Providing Assistance Through INELDA’s Scholarship Program
by INELDA
Since 2019 INELDA has had a robust scholarship program seeking to provide financial assistance to those who have historically been underrepresented and underserved in the deathcare community and global community at large. Our vision as an organization is for all individuals to have accessible, equitable, and compassionate deathcare that holistically affirms one’s humanity and supports end-of-life choices. This vision cannot be realized in its truest form without ensuring that those with limited financial resources are able to become stewards of the deathcare community. We are proud to offer scholarships to ensure the presence of end-of-life doulas in all communities. “The INELDA scholarship program makes end-of-life doula training accessible, giving more people the tools to provide comfort, dignity, and support at the end of life,” says Katina Perkins, director of operations.
Since 2019 INELDA has had a robust scholarship program seeking to provide financial assistance to those who have historically been underrepresented and underserved in the deathcare community and global community at large. Our vision as an organization is for all individuals to have accessible, equitable, and compassionate deathcare that holistically affirms one’s humanity and supports end-of-life choices. This vision cannot be realized in its truest form without ensuring that those with limited financial resources are able to become stewards of the deathcare community. We are proud to offer scholarships to ensure the presence of end-of-life doulas in all communities. “The INELDA scholarship program makes end-of-life doula training accessible, giving more people the tools to provide comfort, dignity, and support at the end of life,” says Katina Perkins, director of operations.
Who Can Apply?
If you are a member of and are seeking to serve the following communities, but require financial assistance in order to take our training, we encourage you to apply for a scholarship:
- BIPOC
- Immigrants and refugees
- LGBTQIA2S+
- Lived experience in the justice system
- Low-income or underserved
- Military or veteran
- Persons living with a disability
- Survivors of domestic violence
- Unhoused or formerly unhoused
- BIPOC
- Immigrants and refugees
- LGBTQIA2S+
- Lived experience in the justice system
- Low-income or underserved
- Military or veteran
- Persons living with a disability
- Survivors of domestic violence
- Unhoused or formerly unhoused
INELDA awards partial scholarships, allowing us to support as many individuals as we can. Recipients are able to choose different contribution amounts, depending on financial ability. So far in 2025, we were able to award 306 scholarships to applicants.
How to Apply?
Scholarships are offered for end-of-life doula training, hospice doula training, and bridge training. We also offer scholarships for the doula certification program. Requirements include an online application form and a letter of recommendation. The application process is on a rolling basis for all doula trainings, and awardees have four months to redeem their scholarship from the time they were awarded. We encourage you to check our schedule to ensure that you are able to complete one of the trainings offered before applying.
For submissions received between the 1st and 15th of the month, awardees are notified by email on the 22nd. For submissions received between the 16th and 31st of the month, awardees are notified via email on the following 5th.
Certification Scholarship
Our INELDA certification is a yearlong, educator-led program that is offered in two cohorts a year. The certification program is designed to support you through mentorship, peer review, and continuing education, learning alongside others as you engage in doula care within your community. In order to begin the certification program, you will need to have had some end-of-life doula experience, whether through client involvement, volunteer service, community outreach, advocacy, or other experience in the field.
For individuals who are interested in the yearlong certification cohort program, scholarship applications follow a different cycle. As this program has two openings a year, applications are not rolling. You can explore more about the certification process via our website or in a certification discovery call.
Membership Benefits with Scholarship
We welcome all scholarship recipients to our global INELDA community through a Tier 2 INELDA membership for the financial contribution of $25 for one year ($110 value) or $50 for two years ($200 value). Engage with your doula peers through our monthly Community Meetups, continue your EOL education with access to our monthly webinars and a full webinar library, and receive discounts for workshops and classes, access to monthly peer mentoring groups, partner program offers, and more. For membership-specific questions, reach out to Janine Cuthbertson, INELDA’s membership coordinator, who looks forward to hearing from you!
If you have any questions about our scholarship program or how to apply, please contact [email protected].
Posted 10/7/2025