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AHP Certification
Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE)
The Certified Fundraising Executive program is open to any eligible fundraising professional, regardless of professional association affiliation. All potential candidates must meet the following qualifications: |
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Paid, professional Employment for a minimum of five
(5) of the most recent eight (8) years, allowing for employment gaps; A minimum of 80 points in Education, consisting of points
awarded for academic education and continuing education (1 point per clock-hour
or .1 CEU). CFRE candidates are expected to have participated in on-going educational
activities. A minimum of 55 points in the area of Performance.
Points are earned for actual dollars raised (1 point per $25,000) and/or for
major communications efforts (i.e., public relations campaigns) and/or management
projects (i.e., long-range strategic planning. Points totaling a minimum of
55 in the area of Service which looks at a candidate's personal commitment to
the spirit of philanthropy through participation in professional associations
and/or community organizations (i.e., local church, youth groups, etc.)
The program consists of an evaluation of a candidate's experience; fundraising accomplishments; post-high school education; professional continuing education; and service to the profession and society. In addition the candidate's employment history is verified and the candidate's knowledge of fundraising principles and techniques is measured by a written, multiple choice examination.
AHP's Point Tracker In order to help potential CFRE candidates keep track of CFRE education points for the application process, AHP in conjunction with CFRE International is providing point track sheets for each of its conferences. We hope this tool will encourage development professionals with five years experience to participate in the CFRE certification program.
| Download Point Tracker for: |
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2008
2007
2006
2005
2004
2003
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Some areas covered on the examination include: prospect identification, solicitation, donor relations, volunteerism, management, and stewardship. Certification Process
Obtain, complete and submit an application for certification to the
CFRE Professional Certification Board Evaluation and verification of your personal employment history Application
approval by CFRE Professional Certification Board Examination of the candidate's
knowledge of fundraising principles and techniques via written examination.
Once you pass the examination, your certification is valid for three (3) years. After three years, a new application updating your professional practice, education, performance, and service is required. There is no examination requirement. Certification vs. Certificate As stewards of the public trust, the Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) Professional Certification Board certifies fundraising professionals. Unlike many certificate programs being offered by colleges and universities, the CFRE program is practice-based. It is not intended to teach individuals how to effectively raise funds. Rather, it is designed to measure an individual’s "knowledge-in-use" – the application of knowledge and skills by those with real-life experience in this role. The CFRE Professional Certification Board promotes voluntary certification as the preferred alternative to licensure and/or government regulation.
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| Results from an assessment process |
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Results from an educational process |
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| For individuals |
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For individuals |
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| Typically requires some amount of professional experience |
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For both newcomers and experienced professionals alike |
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| Awarded by a third-party, standard-setting organization |
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Awarded by educational programs or institutions |
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| Indicates mastery/competency as measured against a defensible set of standards,
usually by application or exam |
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Indicates completion of a course or series of courses with specific focus;
is different than a degree granting program |
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| Standards set through a defensible, industry-wide process (job analysis/role
delineation) that results in an outline of required knowledge and skills |
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Course content set a variety of ways (faculty committee; dean; instructor;
occasionally through defensible analysis of topic area) |
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| Typically results in a designation to use after one’s name
(CFRE, ACFRE, FAHP, CFP, APRA, CAE); may result in a document to hang on the
wall or keep in a wallet |
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Usually listed on a resume detailing education; may issue a document
to hang on the wall. |
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| Has on-going requirements in order to maintain; holder must demonstrate he/she
continues to meet requirements |
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Is the end result; demonstrates knowledge of course content at the end of
a set period in time |
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People also confuse certification and credentials and designation.
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Credentials attest to someone’s knowledge or authority. Credentials
can be a FBI agent badge; a letter of introduction from an ambassador to the
President of the United States; a Ph.D. in physics and a list of published papers;
or being called a Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE)
Certification is a
process that results in credentials. A designation simply refers to the letters
someone uses after their name (CFRE, Ph.D., M.D., CPA).
For more information about the CFRE program, please contact the CFRE office or visit the CFRE web site.
CFRE Test Content Outline The Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) Examination is designed as a practice-based exam for practitioners to assess mastery of the six core knowledge areas. The Examination is neither designed nor intended to cover any particular aspect of the fund development process in depth. The examination consists of 225 multiple- choice questions. (25 of these questions are pre-test items and do not affect a candidate’s score.) Candidates can review this outline to assist them in identifying knowledge areas they are familiar with and those areas which may require some review. If an candidate identifies an area where review is needed, chapters or publications from the Resource Reading List can be selected to help in that review. Certified Fundraising Executive (CFRE) Test Content Outline for
Australian, Canadian, UK and US Forms of the Exam
Current and Prospective Donor Research
(16.5% - 33 Items)
- Develop a prospect list by identifying individuals and groups who
have the capacity and propensity to give in order to qualify candidates for further
research and cultivation efforts
- Analyse the prospect list using characteristics such as interest,
values, giving history, and relationship to the organisation in order to select
potential donors for particular projects
- Implement and utilise a data management system that stores
information about prospects to enable retrieval and analysis
- Rate prospects in categories of giving potential in order to
prioritise and plan solicitations
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Securing the Gift (18.5% - 37 Items)
- Develop a compelling case for support by involving volunteers, staff, and
other groups in order to communicate the rationale for supporting the organisation’s
fundraising programme
- Design and conduct studies and/or surveys to plan and evaluate
specific aspects of a fundraising programme
- Design a comprehensive solicitation programme in order to generate financial
support for the organisation’s purpose
- Design and conduct training programmes for volunteers, staff, and other groups
using various training methodologies in order to increase solicitation effectiveness
- Ask for and secure gifts from prospects in order to generate
financial support for the organisation’s purpose
- Prepare donor-centred solicitation materials in order to influence
and facilitate informed gift decisions
- Evaluate the solicitation programme using appropriate criteria and
methodology in order to produce accurate analytic reports for effective decision
making
Relationship Building (25% - 50 Items)
- Initiate and strengthen relationships with all constituents through a systematic
cultivation plan designed to increase support of the organisation over the long
term
- Acknowledge and recognise gifts in ways that are meaningful to donors and
appropriate to the mission and values of the organisation
- Develop and implement a comprehensive communications plan in order to inform
constituents and identified markets about the mission, vision, and values of
the organisation, its funding priorities, and gift opportunities
- Inform constituents about the value of giving in order to promote a culture
of philanthropy
Volunteer Involvement (10.5% - 21 items)
- Create a structured process for the identification, recruitment,
evaluation, recognition, and replacement of volunteers in order to
strengthen the organisation’s effectiveness
- Empower and support volunteers by providing orientation, training, and specific
job descriptions in order to enhance the volunteers’ effectiveness
- Engage volunteers in prospect identification, cultivation, and
solicitation activities in order to raise funds more effectively and
efficiently
- Participate in recruiting experienced and diverse leadership on boards and
committees in order to ensure that these groups are representative of and responsive
to the community they serve
- Involve volunteers in the planning, development, and execution of a broad
range of activities in order to maximise commitment to the mission and goals
of the organisation
- Delineate the roles of volunteer board members and staff in order to distinguish
who have governance and management responsibilities
Management (20% - 40 items)
- Participate in the organisation’s strategic planning process in order
to ensure that philanthropy is an integral part of the strategic plan
- Design and implement short-and long- term fundraising plans and
budgets in order to support the organisation’s strategic goals
- Conduct performance analysis of the fundraising programme using
accepted and appropriate standards in order to assess efficiency and effectiveness
- Recruit, train and support staff by applying human resource principles in
order to foster professionalism and achieve the goals of the organisatio
- Supervise staff by applying appropriate human resource principles in order
to foster a productive, team-oriented work environment and enhanced personal
performance
- Contract for various services, when appropriate, in order to
optimise the efforts of the fundraising function
- Create gift acceptance and acknowledgement policies in order to
reflect the values of the organisation and satisfy legal and ethical
standards
Accountability (9.5% - 19 items)
- Report to constituencies the sources, uses, and management of donated funds
in order to preserve and enhance confidence in the organisation
- Ensure that the intent of gifts is honoured so that public trust is
established and preserved
- Ensure that the solicitation of gifts is conducted in accordance with the
regulatory environment in which fundraising activities are conducted
- Clarify, implement, and monitor donors’ instructions by ensuring that
allocations are appropriate and documented in the organisation’s financial
records
- Comply with all reporting requirements and regulations in order to
demonstrate commitment to accountability and transparency
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