Educational Foundation

The ICCFA Educational Foundation, founded in 2005, seeks to make education accessible to the future leaders of the deathcare profession. It does this by awarding scholarships to the educational programs of the International Cemetery, Cremation and Funeral Association, as well as advancing initiatives designed to promote the profession and support the individuals who answer the call of service. The ICCFA Educational Foundation is a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) charity.

You can make a difference by donating to the Educational Foundation using the form linked below.

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Education = Opportunity

Educational Scholarships

Opportunity Is Knocking: Apply For A Scholarship Today!

The ICCFA Educational Foundation awards many scholarships each year to qualifying members that waives the registration fee to ICCFA Events, so they only need to pay for travel and lodging.

Scholarships are available for the ICCFA DEAD Talks Sales Conference, ICCFA University, and PLPA Pet Loss & Integration Short Course. Visit our Scholarships page to learn more about each scholarship that is available, as well as eligibility.

Explore Scholarship Opportunities

New! 40 Under 40 Awards

The ICCFA is excited to announce the 40 Under 40 Awards program to recognize rising stars in deathcare who positively impact the profession. These young leaders significantly contribute to their firms and communities, representing the best in our field. This diverse group includes cemeterians, funeral directors, managers, administrators, crematory operators, maintenance supervisors, and more. Honorees of the 40 Under 40 Award will be featured in the Memento Mori magazine, showcased on ICCFA social media and online, recognized at the 2025 ICCFA Annual Convention & Expo, and provided a $500 educational scholarship from the ICCFA Educational Foundation to attend the 2025 ICCFA Fall Leadership Summit.

2024 Winners Press Release

“Back to Business” Webinars

The ICCFA Educational Foundation is proud to continue a special webinar partnership with Live Oak Bank! This quarterly webinar collaboration will be called Back to Business. Each webinar will be a panel-style discussion that focuses on delivering valuable insights and information to deathcare professionals looking to grow and sharpen their business skills.

All Back to Business webinars are free and open for all to attend.

Learn more here

Lasting Impact Award

The Lasting Impact Awards were created by the ICCFA Educational Foundation to recognize those individuals who have made significant contributions to furthering professional development and lifelong learning in the funeral, cemetery and cremation profession.

The ICCFA Educational Foundation proudly nominated Jay D. Dodds for the 2025 Lasting Impact Award in recognition of his four decades of dedicated service and leadership in the funeral and cemetery profession. Currently the chief strategy officer of Park Lawn Corporation, Dodds has driven significant growth and innovation, setting industry standards and guiding organizations with compassion and integrity. His tenure includes pivotal roles such as ICCFA Past President and trustee emeritus of multiple foundations, where he championed education, safety, and operational resilience, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Jay’s enduring contributions were celebrated at the President’s Welcome Banquet during the 2025 ICCFA Experience in Las Vegas.

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2025 Lasting Impact Award Ceremony

Jay Dodds received the 2025 Lasting Impact Award at a reception held during the ICCFA Experience in Las Vegas on April 30. Watch the award ceremony here!

Journey to Serve

Journey to Serve is a collaborative initiative between the ICCFA Educational Foundation and the Funeral Service Foundation and is designed to help recruit military veterans to open positions within the deathcare profession. Journey to Serve’s purpose is twofold: The sweeping initiative equips deathcare and funeral service professionals with free tools and resources specifically designed to connect with military veterans on a local, regional, national, and international scale. At the same time, the initiative—which was funded equally by both organizations and endorsed by the ICCFA and NFDA—positions the funeral service profession as an ideal career path for military veterans to deploy the skills, traits, and talents acquired and earned during their tour of duty.

Learn More Here

If you could ask deathcare professionals for advice, what would it be? Brought to you by the ICCFA Educational Foundation, Honored 2 Share is a fantastic resource where you can learn from deathcare professionals. Categorized by the different types of advice made readily available, you can watch short clips of industry professionals sharing their tips within the profession. Questions include:

If there was an emotional connection that initially lead you to our profession, would you share it with us?
What single point of advice would you offer?
What is one thing that you wish you would have known prior to starting in this profession?
And more!

The ICCFA Educational Foundation recognizes that learning from each other is beneficial to new and seasoned professionals alike, helping us all succeed in this profession. That’s why we are proud to present this resource to others, because we are Honored 2 Share.

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No child should grieve alone.

If you are supporting a child who is grieving, the National Alliance for Children’s Grief can connect you to resources and local support. The alliance is a national organization of professionals dedicated to supporting children and the networks and communities surrounding them. The ICCFA Educational Foundation is proud a supporter of NACG’s current childhood bereavement PSA series.

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Thank You

Final responders are funeral professionals who often go unnoticed as they care for our loved ones who have died. They plan funeral ceremonies, cremations, conduct committal services at cemeteries, and comfort us through the darkness when we can’t be with our loved ones to say goodbye. The ICCFA Educational Foundation would like to say “thank you” to all final responders.

The ICCFA Educational Foundation presents FinalResponders.org, a website designed to thank our final responders and offer links to grief resources to those in need.

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