The Funeral Consumers Alliance (FCA) invites you to join us for our 2025 Biennial Conference: “The Cost of Goodbye: Confronting Funeral Poverty in Our Communities,” a gathering that addresses the urgent challenges of funeral poverty and indigent burial. Taking place from June 26–29, 2025, this event brings together experts, advocates, and community leaders committed to ensuring equitable access to end-of-life care and services. Why This Conversation Matters Funeral poverty and indigent burial continue to be overlooked issues that disproportionately impact marginalized communities. Rising funeral costs, limited access to affordable alternatives, and systemic inequities leave families burdened with overwhelming expenses and difficult choices during times of grief. This year’s theme challenges us to confront these injustices head-on and explore sustainable, community-centered solutions. By participating in this year’s conference, you’ll be part of a dynamic conversation about the future of deathcare—empowering local FCA affiliates to advocate for meaningful change and strengthen their community impact. Through interactive sessions, thought-provoking panels, and guided tours, we will equip attendees with actionable strategies to address these urgent issues in their own communities.
Keynote & Featured Speakers
We are honored to welcome Pamela Prickett, co-author of The Unclaimed: Abandonment and Hope in the City of Angels, as our keynote speaker. Her work delves into the lives of those left behind by traditional systems of support, offering insights that resonate deeply with our mission.
Other confirmed speakers include: Joyal Mulheron (Evermore) Victoria Haneman (University of Georgia School of Law) Mel Bennett (Life Forest Cemetery) Sarah Chavez (The Order of the Good Death) Liz Dunnebacke (WAKE) Isabel Knight (National Home Funeral Alliance) Sara Williams (FCA) Miranda Panther (NAGPRA Officer, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians) Dianna Repp (FCA) Charlotte Seto (Handled Milestones).
Mulheron’s session will examine lessons learned from tobacco and obesity reform that can be applied to future advocacy efforts to reshape funeral industry practices. Public health movements have successfully challenged entrenched industries, altering consumer expectations, corporate behavior, and policy landscapes. By examining these strategies—public awareness campaigns, legislative action, and market incentives—we uncover parallel opportunities in funeral practices, particularly related to pricing transparency. Attendees will gain insights into how cultural, economic, and regulatory forces can drive systemic change, making sustainable and consumer-friendly funeral practices not just possible, but inevitable.
