Funeral Service Foundation

Since 1945, the Funeral Service Foundation has served as the profession’s philanthropic voice. As the charitable arm of the National Funeral Directors Association since 1997, the Foundation receives operational support from NFDA and donors across the profession to help advance its mission to support funeral service in building meaningful relationships with the families and the communities it serves.

Learn more about the Funeral Service Foundation HERE.

FREE FAMILY & COMMUNITY SUPPORT RESOURCES

As a beacon of support and compassion for families and communities, a funeral director’s role extends beyond caring for the decedent. The Foundation offers free resources to help funeral directors build strong, trusted relationships, and help families understand that they are not alone in their grief. Whether you’ve been asked “Should my child attend the funeral?” (YES) or “Is my grief normal during a pandemic?” (YES), we are here to help.

Our Youth & Funerals and Grieving Alone & Together community resources are ideal to share with families in the arrangement conference. Created by funeral service and grief experts and offered in English and Spanish, the resources also serve as excellent tools to build support and compassion around grieving families. Share with hospice and grief organizations, take them to schools, or even keep copies with you share as needed when you’re out in the community.

YOUTH & FUNERALS

The resources in the Youth & Funerals toolkit are designed to help you answer the question, “Should my child attend the funeral?” and help families understand the role of funerals and memorialization in the lives of youth.

Learn more HERE.

GRIEVING ALONE & TOGETHER

RESPONDING TO THE LOSS OF YOUR LOVED ONE DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Written by Sara Murphy PhD, CT (foreword by Alan D. Wolfelt, PhD), Grieving Alone & Together helps families understand the challenges of grieving the death of a loved one during the COVID-19 global pandemic.

Learn more HERE.

REMEMBERING A LIFE

From planning a tribute to mourning a loved one, NFDA’s consumer education initiative, Remembering a Life offers guidance to families about honoring a life well-lived.

Learn more HERE.

FREE RECRUITING AND STAFF RESOURCES

A dedicated and compassionate staff is the linchpin of many funeral homes. Whether you’re a funeral home owner looking for recruitment tools or staff support resources; a funeral service professional seeking help with work/life balance, career enhancement, or insight into consumer trends; or are simply wondering if a career in funeral service is right for you, our recruiting and staff resources are designed to help.

CARING FOR FAMILIES & CARING FOR YOURSELF

Handbook & Poster

Written by Alan D. Wolfelt, PhD, this self-care handbook (and complementing poster) stresses the importance of self-care, and offers tools and suggestions to support colleagues in their efforts to maintain healthy boundaries and work/life balance.

Learn more HERE.

CARING FOR FAMILIES & CARING FOR YOURSELF

Self-Care Webinar

Offered in partnership with NFDA and featuring Alan Wolfelt, this 60-minute webinar takes a closer look at the unique stresses facing funeral service professionals, and the importance of making time for self-care.

Watch Webinar HERE.

CONNECTION, COMMUNITY & COMPASSION

Written and compiled by Kelly Manion, the booklet features a collection of lessons, observations, and wisdom from female and non-binary funeral service professionals serving families during the COVID-19 pandemic. Written and Compiled by the Foundation’s Director of Community Engagement.

Learn more HERE.

UNDERSTANDING THE VALUE OF FUNERALS FOR CHILDREN

This 90-minute program, created by the Hospice Foundation of America, and funded by a grant from the Funeral Service Foundation, seeks to educate professionals who work with children, families, and guardians so they can, in turn, educate families about the value of funerals for children.

Learn more HERE.

BREAKING THE CONSUMER CODE

The results from this 2012 Foundation-commissioned ZMET® landmark research project help you better understand consumer families.

Learn more HERE.

QUIZ: IS A CAREER IN FUNERAL SERVICE RIGHT FOR YOU?

Whether you’re embarking on your first, second or third career, this 20-question quiz is designed to help you better understand if the funeral service profession could be the next step in your career.

Take the quiz HERE.

JOURNEY TO SERVE

Enlist the talents of a veteran to bring value to your business, comfort to your community, and purpose and possibility to your next great hire. Equally funded by the Funeral Service Foundation and the ICCFA Educational Foundation, the Journey to Serve initiative is designed to help you recruit military veterans into open positions throughout the funeral service and deathcare professions.

Learn more HERE.