Welcome to the Funeral Consumers Alliance of California.
We are a non-profit consumers' advocacy group serving California, dedicated to protecting a consumer's right to choose a meaningful, dignified, affordable funeral. Think of us as if we were the "Consumer Reports" of the funeral business.
With the help of our volunteers, we survey prices of our local area mortuaries. Some have been able to negotiate a discount at participating funeral homes, sort of like a cooperative buyers' club. (Members rarely spend more than $1,000 for a simple cremation or $2,000 for a funeral.) In addition, your membership fee and other contributions support the social action needed to expand and protect a consumer's last rights.
Please take a look around, and feel free to contact us regarding affordable end-of-life planning if you don't find the information you're looking for here.
ACTIONS TO TAKE IF YOU WANT TO
BECOME A MEMBER OR SIGN UP A RELATIVE
1. Navigate to the California Directory page and select the closest FCA affiliate. When you join a local affiliate you are also joining the statewide organization. Phone or contact them by the email address given.
All affiliates are run by volunteers. Some affiliates check their phone messages more often than others, so it is best to get registered and make the funeral plans well in advance of an emergency because some take last-minute emergencies and some will not. Each affiliate has its own price structure.
Some affilates deal with only one discount funeral home, others have a dozen or more on their lists.
2. Your local FCA has end-of-life information in your area via newsletter, website, emails, free brochures, and programs. Contact them for:
- annual meetings for members
- public workshops and classes
- price surveys, and other local information
WHAT IS THE ROLE AND MISSION OF
FUNERAL CONSUMERS ALLIANCE OF CALIFORNIA?
Funeral Consumers Alliance of California is a non-profit corporation formed in 1962 and is run by a 7-member board of directors who serve without pay. About 40,000 Californians are represented by the 14 memorial societies and affiliates of FCA. Leaders from the societies and FCAs get together for an annual meeting each autumn to learn from workshops and speakers, exchange information about activities around the state, consider and adopt advocacy/action proposals, and elect officers.
The bylaws state that FCA of California will act of the behalf of member affiliates in public meetings and hearings, particularly in the area of legislation and consumer affairs; to act as a clearinghouse and communication center for the exchange of relevant information among the affiliates; and prepare educational materials and programs to promote intelligent pre-planning and combat misleading information coming from the funeral industry. Members of one affiliate may easily transfer their membership to another affiliate if they should move. FCA of California board also assists member affiliates with operational problems and cooperative ventures.
