, peer-based grief support groups for children, teens, and young adults after the death of a loved one. It directly mirrors Common Ground's age-segmented peer support model and free-to-families delivery.
- Children's Bereavement Center: Children's Bereavement Center provides peer support groups for grieving children, teens, and young adults using the Dougy Center model. Common Ground directly links to its 'Find Support Near You' directory on its own website, signaling direct peer alignment in mission and methodology.
Others
- Kids Grief Help: Kids Grief Help is a coalition of programs supporting bereaved children and families, providing resources and a national directory of services. It is an adjacent ecosystem enabler that overlaps with Common Ground's educational resource and referral mission.
- National Alliance for Grieving Children: The National Alliance for Grieving Children is a membership organization that supports children's bereavement programs through education, advocacy, and a program directory. It is a peer support network that explicitly lists and uplifts organizations like Common Ground.
Regional players
- Center for Grieving Children (Philadelphia): The Center for Grieving Children in Philadelphia offers free peer support groups for grieving children, teens, and families using the Dougy Center model. It is a regional peer with a comparable volunteer-driven, donations-funded operating model and age-tiered program structure.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Common Ground Grief Center social profiles
Digital presenceCommon Ground Grief Center financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Common Ground Grief Center leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
Common Ground Grief Center funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Common Ground Grief 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 Common Ground Grief Center
What does Common Ground Grief Center do?
Common Ground Grief Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that provides free, open-ended peer support groups for grieving children ages 6-18, young adults ages 19-30, and concurrent adult caregiver groups who have experienced the death of a parent, sibling, or primary caretaker. Programs are delivered through biweekly in-person group sessions using multiple expressive therapy modalities, and supplemented by an annual day camp, educational resources, and a memorial memory garden.
Is Common Ground Grief Center a public or private company?
Common Ground Grief Center is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Common Ground Grief Center founded?
Common Ground Grief Center was founded in 2009. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Common Ground Grief Center based?
Common Ground Grief Center is headquartered in Manasquan, United States, in the North America region.
How does Common Ground Grief Center make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Private donations and contributions are the primary driver. The others are fundraising events and volunteer training fees.
Who are Common Ground Grief Center's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are The Dougy Center and Camp Erin. Emerging players are GriefNet and MISS Foundation. Direct peers are Experience Camps, Tomorrow's Rainbow and Children's Bereavement Center. Others are Kids Grief Help and National Alliance for Grieving Children. Center for Grieving Children (Philadelphia) is listed as a regional player.
Does Common Ground Grief Center have an API?
No public API is recorded for Common Ground Grief Center.
What industry is Common Ground Grief Center in?
Common Ground Grief Center's product category is Childhood Bereavement and Grief Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGACAK, Palliative Care, Hospice & Serious Illness Support, with a secondary code of HLADAHAL, Bereavement & Grief Support Services (Hospice-Affiliated/Independent). Its NAICS code is 624190 and its SIC code is 8300.