12 Charities that help with Funeral Costs | Full List
Funeral expenses can quickly become overwhelming. According to the National Funeral Home Association, funeral costs have increased by more than 200% in the last 20 years. While a single person can pay for these costs alone, it will almost certainly be an additional stress that no one wants when they’re already mourning a loved one.
Luckily, some charities and organizations can help with funeral expenses so that you don’t have to worry about how you’ll afford the final arrangements.
In this article, we will discuss 12 charities listed below that offer monetary assistance for funeral costs and other end-of-life services.
12 Charities that help with Funeral Costs:-
Childrens Burial Assistance
The Children’s Burial Assistance program was established in 1997 by the National Cemetery Association to help families who could not afford the cost of a child’s burial.
If a child dies, the CBAS program may be able to cover some or all of the costs associated with the child’s burial. This can include the cost of purchasing a cemetery plot, a burial casket, headstone, or marker, and transportation of the deceased child from the hospital to the cemetery.
Children’s Burial Assistance Inc. (CBA) provides help to families who need assistance for the proper burial of a deceased minor child (1 to 17 years of age). Source
How to apply?
You can directly apply online here
Final Farewell
The Final Farewell is a nonprofit that helps families provide an affordable funeral for a loved child.
Their primary funding sources are private foundations, government grants, individual solicitations, in-kind donations, and fundraisers.
What do they help in?
Full funeral services, including burial, at no cost.
How to apply?
You can directly apply from the form available here.
If you are a nonprofit or nonprofit professional, download our free social media course for nonprofits below. It gives you systems to create evergreen social media strategies that increase your nonprofit’s reach on social media with no additional team capacity required.
Get almost 500+ Fundraising ideas for nonprofits.
The Tears Foundation
The Tears Foundation aims to compassionately relieve financial burdens from bereaved families by providing funding for burial or cremation services. In addition to bereavement support groups and peer companions, they also provide comprehensive bereavement care.
Let’s look at some of the services they provide:-
- Funeral Financial Assistance (Check application guidelines here)
- New Funeral Homes
- Emotional Support Groups
How to apply?
You can directly apply here online.
Funeral Consumers Alliance
The Funeral Consumers Alliance (FCA) is a nonprofit that protects consumers’ right to choose an appropriate, respectful, economical funeral service.
Some statistics that you should know:-
- 70 FCA helps more than 50 funeral planning societies stay in touch with each other and exchange ideas
- 46 FCA and its affiliates are spread out across the United States
How to apply?
You can directly contact here.
The Hebrew Free Burial Association
The Hebrew Free Burial Association (HFBA) provides chesed shel emet (the ultimate act of lovingkindness- for the deceased who cannot pay back the kindness).
It is the only organization in the New York metropolitan area that ensures that Jews of all financial backgrounds and religious affiliations have dignified, traditional funerals and burials.
The Hebrew Free Burial Association, founded in the 1880s, has provided funerals for over 65,000 impoverished Jews in the years since. From hospitals to nursing homes to lonely apartments, indigent Jews may end up anywhere, and the Hebrew Free Burial Association is there to provide a funeral.
Services they provide:-
- BURIALS AND PRE-NEEDS
- CARING FOR OUR CEMETERIES
- YARZHEIT REMINDERS
- KADDISH SERVICES
- GENEALOGY
How to apply?
Directly contact here from this page.
Funeral Service Foundation
The Funeral Service Foundation began in 1945 as an organization dedicated to improving the funeral business and deathcare services through the effective management of charitable contributions from funeral professionals, funeral service leaders, businesses, and organizations.
Since 1997, the National Funeral Directors Association Donors has recognized the Foundation as its charitable arm, and the NFDA has supported the NFDA’s goal of supporting funeral workers.
Through the Foundation’s programs and resources, funeral professionals uplift grieving communities, and scholarships and professional development are offered to empower them.
How to apply?
You can directly contact them from this page.
Family of God Ministry
Family of God Ministries is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization that provides aid to needy and homeless children and underprivileged families in Arizona.
In 2014, Christina Aguilar created Family of God Ministries when she noticed many families and children who could not procure their most fundamental needs (Aguilar, 2018).
Family members maintain car washes on the road to pay for funeral services for their deceased family members.
Services they provide:-
- Benevolence Program
- Funeral & Burial Assistance
How to apply?
Contact on their email id here
Charities that help with Funeral Costs in the UK
Final Thoughts
It can be a very difficult experience to plan your own funeral, let alone that of a loved one. What makes matters even more difficult is when you find yourself unable to afford the costs associated with the arrangements.
Fortunately, several charities and organizations offer financial assistance so that you can rest assured that your loved one’s final arrangements will be taken care of. Now that you’ve read about these different charities, you can choose the one that best meets your needs and apply for help as soon as possible.
Related Resources
You may also find these guides helpful:
➤ Charities That Give Money To Individuals
➤ Charities That Help With Bills
➤ Free Financial Assistance Organizations
Government Funeral Assistance Programs
In addition to charitable organizations, several government programs can help families cover funeral and burial expenses:
FEMA Funeral Assistance: The Federal Emergency Management Agency provides funeral assistance for families who lost loved ones to COVID-19 or other qualifying disasters. This assistance can cover funeral expenses including transportation, casket or urn, burial plot, headstone, and clergy services. Applications can be submitted online at DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling FEMA’s helpline.
Social Security Death Benefit: The Social Security Administration provides a one-time lump-sum death payment of $255 to an eligible surviving spouse or dependent child. While this amount is modest, it can help offset some immediate expenses. Contact your local Social Security office to apply.
Veterans Affairs Burial Benefits: If the deceased was a military veteran, the VA provides several burial benefits including a burial allowance (up to $2,000 for service-connected deaths), a government headstone or marker, a burial flag, and free burial in a national cemetery. Eligible veterans and their spouses can receive these benefits regardless of income level. Visit VA.gov or contact your local VA office for details.
Medicaid Burial Assistance: Many states provide burial assistance through their Medicaid programs. Eligibility and benefit amounts vary by state, but this can be an important resource for families of Medicaid recipients. Contact your state’s Medicaid office to learn about available funeral assistance.
County and City Indigent Burial Programs: Most counties and municipalities have programs for burying individuals whose families cannot afford funeral costs. These programs typically provide basic cremation or burial services. Contact your local county social services department to learn about options in your area.
How to Reduce Funeral Costs
The average funeral in the United States costs between $7,000 and $12,000, but there are legitimate ways to reduce these expenses while still honoring your loved one with dignity:
Consider Cremation: Cremation typically costs $1,000 to $3,000, significantly less than traditional burial which averages $7,000 to $12,000. Many families choose cremation followed by a memorial service, which allows for a meaningful ceremony at a fraction of the cost. Direct cremation (without a viewing or ceremony at the funeral home) is the most affordable option.
Compare Funeral Home Prices: The FTC’s Funeral Rule requires funeral homes to provide itemized price lists upon request. Don’t assume all funeral homes charge the same — prices can vary dramatically even within the same city. Call at least three funeral homes to compare prices before making a decision.
Skip the Embalming: Embalming is not required by law in most states and typically costs $500 to $700. If you plan a direct burial or cremation, or if the funeral will take place within a few days, embalming is usually unnecessary.
Use a Simple Casket: Funeral homes are required by law to accept caskets purchased from third-party retailers. You can often find quality caskets from Costco, Walmart, or online retailers at 50-70% less than funeral home prices. For cremation, a simple cardboard or plywood container is perfectly acceptable and costs under $200.
Hold the Service at a Church or Home: Using a funeral home’s facilities for a service can add $500 to $1,500 to your total cost. Many churches offer their facilities for memorial services at little or no cost to members, and home memorial services can be deeply meaningful while eliminating facility fees entirely.
Crowdfunding for Funeral Expenses
Online fundraising has become one of the most common ways families cover unexpected funeral costs. Platforms like GoFundMe, GiveSendGo, and Facebook Fundraisers allow friends, family, and even strangers to contribute to funeral expenses:
GoFundMe: The most popular platform for funeral fundraising. GoFundMe charges no platform fee for personal fundraisers — the only cost is payment processing fees (2.9% + $0.30 per transaction). Campaigns for funeral expenses are among the most successful on the platform, with the average funeral campaign raising over $5,000.
Tips for Successful Funeral Fundraising: Share a brief story about your loved one, include a photo, set a realistic goal based on actual costs, and share the campaign widely on social media. Update donors on how funds are being used and express gratitude for their support. Many successful campaigns reach their goals within the first week.
Planning Ahead: How to Prevent Funeral Cost Burdens
While it’s difficult to think about, planning ahead for funeral expenses can save your family significant stress and financial hardship:
Preneed Funeral Plans: Many funeral homes offer prepaid funeral plans that lock in today’s prices for future services. This protects against inflation and removes the financial burden from surviving family members. However, research the funeral home thoroughly and understand the terms — some plans are not transferable if you move or if the funeral home closes.
Burial Insurance: Final expense insurance (also called burial insurance) is a type of whole life insurance designed to cover funeral and burial costs. Policies typically range from $5,000 to $25,000 and have simplified underwriting, meaning most applicants are accepted regardless of health conditions. Monthly premiums are usually between $30 and $70 depending on age and coverage amount.
Payable-on-Death Accounts: Setting up a “payable-on-death” (POD) bank account allows you to designate a beneficiary who can access the funds immediately after your death without going through probate. This is a simple way to set aside money specifically for funeral expenses.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average cost of a funeral in the United States?
According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the median cost of a funeral with viewing and burial is approximately $7,848, while a funeral with viewing and cremation averages $6,971. These figures don’t include cemetery costs, monuments, or flowers, which can add $2,000 to $5,000 or more. Total end-of-life expenses often reach $10,000 to $15,000.
What happens if you can’t afford a funeral?
If a family cannot afford funeral expenses, several options exist: charitable organizations on this list may provide assistance, county indigent burial programs provide basic services at no cost, cremation societies offer low-cost alternatives, and crowdfunding can help bridge the gap. In extreme cases, medical schools may accept body donations and handle all disposition at no cost to the family. No family should have to go into debt for a funeral — resources exist to help.
Can you negotiate funeral costs?
Yes, funeral costs are negotiable. The FTC’s Funeral Rule protects consumers by requiring funeral homes to provide itemized pricing and allowing you to select only the services you want. You can decline expensive add-ons like elaborate caskets, flower arrangements, and optional services. Don’t hesitate to ask about payment plans or discounts — many funeral homes offer hardship pricing for families in financial need.
How long do you have to pay for a funeral?
Payment policies vary by funeral home. Some require full payment before services, while others offer payment plans or accept credit cards. Life insurance proceeds typically arrive within 30-60 days and can be assigned to the funeral home as payment. Some funeral homes work with financing companies to offer installment plans with monthly payments. Always discuss payment options upfront before signing any contracts.
Does life insurance cover funeral costs?
Yes, life insurance benefits can be used for any purpose, including funeral expenses. However, standard life insurance claims can take 30-60 days to process. Some policies include an “accelerated benefit” option that provides a portion of the death benefit quickly for immediate expenses. Final expense insurance is specifically designed for this purpose and typically pays out within days of a claim. If the deceased had a life insurance policy, contact the insurance company immediately to begin the claims process. See also: charities that help with medical bills.
