In Today’s Issue:

🔗 The best resources I found this week
📖 Deep dive: How to Raise Funds for Bereavement Supplies

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Want to learn how to get Forget Me Not Boxes in your hospital? Reply “Bereavement boxes”

🔗 The Best Resources I Found This Week

💡 Local service club giving
Community-focused organizations like Rotary, Kiwanis, and Lions often fund bereavement and healthcare projects. [nonprofitpro.com]

🛒 Amazon wish list strategy
Make it easy for donors—create a public wish list for bereavement supplies so every gift is practical and tangible. [lovetoknow.com]

🎁 Hospice Giving Foundation grants
Apply for dedicated healthcare and bereavement grants with a simple application, typically reviewed in under 90 days. [hospicegiving.org]

✉️ Direct mail for donations
Mail still works! See how targeted mail appeals outperform email and social in healthcare fundraising. [taylor.com]

📖 Deep Dive

How to Raise Funds for Bereavement Supplies

The reality is tough. You see families leaving empty-handed after losing their baby because there's “no budget” for bereavement supplies.

But here’s what I’ve learned studying fundraising strategies for months. There are ways to get these essential supplies funded. Also, as a side note, if any success came from what you read today, please email me. I read and reply to every response.

👇 Stick with me to the end—I've got some ready-to-use Ai prompts that will send you in the right direction to start fundraising.

Local Service Clubs: Your Best First Stop

Service clubs like Rotary, Kiwanis, and Lions Clubs donate millions annually to healthcare initiatives. Here’s why they’re perfect for bereavement funding:

They meet weekly and make decisions quickly—no six-month approval processes.

They focus on community health needs, so bereavement care fits perfectly with their mission.

Average local donations range from $1,000–$25,000. That’s 30–700 bereavement boxes.

Your approach: Attend one meeting. Tell them about the 1 in 177 families who leave your hospital after stillbirth without proper support. Ask for a specific amount—“We need $2,000 to provide bereavement boxes for 40 families this year.”

Employee Workplace Giving Campaigns

This one's powerful because it happens internally. Companies with workplace giving see 4× higher participation when they offer payroll deduction.

Hospital employee campaigns raise an average of $50–$200 per participating employee annually. With just 50 employees participating at $100 each, that’s $5,000—enough for 100–140 bereavement boxes. Here’s an example of a campaign by United Way for NYC.

Start by proposing to your HR department. Frame it as employee engagement, not just fundraising. Studies show 78% of employees want their companies to support social causes. Here’s an example of a campaign out of Cleveland.

Community Foundation Grants

Healthcare foundations specifically fund bereavement programs, like the Hospice Giving Foundation’s Grant Seekers portal for “expansion of grief and bereavement services”.

Grant amounts typically range from $500–$30,000 for bereavement programs, with a 30–90 day turnaround.

Search “[your city] community foundation” plus “healthcare grants” or “bereavement funding.”

Corporate Sponsorships

Local businesses want to support healthcare. The key is making it easy and meaningful for them.

Here's the compelling part for businesses: corporations can deduct charitable contributions up to 10% of their taxable income, with unused donations carrying forward for five years

You could approach local businesses with package options and maybe even offer a place to showcase their business in your hospital (reserve for third tier)
Tier 1: $500 sponsors one month of bereavement supplies
Tier 2: $1,000 sponsors a dedicated bereavement room setup
Tier 3: $2,000 becomes a “Founding Partner” for your bereavement program

The Arby’s Foundation recently granted $30,000 to support grieving children’s programs. Even smaller local businesses often have $500–$2,000 annual giving budgets.alivehospice

Amazon Wish Lists

This is one I already seen quite often among hospitals. Create an Amazon Wish List with your bereavement supply needs.

Why it works: Donors see exactly what they’re buying. A $15 journal feels more tangible than a $15 “donation”.

Success rates: Organizations report 60–80% higher engagement with wish-list giving versus traditional donations.

Set it up in 15 minutes. Share the link in newsletters, social media, and with employee groups. The only downside to Amazon is that not every bereavement product you need will be on Amazon.

Memorial Giving Programs

This one hits differently because it’s so personal. Families who’ve experienced loss often want to help future families.

You can start a memorial giving program at your hospital and promote it when families ask how they can help. You can also promote it via flyers, posters with high foot traffic, and even partner with your hospital’s marketing team to promote it in their regular emails.

I recently connected with Erin Wiggins, an amazing Bereavement Coordinator in Maryland who works for a non-profit hospital. She found a local landscaper who agreed to donate free labor and materials to building an outdoor garden dedicated to their Start Program, which remembers those families who left the hospital empty-handed. She’s also heading up creating a memorial room listing the names of the families affected.

Direct Mail to Your Community

I know—“Nobody reads mail anymore.” But here’s the data: direct mail has a 3.7% response rate—higher than email (1%) or social media (1%).

For healthcare causes, response rates can be 5–8%.taylor

If you mail 1,000 pieces asking for $25 donations, even a 3% response rate nets $750—15–20 bereavement boxes.

Focus on storytelling. Share one family’s experience (with permission). Make it specific: “Sarah and Mike left the hospital without their baby Emma, but with a memory box that now holds their only precious keepsakes.”

Making Your Case: What Actually Works

Based on successful bereavement program funding, here’s your winning script:

Be specific. Be local.

Use this 🪄 AI prompt in chatgpt to help you get started:

Copy and paste any of these prompts into your preferred AI tool (I like Chat GPT or Perplexity) so it can help you find specific local support. Replace [your city, state] and similar [] with information about your local area.

🏢 Local Business Sponsorship Search Prompt

Find local businesses in [YOUR CITY, STATE] that support healthcare initiatives or community programs. Include contact information for their community relations or marketing departments. Focus on:

Funeral homes and memorial services (they often support bereavement causes)

Local banks and credit unions with community giving programs

Real estate companies with charitable foundations

Medical supply companies or healthcare vendors

Large employers with corporate social responsibility programs

Restaurant chains or local food businesses with community partnerships

Please provide business names, websites, and any publicly available information about their charitable giving focus, donation amounts, and application processes. 

💰 Community Foundation & Grants Search Prompt

Help me find grant opportunities for hospital bereavement supplies in [YOUR CITY/COUNTY, STATE]. Search for:

[YOUR CITY] Community Foundation - healthcare grants

[YOUR COUNTY] Foundation - medical equipment or patient care grants

Local healthcare foundations or hospital foundations

Regional United Way organizations with health funding

State-level foundations focused on maternal/child health

Local service clubs (Rotary, Lions, Kiwanis) in [YOUR CITY] with healthcare giving

Religious organizations or church foundations supporting grief/loss programs

Include grant amounts, eligibility requirements, application deadlines, and contact information for each funding source. 

🤝 Service Organizations & Networking Search Prompt

Find service organizations and networking groups in [YOUR CITY, STATE] that fund healthcare or community projects, specifically:

Rotary Clubs in [YOUR CITY] - meeting times and community project focus

Lions Clubs in [YOUR AREA] - contact information for service coordinators

Kiwanis clubs - local chapters and their giving priorities

Chamber of Commerce members with healthcare connections

Professional women's organizations or nursing associations

Local medical societies or physician groups with community programs

Corporate employee giving programs at major employers in [YOUR CITY]

What Nurses Tell Me Works

👋 That’s a Wrap!

Before you go: Here are ways we can help your hospital

We offer bereavement boxes to give as gifts to those who leave the hospital after a miscarriage, stillborn, or infant death. Reply to this email “Sample” to get a free sample sent to your hospital.

What we prioritize:

1. Tools for hospitals to create a bereavement experience for families to begin their grief journey

2. Educating nurses with modern bereavement standards and continuing education.

3. Helping hospitals build a foundation of trust and support, so bereaved families feel seen and cared for—now and in the years to come.

These boxes were born out of our own personal losses, including Jay’s (CEO) 15 years of experience working in labor and delivery as a CRNA and witnessing time and again how the hospital experience can profoundly shape a family’s grief journey, for better or for worse.

Until next week,

Trina and Jay
Co-founders of Forget Me Not