Lisa Baue, founder and board chair of Funeral Women Lead, is pleased to announce the organization has received official 501c3 tax-exempt status from the Internal Revenue Service.
The designation formally recognizes Funeral Women Lead as an operating foundation for education and charitable purposes, and able to accept tax-deductible contributions. Funeral Women Lead is also now eligible to pursue grant funding and expand scholarship opportunities.
“This past year has shown us just how much women in funeral service are ready to grow, lead, and support one another,” said Baue. “Becoming a nonprofit means this work is not just an idea. It is something we are building for the long term. We are committed to creating real opportunities to help women to step into leadership, support their growth and know they belong there.”
Launched in 2025, Funeral Women Lead was established to elevate, educate, and empower women in funeral service and deathcare. In its first year, the organization has built a national following and hosted a Women’s Wellness Summit and launched a yearlong Women’s Leadership Academy. Its efforts are focused on leadership development, wellness, and professional advancement.
“With nonprofit status in place, we now have the structure and stability to expand scholarships, scale programming, and build sustainable systems that support women leaders for years to come,” said Patty Neuswanger, senior director of operations. “We are more motivated than ever to advocate for the women of this profession. We’ll be rolling out more and more ways to support our work in the months ahead.”
About Funeral Women Lead
Funeral Women Lead is an organization that believes women are the key to the survival of this profession. It pursues its mission to unleash greatness in the women of this profession through outreach, coaching and mentoring, a one-year leadership academy, annual wellness summit, monthly podcasts, and scholarships for professional development. Bringing together leaders, sponsors, researchers and supporters, Funeral Women Lead champions women of the funeral profession as much-needed next-era women’s leadership.
To learn more about the organization visit www.funeralwomenlead.org.
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