To achieve greatest impact with limited resources, our Board of Directors has identified several priority funding areas that guide our funding decisions. In general, the NYS Tribute Foundation seeks to fund projects that advance the understanding of death, dying, and bereavement. These projects can take many different forms: lecture series, research programs, conferences, educational programs or materials, and professional scholarships. The New York State Tribute Foundation is engaged in programs and initiatives that focus on three core principles:

KNOWLEDGE

Consumer education and outreach programs work to raise public awareness regarding death, dying and bereavement. Research grants may include scientific, cultural, anthropological, epidemiological and environmental research programs that relate to and advance general understanding of death, dying, bereavement and the changing professional and societal approaches to end-of-life.

CHARITY

The NYS Tribute Foundation seeks to support agencies and organizations whose mission includes activities that significantly enhance the understanding of death, dying and bereavement.

EDUCATION

Scholarships will be made with the goal of increasing the number of new funeral service professionals and to encourage previously licensed funeral directors to return to the profession. Scholarships will also be offered to fund on-going professional education.

Grants will also be considered to encourage development of state-of-the-art educational programming and best practice curriculums that can be offered to allied professionals in related human service fields.

The NYS Tribute Foundation gives highest priority to projects that are in keeping with our organization's overall guiding principles:

• To foster a renewed and modern interest in scientific and educational programs for better understanding of death, dying and bereavement;
• To aid in the development of new and existing agencies and institutions that provide progressive educational activities and scientific programs;
• To aid in the study and the promotion of highest ethical practices within the funeral service profession;
• To encourage and assist qualified candidates who aspire to a career in funeral service;
• To encourage and support research and scholarly activities that help to advance the understanding of death, dying, and bereavement;
• To foster collaboration and community-based partnerships between institutions, industry and government to enable the sharing of people, ideas and tools for both policy planning and times of crisis.