GriefShare

What GriefShare does

GriefShare is a Christ-centered grief support ministry operated by The Church Initiative Inc., a nondenominational nonprofit headquartered in Wake Forest, North Carolina. Founded circa 1999, it has run for 25 years and claims to have helped over 1 million people while equipping more than 20,000 churches worldwide. Its core offering is a 13-week video-based support group program: each session opens with a 30-minute video featuring 40+ Christian counselors, pastors, and bereaved individuals, followed by facilitated group discussion and guided workbook study. The program is delivered exclusively through local churches, which purchase turnkey ministry kits (priced $365-$625 across three tiers) and host groups either in person or via online/virtual sessions; participants typically attend free or pay a $20-25 workbook fee set by the hosting church.

The product surface extends beyond the 13-week group into adjacent formats: a 2-hour Loss of a Spouse seminar, the MyGriefShare participant portal, the LeaderZone leader resource hub, year-long Daily Encouragement Emails, an online bookstore of grief-focused books and devotionals, a guided Reflections Journal, and multilingual resources including Spanish and Korean-language portals. Free unlimited ministry coaching and structured leader training are bundled with kit purchases to sustain the church-partner ecosystem. The underlying technology stack is conventional—DVD/online video curriculum, basic web portals for group management and leader support, email automation, and a find-a-group search directory—with no AI/ML, API, or proprietary platform layer disclosed.

GriefShare monetizes primarily through one-time kit license sales to churches, indirect workbook fee pass-throughs to participants, bookstore transactions, and (as a nonprofit) likely donor contributions. Its go-to-market is a church-centric channel partner model: GriefShare equips churches, churches deliver grief ministry to their communities, and the program is positioned for organic cross-church word-of-mouth growth. Customer segments span grieving individuals (primary end-user), local churches (primary paying customer), and sub-cohorts including widowed individuals, adults who have lost parents, and parents who have lost children. The organization is privately held with no external investors, no public ticker, and no M&A activity disclosed.

Name

GriefShare

Legal name

The Church Initiative Inc.

Website

https://griefshare.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Short description

GriefShare is a Christ-centered nonprofit ministry that delivers a 13-week video-based grief support group program through a network of 20,000+ partner churches, serving over 1 million participants in 25 years via in-person and online groups, workbooks, and adjacent loss-specific products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Faith-Based Grief Support Services

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Civic and Social Organizations (8134), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Bereavement & Grief Support Services (Family Aftercare) (HSABAFAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Faith-Based Social Services & Community Outreach (Food Pantries, Shelters, Counseling) (BPAGAJAG), Bereavement & Grief Support Services (Hospice-Affiliated/Independent) (HLADAHAL), Palliative Care, Hospice & Serious Illness Support (BPAGACAK)

Keywords

• Grief support groups
• Church-based ministry
• Bereavement programs
• Faith-based support
• Group leader training

Headquarters

HQ city

Wake Forest

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Ministry Kit Sales: GriefShare sells ministry kits to churches containing program materials including video sessions, participant guides, leader guides, online training access, and promotional resources. Kits are priced in three tiers based on participant workbook quantities.
2. Participant Workbook Fees: Churches charge participants a fee (typically $20-$25) to cover the cost of participant workbooks. Some groups offer free attendance while others charge to offset material costs.
3. Group Registration Fees: Many GriefShare groups charge a registration fee to participants to cover workbook costs and support the ministry. Fees range from free to around $25.
4. Bookstore Sales: Sale of GriefShare branded books and resources including devotionals and grief-related materials through the online bookstore.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

GriefShare is a 13-week, church-based grief support group program that combines a 30-minute weekly expert-led video, a participant workbook, and facilitated group discussion. Church Initiative sells turnkey Ministry Kits to churches (containing videos, workbooks, leader guides, online training, and free coaching) so that local churches can host in-person or online grief support groups for grieving community members, who attend free or pay a small fee ($20-$25) to cover workbook costs.

Product overview

GriefShare is a church-based grief support ministry offering a portfolio of interconnected products centered around a 13-week support group program. The core offering consists of video-based curriculum featuring expert counseling insights, paired with participant workbooks and leader guides. Additional products include a Loss of a Spouse seminar (a 2-hour standalone video event), a GriefShare Ministry Kit for churches to host groups, and online platforms like LeaderZone for leader support and MyGriefShare for participant resources. Supplementary offerings include daily encouragement emails, a bookstore with grief-focused books, and free ministry coaching. The program is designed to be lay-led and church-hosted, serving over 1 million people through over 20,000 equipped churches worldwide.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LeaderZone: An online resource hub for GriefShare group leaders and church staff, providing leadership library, promotional tools, session videos, leader training, and access to ministry coaches.
• MyGriefShare
• Loss of a Spouse

Products and services

• GriefShare Support Groups A 13-week grief support group program that provides a safe, welcoming environment for people experiencing grief. Each weekly session includes a 30-minute video followed by group discussion, offering guidance on topics such as loneliness, fear, anger, regrets, relationships, and hope. Designed for grieving individuals and hosted by local churches.
• Loss of a Spouse Seminar A 2-hour video-based seminar designed for individuals who have lost a spouse. Includes a 35-minute video with practical advice from counselors, pastors, and widowed individuals, plus sharing time and a takeaway booklet. Available in person at churches and online.
• GriefShare Ministry Kit A turnkey kit sold to churches containing everything needed to start a GriefShare ministry, including 13 video sessions, participant workbooks, leader's guides, online training, LeaderZone access, promotional resources, and free coaching support. Available in three tiers (Basic with 1 workbook for $365, Bundle 7 for $495, Bundle 15 for $625).
• Participant Guide (Workbook) An interactive workbook that serves as a road map through the grief journey, helping participants process emotions, apply insights from group sessions, and gain tools to deal with complicated grief. Sold to churches and distributed to participants.
• Leader's Guide A spiral-bound guide for group facilitators containing easy-to-use lesson plans, discussion questions, and tips for leading effective grief support sessions. Sold to churches hosting GriefShare groups.
• LeaderZone An online resource hub for GriefShare leaders and church staff, providing leadership library articles, free group advertising, promotional tools, session videos, leader training, and a leaders' forum for discussion. Included with Ministry Kit purchase.
• MyGriefShare A free online account portal where participants can access videos, articles, and resources with helpful advice for handling common grieving situations.
• Daily Encouragement Emails A year-long daily email program providing uplifting messages to strengthen and guide individuals through the grief process. Free to subscribe on the GriefShare website.
• GriefShare Bookstore Online bookstore offering GriefShare branded books, including devotionals and resources such as 'Through a Season of Grief' and 'Grieving with Hope' for additional support beyond the group program.
• Free Ministry Coaching Unlimited, free one-on-one support from GriefShare ministry coaches to help churches start, promote, and sustain their grief support ministry. Included with Ministry Kit purchase.
• Reflections Journal A guided journal companion for participants to use during GriefShare and beyond, provided free with every ministry kit purchase.
• GriefShare Video Sessions Weekly 30-minute videos featuring expert insights on grief-related topics, counsel from Christian counselors and pastors, and relatable stories from people who have experienced loss. Available in DVD and online formats, bundled with Ministry Kits.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 1 million people helped through GriefShare programs in 25 years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Church InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerChurch Initiative is the parent ministry and nonprofit organization that creates and publishes GriefShare programs. Based in Wake Forest, North Carolina, Church Initiative develops Christ-centered, biblically-based video curricula to help churches minister to people experiencing life crises. GriefShare is one of multiple programs under Church Initiative's umbrella, which also includes DivorceCare, Single & Parenting, and DivorceCare for Kids.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Compassionate Friends: National nonprofit offering peer support groups specifically for bereaved parents, siblings, and grandparents; comparable faith-agnostic, volunteer-facilitated support group model serving grieving individuals.
• Celebrate Recovery: Christ-centered, church-hosted 12-step recovery program using a similar lay-led small group model with curriculum and workbooks; comparable in faith-based ministry distribution through churches.
• DivorceCare: Sibling program under Church Initiative using the identical church-hosted 13-week video-curriculum, workbook, and group-discussion model — most direct comparable in mission, distribution, and product mechanics.
• Stephen Ministries: Church-based lay caregiving organization that trains congregation members to provide one-on-one Christian care, including bereavement support; comparable in faith-based, church-distributed care model.
• Grief Recovery Institute: Organization that trains and certifies grief recovery specialists and runs structured grief support programs; comparable in providing a defined, curriculum-based grief methodology and facilitator training.
• The Dougy Center: National nonprofit grief support center for children, teens, young adults, and families; comparable peer-led group grief support model with structured curriculum and facilitator training.

Broad incumbents

• Hospice Foundation of America: National nonprofit providing bereavement program resources, publications, and training widely used by hospices and community organizations; comparable as a broader-incumbent provider of grief education and support infrastructure.
• Widowed Persons Service (AARP): AARP-affiliated peer support program offering bereavement outreach specifically to recently widowed individuals; comparable as a large, established grief peer-support program targeting similar widowed demographics.

Emerging players

• What's Your Grief: Online grief support platform offering articles, courses, and community resources for grieving individuals; comparable in serving the same end-customer need through digital content and tools, though secular in orientation.
• BetterHelp: Large online therapy marketplace offering individual grief and bereavement counseling; comparable as a competing digital-first option for grievers seeking professional one-on-one support outside a faith-based group setting.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@griefshare
• Facebookfacebook.com/griefshare
• Xx.com/griefcaring
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/griefshare-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 GriefShare