The Funeral Consumers Alliance (FCA) invites you to attend their 2025 Biennial Conference: “The Cost of Goodbye: Confronting Funeral Poverty in Our Communities.” This gathering addresses the urgent challenges of funeral poverty and indigent burial. Taking place from June 26–29, 2025 in the Raleigh, NC area, 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 death care —empowering local FCA affiliates to advocate for meaningful change and strengthen their community impact. Through interactive sessions, thought-provoking panels, and guided tours, attendees will leave with actionable strategies to address these urgent issues in their own communities.
Keynote & Featured Speakers
Pamela Prickett, co-author of The Unclaimed: Abandonment and Hope in the City of Angels, is the 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)
Conference Schedule Highlights
Thursday, June 26
Evening: *The Burial* movie screening & snacks
Friday, June 27
Morning: Opening ceremony, land acknowledgment, and speaker sessions
Afternoon: Additional speaker sessions and a tour of Endswell Funeral Home’s alkaline hydrolysis facility
Evening: Networking reception
Saturday, June 28, 2025
Morning & Afternoon: Speaker sessions
Evening: Elegant reception in the hotel ballroom, followed by a seated banquet and keynote address
Sunday, June 29, 2025
Morning: Tour of Bluestem Conservation Cemetery
Registration & Pricing
Early Bird Pricing: Register by May 23 to save!
Early bird fee: $250 – includes Thursday’s movie and snacks, all speaker sessions on Friday and Saturday, Saturday’s lunch, and conference swag
https://funerals.org/2025-conference-registration/
FCA 2025 Biennial Conference
June 26–29, 2025 | Embassy Suites by Hilton – Raleigh Durham Research Triangle
201 Harrison Oaks Boulevard, Cary, NC 27513 USA