All successful candidates for positions on NFDA’s Board of Directors must be committed to providing strategic governance in accordance with NFDA’s mission, operating values and vision as stated below in NFDA’s Strategic Framework. Review the following information on NFDA’s mission, values and vision to ensure you are willing and able to make such a commitment.
NFDA Board Member Time Commitment
As an ambassador for the work of NFDA, the Board members participate in state association conventions, national funeral service committees and work groups and our own board meetings and NFDA events.
This volunteer work is a commitment that takes time away from your business.
An At-Large Representative on the board may be away from their business from 4-6 days a month every other month, with meeting preparation time also needed.
As an Officer on the board, officers may be away for 3-6 days out of about 8 of the 12 months, with an additional 3-5 hours of work a week.
The President who moves into the position from President-elect, holds a heavy schedule. The President may likely travel monthly between 2-7 days and attend to NFDA business an additional 5 -7 hours a week. The President travels to funerals on behalf of NFDA, this travel in included in the noted time but is always an unknown. Dealing with a crisis such as a pandemic will add hours to all board members schedules, more so to the President’s.
Mission
To provide our members with the critical information, innovative tools, resources and professional community they need in order to serve families, run sustainable businesses and become pillars in their communities.
Values
The Profession.
Funeral directors play a vitally important role in the communities in which they live and work, and in society as a whole. Funeral service practitioners are trusted to care for the dead and the living in a professional, dignified, respectful and compassionate manner.
Continuum of Care.
Many members of a community are involved in the delivery of end-of-life care and services. Funeral directors play a pivotal role in marshaling all the right people to the right places at the right times to help survivors mourn and cope with their losses. Funeral directors must be pro-active in building and improving relationships with other end-of-life providers to help ensure all needs are met before, during and after a death occurs.
The Funeral.
Since the beginning of time, humans have come together to pay tribute to people who have died – these gatherings are a shared, core human experience. Honoring a life is a critical first step toward healthy healing following the death of a loved one. Meaningfully honoring a life can take many forms – a funeral, a memorial service, a celebration of life – the possibilities for life tribute events are endless. Tribute events provide an opportunity for family and friends to gather; offer support to one another; share memories; and honor a life in a way that fulfills the needs, desires and expectations of all who mourn.
The Association.
We believe that an association is shaped by the attitudes and behaviors of its members, volunteer leaders and staff. We pledge to hold ourselves and each other accountable to the highest levels of professional practice and conduct.
Impact
NFDA will be recognized as the leading and largest association of funeral service association in the world, committed to helping members achieve more in their business, community and life, and trusted to lead the funeral service profession to an even brighter future.
NFDA and its constituent state associations will have a positive, mutually beneficial working relationship focused on meeting the needs of the membership.
Members will be recognized for the expertise, value and services they provide to help individuals and communities cope with a wide range of end-of-life issues.
Consumers will have the knowledge and resources they need to help them honor a life well-lived – from planning a tribute to mourning a loved one – because celebrating a life can be both remarkable and unique.