2026 CFDA Scholarships
As part of CFDA’s commitment to the future of our profession, we are excited to announce the opening of our 2026 CFDA Scholarship.
Two California mortuary students will be chosen to receive a $1,000 scholarship and be invited to attend the 2026 CFDA Convention in La Jolla, CA to receive the award. To be eligible, entrants must be a California resident attending a mortuary college, including Cypress College, American River College, or an accredited online program.
We are also excited to award a third scholarship - the Redwood Empire Association Scholarship - to a student who meets one of the above criteria and also resides in Sonoma, Napa, Marin, or Mendocino County.
Any students interested in applying must complete this online application form no later than March 15, 2026. All applications must include the following:
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One letter of recommendation
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Typed essay describing your motivations for selecting a career in funeral service
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A simple financial statement outlining your expenses and debt incurred because of your studies
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Official statement from the mortuary college about your current enrollment status and standing
If you have any questions, please contact Matthew Peralta in the CFDA office at matt@forwardmgmt.com.
2026 CFDA Awards
In its commitment to recognizing our colleagues for their professional achievements, CFDA’s Professional Development Committee is excited to announce that nominations are now being accepted for our 2025-26 annual awards!
If you wish to thank and recognize one of your peers, please use this opportunity to do so. Multiple nominations may be submitted, so please take the time to consider all of the colleagues you know that deserve recognition.
CFDA bestows the following awards ever year:
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Supplier of the Year
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Employee of the Year
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Young Funeral Director of the Year
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Funeral Director of the Year
To submit a nomination, please click the link below. The deadline to submit a nomination is March 15, 2026.
Winners, and those who nominated them, will be notified of the committee's selection after the deadline has passed. If you have any questions about the nomination process, please reply to this email.