Tender Funerals is a not-for-profit funeral service with the vision that every Australian has access to meaningful, affordable funerals. We opened at our site in Fairbairn in August 2024. 

We make funerals affordable for everyone and empower our community to make the choices that are right for them, resulting in more meaningful, healing experiences.

The average cost of funerals in Canberra is around $10,500. Many families simply can’t afford this and must face either going into debt to pay for a funeral or choosing a direct cremation, which is cheaper, but allows for no personal involvement by the family in the process. This makes the bereavement period more difficult and also encourages a system where a meaningful funeral is only for people who can afford it.

At Tender, we:

• Provide community education, so people know all their rights and choices.
• Provide all our funerals at-cost, which is often a saving of several thousand. Our funerals include a contribution to our Pay It Forward Benevolent Fund, which we then use to subsidise the cost for families who can’t afford the at-cost price.
• Engage the strength of our community, be that through our network of volunteers, involving family and friends in the care of their person who has died and the creation of the funeral, or through our relationships with organisations and businesses such as The Snow Foundation, Capital Property Group, Hands Across Canberra and Community Bank Braidwood and Districts.

Every person is unique, and their funeral should reflect this. At Tender Funerals, we will always:

• Put people first
• Encourage choice, participation and personalisation in the planning of a funeral that is authentic and appropriate for you.
• Support you to take as much time as you need; this is not a time for rushing
• Support people experiencing financial hardship to have a meaningful funeral without making their financial situation worse.
• Be transparent in our operations, including pricing.

Tender Funerals is part of a community movement towards reclaiming the rites around death and dying. We also offer events, resources and other opportunities for people to have conversations, ask questions and understand more about their rights, responsibilities and options so they can feel empowered to take control of their dying, death and funerals.

By supporting Tender Funerals Canberra Region, you're supporting choice and compassion for people in our region. Thank you.