Mission, Vision and Why

What drives us.

Mission: Through education, information and advocacy, NFDA is dedicated to supporting members in their mission to provide families with meaningful end-of-life services at the highest levels of excellence and integrity.
Vision: A society where funeral directors are highly valued by their communities and flourishing in their professional, relational and personal health.

Why we exist: Helping people grieve well is one of the most powerful ways to heal individuals and communities. We turn that belief into action by ensuring every community has access to the people and resources that make healing possible. That’s why NFDA is committed to advancing funeral professionals, their businesses and the profession — through engagement, advocacy, education, events, publications and public outreach.

Brief History

140+ years of leading the profession. 

NFDA was founded in Rochester, New York, in 1882, when funeral directors from across the country came together for the first time to form a national organization. From those early conventions came the structures, publications and shared standards that shaped the modern funeral profession. The Director magazine launched in 1932. 

The National Foundation of Funeral Service — now the Funeral Service Foundation — was established in 1945. NFDA marked its 100th anniversary in 1982 and has continued to grow, evolve and advocate for funeral professionals ever since. Today, NFDA remains the largest and most active funeral service association in the world.

What Makes NFDA Distinct

There’s no other association like it. 

NFDA is the only funeral service organization with a full-time federal lobbyist representing members in Washington, D.C. It’s the largest network of funeral professionals in the world. It produces the profession’s publication of record, The Director, hosts its most significant conferences, including the NFDA International Convention & Expo, and invests in research that shapes the industry’s understanding of itself and its future. 

More than scale, what sets NFDA apart is commitment to the individual professional, to the business they run and to the long-term health of a profession that communities depend on.

The Heritage Club

A lasting commitment to the profession. 

The Heritage Club is a charitable organization dedicated to honoring the past and shaping the future of funeral service. Membership begins with a charitable gift of $1,500, a commitment that helps fund educational endeavors that benefit the profession for generations to come. 

Past Heritage Club grants have supported the National Museum of Funeral History, the American Board of Funeral Service Education, Arlington National Cemetery and the inaugural NFDA Embalming & Restorative Art Seminar. Members are recognized at the NFDA International Convention & Expo and receive a Heritage Club pin and membership certificate.

The Heritage Club operates independently, governed by seven trustees — none of whom may be current NFDA Board members — ensuring that all funds are directed toward education and the advancement of funeral service.

Consumer Advocacy Efforts

We work for families too. 

NFDA’s commitment doesn’t stop at the funeral home door. We invest in public education and consumer resources that help families understand the value of meaningful funeral and memorial experiences — and find a funeral professional they can trust.

Remembering A Life is NFDA’s consumer education initiative — a library of resources that helps families navigate end-of-life decisions, plan meaningful services and find NFDA-member funeral homes in their community.

Have the Talk of a Lifetime encourages families to talk with loved ones about what matters to them before a death occurs — so that when the time comes, funeral directors can create a service that truly reflects a life well lived.

When families know what to expect and what to look for, they’re better served. And that’s good for the whole profession.