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OHIO FUNERAL HOME COLLABORATION SURVEY
Purpose
: To understand how Ohio funeral homes collaborate with community partners, identify barriers, and highlight opportunities for stronger connections.
OFDA will be using compiled data from this survey for 2026 Convention preparations.
Section 1: Current Collaboration Landscape
1.
In the past 12 months, with which of the following groups has your funeral home collaborated, and how frequently?
(Select all that apply)
Weekly
Monthly
Several Times a Year
Rarely
Never
N/A
Other funeral homes / competitors
Weekly
Monthly
Several Times a Year
Rarely
Never
N/A
Community organizations (nonprofits, civic clubs, veteran groups)
Weekly
Monthly
Several Times a Year
Rarely
Never
N/A
Clergy or faith leaders
Weekly
Monthly
Several Times a Year
Rarely
Never
N/A
Language or sign language interpretation services
Weekly
Monthly
Several Times a Year
Rarely
Never
N/A
Palliative care providers / hospices
Weekly
Monthly
Several Times a Year
Rarely
Never
N/A
Funeral service suppliers (e.g., florists, monument companies, transport providers)
Weekly
Monthly
Several Times a Year
Rarely
Never
N/A
Local media or community influencers
Weekly
Monthly
Several Times a Year
Rarely
Never
N/A
Local government agencies
Weekly
Monthly
Several Times a Year
Rarely
Never
N/A
Schools or educational institutions
Weekly
Monthly
Several Times a Year
Rarely
Never
N/A
None
Weekly
Monthly
Several Times a Year
Rarely
Never
N/A
Other (please specify)
2.
How would you rate the overall effectiveness of your collaborations with community partners?
Very effective
Somewhat effective
Neutral
Not very effective
Not effective at all
Section 2: Partner-Specific Collaboration
3.
Does your funeral home currently collaborate with language or sign language interpretation services?
Yes, regularly
Occasionally
Rarely
Never
4.
What forms of collaboration exist between your funeral home and nearby competitors?
Shared staffing or resources
Joint community or educational events
Referral arrangements
Emergency support only
No collaboration
Other (please specify)
5.
What are the main barriers your funeral home faces when collaborating with community organizations, suppliers, or other partners?
(Select up to 3)
Lack of staff time or capacity
Legal or regulatory concerns
Reputation or competitive concerns
Cost or budget limitations
Technology limitations (difficulty coordinating or communicating)
Lack of awareness of available partners
Scheduling challenges
Other (please specify)
Section 3: Barriers to Collaboration
6.
How often does your funeral home coordinate directly with clergy or faith leaders when planning services?
Always
Often
Sometimes
Rarely
Never
7.
If your funeral home does NOT regularly collaborate with interpretation services, what are the primary barriers?
(Select up to 3)
Limited demand or perceived need
Difficulty finding qualified interpreters
Cost concerns
Scheduling / availability issues
Not aware of providers
Other (please specify)
Section 4: Collaboration Interests & Opportunities
8.
Which types of organizations would you like to collaborate with more in the future?
(Select all that apply)
Hospices or palliative care teams
Community nonprofits or service groups
Clergy or faith leaders
Interpretation or accessibility services
Local government agencies
Funeral service suppliers
Local media or influencers
Schools / educational institutions
Other (please specify)
9.
What resources or support would help you initiate or strengthen partnerships?
(Select all that apply)
Guidance or best-practice toolkits
Training or workshops
Networking events
Templates for agreements or communication
Help identifying potential partners
Other (please specify)
10.
In your opinion, what is the greatest overall barrier to collaboration in the funeral service profession today?
Section 5: Effectiveness & Inspiration
11.
How effective do you feel your current collaborations are in meeting community and family needs?
Very effective
Somewhat effective
Neutral
Not very effective
Not effective
12.
Please share one successful collaboration your funeral home has experienced and what made it work well.
Section 6: Funeral Home Demographics
13.
How would you describe the location your funeral home primarily serves?
Urban
Suburban
Rural
Mixed service area
14.
How many full-time and part-time staff does your funeral home employ?
1–5
6–10
11–20
21–40
41+
15.
How long has your funeral home been in operation?
Less than 5 years
5–19 years
20–49 years
50–99 years
100+ years
16.
All completed surveys will be entered into a drawing to win a $100 AMAZON GIFT CARD! Be sure to include your name and contact number to be eligible.
(Individual answers previously provided will remain anonymous)
Name
Phone Number
Company
