To CFRE or not to CFRE – that is the question

Nancy Wood · August 11, 2014 at 23:21

My personal experience is that the only people who really cared about the CFRE were other CFREs. I worked hard to get it, paid for it all myself (my employer at the time couldn’t have been less interested), and took a test that had next to NO similarity to the CFRE prep course that I had just completed and, as you mention, was flawed at times.(Too many instances my answer would have really been, “It depends; I need more information.”) Subsequently, I was thrilled to pass with a pretty high score. Afterwards, I encountered a lot of ambivalence or even dismissals from fundraising colleagues–unless they, too, had either gotten their CFRE or were working towards it.

I never saw any sort of professional or financial benefit from it, myself. My experience and track record held much more weight. It was often a conversation starter when someone saw it on my business card, but only briefly.

As a result, the requirements to keep it up (and the associated expenses), were a drawback for me. I will always be proud that I did it, but haven’t been to compelled to re-certify. This is not to say I wouldn’t reconsider, but at this time it just hasn’t seemed worth it…

Leah Eustace, CFRE, ACFRE · August 12, 2014 at 00:25

How can I not jump into this conversation? I’ve never regretted for a moment getting my CFRE (and, in fact, have renewed it despite having received my ACFRE earlier this year). It forced me to read a lot of great books and, having attended a university that taught me the value of questioning what you read, it didn’t really matter that some of the books were out-of-date…I knew to question and debate them.
The study buddies program I was part of led to lifelong friends (and clients…and my current job). And, no matter whether I’m a good fundraiser or not, renewing the CFRE forces me to keep up with volunteer work and professional development (that can’t be a bad thing).
At the same time, I understand the ‘bad’ and ‘ugly.’ But at this moment in time, it’s the only certification opportunity we have in North America at the level it’s designed for.
Finally, I’m chair-elect of the AFP Foundation for Philanthropy – Canada. We’ve successfully raised lots of money for translation. Perhaps a French version of the test should be on the agenda?

Paul Delbar · August 12, 2014 at 08:46

You sum it up pretty well with the good/bad/ugly. Comparing this to other fields that have certification (like CPIM) etc. there are a few effects I can see.

Certification is an instrument often used to raise the lower edge of the skills distribution in a field. Let’s face it: we all know people who are in fundraising but lack the skills, sensitivity and commitment for it. Having a baseline, reference-style test/certification/exam tends to set a differential which incites people to reach ‘at least that’.

At the higher end of the experience/skill distribution, it says little. Experience often trumps exam results, and a test can only test so much. This aligns with some of the comments here.

The type of ‘Certified Professional’ exams that work well for Microsoft software, networking skills and programming languages tend to fail rather ungraciously in fields like fundraising, communications and the like. How do you test attitude, common sense, empathy, perseverance, pragmatism — all characteristics of a good fundraiser (at least in my experience) ?

In my ideal world, there is a common vocabulary of terms and processes (RFM, acquisition, lifetime value, retention, storytelling, donor journey, …) which make up the basics of what you really need to know to be a serious fundraiser. Call that fundraising 101 (no pun intended). Entry level, required for entry to the profession. Next is a senior level, which requires experience and practical work, typically applied to a specific subdomain (donor relations, fundraising financials, direct marketing, …). Finally, master classes, which are intended for thoe who specialise in a particular function or field, something which smaller outfits typically cannot afford to have in house, while they can and will contract out for specific guidance and consultancy. A FR consultant would use these master classes-level certificates as a more objective reference of competence.

Craig Shelley · August 12, 2014 at 13:45

I did it about a year ago for the reasons below. The bottom line, in my mind, is if you’re doing it, do it for yourself.

1. Similar to Tom above, I climbed the mountain because it was there. I was curious if I could do it and it was important to me to test myself.

2. It was an opportunity to force myself to think and learn about our field. Often we get lost in the day to day – raising that next dollar, prepping that next meeting, planning that next event. Preparing for the CFRE forced me to pick my head up and look around and think about my work and how I could do it better.

3. I wanted to set an example. At the time I was serving in a leadership position at a large national organization I felt would benefit from opening itself to more knowledge and education. CFRE seemed like a good objective to set for our fundraisers but required me to set the example. I am proud of the number of fundraisers in the organization that followed that lead and have achieved the designation.

3. I believe in the professionalization of our field. We do serious and important work. I feel like CFRE, despite it’s flaws, helps foster professionalism and a more accurate view of our field by our peers and donors.

I have not been disappointed. I don’t think it has gotten me a job or a raise or that I even learned anything new in preparing for the test. But I do know I have taken personal satisfaction from the designation and have been proud to encourage others to do the same and am a better fundraiser for having spent the prep time thinking about my work.

Adrian Salmon · August 13, 2014 at 09:19

Wow — I’m definitely late to the party on this one!
I’m one of those fundraisers who doesn’t have a formal qualification – I learnt on the job in a highly demanding agency environment. Like other commentators above, I have mixed feelings about the ‘professionalisation’ of a job like ours.

On the one side, yes we should absolutely be encouraging professionalism. Especially in direct marketing there’s a body of knowledge and research that we all need to know and I am often shocked at how few direct marketing fundraisers know it. So many fundraisers around the world are reinventing the wheel over and over again at great cost to their charities.

However before I became a fundraiser I initially started training as a psychotherapist/counsellor and what has happened in that field saddens me – MAs and MPhils in psychotherapy now seem to be base-level requirements for a job where, as Carl Rogers demonstrated in the 1940s – 1960s, the therapist’s personal qualities, rather than acquired body of knowledge, are actually the motivating factors for promoting therapeutic change.

I would not like to see fundraising go the same way, and Masters degrees become base-level requirements for first fundraising jobs.

As Morpheus says to Neo in The Matrix – it’s one thing to know the path, but another thing altogether to walk it. Even if you understand theoretically that a certain approach may work better than another, it takes an experiential leap to be brave and put that theoretical knowledge into practice. I was lucky to have a very fine mentor as my first boss, and I still think that the mentor/apprentice model is one of the best ways to really learn fundraising.

Fraser Green · August 13, 2014 at 15:55

I did my CFRE about 17 years ago. At the time, I’d just made the transfer from the political world to the charitable sector – and my business partner thought it was essential that i establish my credibility by getting my CFRE as early as possible. As I did the reading and preparation classes, I was kind of resentful – and thought a good deal of the study material was irrelevant. Once I’d finished the process, I realized that much of what I’d learned was in fact very helpful. I’m glad I did it. My take on the designation itself? I think it’s valuable for a more junior fundraiser to reach a more middle position. At the more senior level, I don’t think it matters much.

Ligia · August 13, 2014 at 17:33

Rory,

I agree 100% with your analysis. I initially got my CFRE in 2010. My main motivators were (1) I’m a nerd and love to continue learning, (2) I had recently started my consulting business, with my baby face, I felt I needed the letters for credibility reasons.

Having gone through the process, I think “in principle” it is a worthwhile certification to have in your arsenal. Whether it makes you a better or more dedicated fundraiser….I don’t think the CFRE can assure that. Like you said, there are many great fundraisers without the letters and many with the letters that I would never hire!

The issues I have with the certification are exactly what you pointed out: it’s only in English (seriously? let’s get with the times!); it isn’t country specific enough and the my absolute BIGGEST issue with the exam is that it’s a multiple choice exam. Not only that, it’s based on a bunch of books that were written over 10 years ago. While the fundamentals of fundraising have not changed dramatically, using old textbooks is simply ridiculous. In addition, the exam tests only theory and we all know that theory is never the same as reality. It’s very counter-intuitive!

In the end, I’m proud of having those letters after my name and I’m happy to recertify every 3 years but I’m sceptical of the whole system.

Allison Bough · August 13, 2014 at 22:58

I earned the CFRE in 2000 & have maintained it since, without regret. It does come at a high cost for both the exam and the ongoing continuing education. However, the continuing ed allows me to remain current in the field, and there are other positive benefits as well. For me, the CFRE demonstrates my commitment to the profession and to excellence in the field. As the article states, CFRE is not the only option for those who want to pursue professional education. Many universities offer masters programs in nonprofit management, and local colleges often have non-degree certificate programs. These are not the same as the CFRE although they do have merit.

Megan · August 14, 2014 at 01:57

I certified in March of this year, and am so happy I went for it. My initial motivation was to keep myself competitive in the field. I’m working on my bachelor’s degree through independent study, which will take me a LONG time. Without a university degree, I felt it would be beneficial to have the certification.

It’s true that a CFRE doesn’t necessarily signify a top-notch fundraiser, but I really don’t think one could pass it without being committed to best practices. The questions were really “stop and think”. One would have to, on some level, know the best practices. I suppose whether or not they actually practice them is another story.

I don’t recall any question being biased toward, or even mentioning, specific countries. I wrote in Canada, and there was no mention of American tax laws, or anything American for that matter.

After writing and passing, I felt humbled. I felt that earning the credential was the first step in the next phase of my career, not a stamp announcing that I know it all or that I’m “one of the best”. I’ve been motivated to keep on top of my continuing education in order to do right by my CFRE. It’s given me a lot of confidence, but has also made me aware of what I still have to learn.

Susan Daily CFRE · August 14, 2014 at 16:29

I received my CFRE in 1995, I was forty-five years old and had five years under my belt as a Director of Development – and the only professional fundraiser on staff – in a $5M organization that provided a continuum of care (shelter, transitional housing, support services) to homeless women and children. I paid for it myself, though my agency did pay for my AFP membership (back in those days, AFP was still NSFRE!) Why did I do it?

1) To gain credibility in the eyes of my peers, potential employers, and Board members. No, people do not know what is required to obtain this certification, but I do. I especially appreciated that (unlike some of the academic programs – not all) the application process included REAL WORLD achievements in FUNDRAISING. I agree that there are other sources of education and information today – including excellent consulting and webinars, etc. – they good supplements – but the real gems are interactions with your peers, someone you can speak honestly with, using the same frame of reference. And that you take control of your own career.

2) To promote the professionalism of the field. Most people do appreciate that you have devoted at least five years of effort to your career, that there is a body of knowledge, and that you need to stay up on the field to recertify. With tele-evangelists, political strong armers, scam artists and unsavory sorts grabbing the headlines as “fundraisers” we simply need an antidote to the bad actors. By obtaining the designation, which I worked hard to do, I endorsed a more ethical and professional model. I also felt good about the balance between theory and documented achievement that was integral to the application process. I still do appreciate that. I track my own success, don’t rely on others to tell me what I am worth or how much I deserve to be credited for my work. Someone once said, “Oh, so you are a professional beggar?” The CFRE is an antidote to that.

3) To encourage others to enter the field. As a result of obtaining a CFRE, I feel I have something to say to new fundraisers – especially those who are diverse, “different”, or represent minority or disenfranchised groups. Our fundraising challenges are different than those of the person working in an already well known and well funded charity that can rely on an endowment, name recognition, a huge pool of alumni or grateful patients or devoted art lovers. We need both the traditional and non-traditional tools to do our work. In addition, we need that credibility and confidence that a CFRE provides.

I agree with some of the caveats listed here – it is not only parents who are stretched to the max and have difficulty finding the time or money to do the process – I have this problem myself – after years of professional achievement, I found myself unemployed during the great recession of 2008 – something that had never happened to me before. Money was tight. I still made it a priority to recertify.

The CFRE does not automatically equate to more money. It very much depends on what sector you work in. Personally, I have not experienced gains in salary as a result of my certification. But I understand that that is the case for many people with graduate degrees as well – very few fields have built in rewards in this economy.

The CFRE process is not perfect, and improvements in both the website and the content of the test could and should be made.

I’ll echo others – whether this is of value to you or not depends very much on your own circumstances, what it means to you, and what your professional and personal objectives are. I can tell you that I respect people who have done the work to obtain a CFRE or ACFRE. They are unlikely to promote technique over strategic focus, to fall for the latest “shiny object” in fundraising, or to be self promoting actors. Yes, there are folk who do just fine without it. For me, there were many good reasons to obtain it, and I am proud that I did.

Thanks, Rory, for this discussion.

Melody Song · August 14, 2014 at 19:14

As a Chinese working in Canada with a CFRE designation, I feel that it is OK to have CFRE in English and not country-specific for now because the best practices and the body of knowledge are originated in English. I think there are a lot the Asian countries are learning from the UK and North America simply because the fundraising practices are just starting there. I don’t see why we would test someone on the application in specific countries because they are so different and difficult to standardize for testing. But translation would be good in future years. I also think we need more diversity in the fundraiser workforce so that we can actually promote and share best practices in other countries.

Shannon Anglero · August 16, 2014 at 23:25

I’ve been in the fundraising profession for 8 years. I was looking for a way to professionalize myself and my work, while expanding my knowledge base. And of course, I was looking for a professional development opportunity that would help advance my career. I chose to start my MPA instead of the CFRE.

I feel like while a CFRE is a known credential, it hasn’t kept pace with trends and doesn’t differentiate a professional the way it should. Plus, to advance in a career, it’s necessary to show a broad scope of understanding in management and leadership, which I feel an MPA does a much better job of. At least in my area, nonprofit leaders “need” a Masters degree, but I’ve yet to see a CFRE as a requirement.

I will still consider getting the CFRE after I finish my MPA if I feel like it’s something that can expand my knowledge or network. But right now, it doesn’t feel current or relevant enough for our profession.

Monica · August 17, 2014 at 02:36

Hi Rory.
I wrote (and passed) my CFRE exam this past July 5th. I’m just awaiting final notification from CFRE International before I use the credential (I’m looking forward to having new business cards printed!).
For background, I have worked in the NFP sector for my entire career (nearly 25 years) – the last 10 in a fundraising capacity. CFRE certification simply had not been a priority for me until recently. Like many, I too was raising children while building a successful career. Time and money were in short supply and I had to make personal choices.
I have had the privilege to work with and be mentored by some of the best fundraisers around. Leaders who did not possess the CFRE designation and colleagues who did. I think it is useful to consider whether CFRE designation is worthwhile in the context of the changing industry landscape, not just age and stage.
Being in my mid-40s (although I continue to celebrate my 29th birthday every year), I have been able to observe both the leadership cohort (who are generally at least 10-15 years my senior), my colleagues and professionals new to the field.
When this leadership cohort came up through the ranks, there weren’t postgraduate certificates in fundraising or Masters programs in non-profit leadership. CFRE may have started to be available, but it certainly didn’t have the profile it now has. They learned on the front lines, dedicated themselves to continuous learning, created the best practices for our profession and became extremely successful. Great fundraisers without a CFRE designation without a doubt.
But that is no longer the landscape we are operating in. Fundraising as a profession has been recognized as a defined area of expertise and knowledge. And that is a good thing. I have noticed, in the past 10 years in particular, from the conversations I have had with recruiters that they have more clients interested in candidates with the CFRE designation than before. While it is widely accepted that this doesn’t guarantee a great fundraiser, coupled with a solid history of achievement in fundraising, it brings you to the top of the pile. That said, there are still come recruiters/organizations who don’t put any extra value on certification.
A good friend of mine (a CFRE) asked me not too long ago if I had considered getting my credential. I had a list of reasons why it hadn’t been a priority for me (all legitimate). She simply suggested I start filling out the application and I might be closer that I realized. She was right. I needed more points in a few areas, but I was able to make a plan to close the gap as quickly as possible. I self-funded the process. Yes, it hurt at bit, but I believe all people need to take responsibility for their professional development, regardless of their profession. It is nice if your employer will contribute, but ultimately it is on the individual if they wish to continue to grow. I found many low-cost or free opportunities that helped me round out my application.
My decision was simple. From an employability standpoint, being a CFRE would help me in cases with employers who cared and would be neutral with those who didn’t. Not being a CFRE was potentially a liability. I have a solid track record in fundraising that speaks for itself, and that is important too. Certification is not a magic bullet. However, the industry is far more competitive than it was even 10-15 years ago. Historically, the “big shops” were where best practice was expected, but that too is changing. There is a movement (however slow it may be) to recruit and retain accomplished professionals to the smaller shops to elevate their causes and operations.
In a period of time where the operations of NFPs and the professionalism of fundraisers is under great scrutiny, I think it is incumbent on all fundraising professionals do everything they can to support the profession and its reputation. However an individual chooses to achieve that, through CFRE or other avenues, isn’t all that important.

Monica

Jim Weber · August 18, 2014 at 03:20

Hi Rory, well done on raising this and the great conversations so far. I’m going to take another tack and say it would be great to have an internationally designated Fundraising “degree” . My opinion will sound of sour grapes as I’ve written the test twice and just missed both times, to the point I felt the test was so poorly written and only American in focus that I felt no confidence whatsoever in bothering to do a third attempt. I think the CFRE could develop to become a great international benchmark but with my Canadian and now Australian fundraising background I found the test difficult and definitely not international. I’m fine without it, respect those that have it and fortunately have not noticed any impact on my consultancy either way. I hope it does develop but right now it isn’t an international benchmark

Adam · October 11, 2014 at 00:03

Very well written and transparent. Thank you Rory for such a great blog.

Michael J. Rosen, CFRE · October 27, 2014 at 00:31

Rory, while I’m late in responding to your post, I nevertheless applaud your thorough exploration of the issue. Despite the fact that I’ve held the CFRE designation longer than 90 percent of other CFREs, I have serious concerns about the value of the credential. My issues with CFRE may even lead me to drop the designation when I’m up for renewal this Spring.

In recent years, I’ve explored my concerns about CFRE in two blog posts:

Is CFRE Spinning Its Wheels?
http://michaelrosensays.wordpress.com/2013/11/22/is-cfre-spinning-its-wheels/

Does CFRE Have a Future?
http://michaelrosensays.wordpress.com/2011/08/26/does-cfre-have-a-future/

Perhaps my biggest problem with the CFRE is that it is largely irrelevant. The anemic growth in the number of CFREs has not even kept pace with the growth in the number of nonprofit organizations. In other words, CFRE is experiencing diminishing market share. Sadly, CFRE International does not seem to have a strategy for significantly reversing this trend.

While I very much like the “idea” of CFRE, I’m afraid I’m very disappointed in the “reality.”

Bruce Hill, CFRE (until June) · January 9, 2015 at 01:03

I have had my CFRE for 20 years (in Canada) and will not be re-certifying this year. It has done little to advance my career and I find that most of the courses I’ve taken are taught by people with less experience than me. I continue to read on my own and network with others which has done more for my career than the CFRE.

Stephen · September 23, 2017 at 17:03

I’ve been a professional fundraiser in the field of planned giving for the last ten plus years, since July 2007. I have a Juris Doctor degree and I’m a licensed attorney. It’s my law degree that was the single most important credential and catalyst that launched me into the field of planned giving fundraising. I have worked for three different organizations in planned giving, so far: two universities (one public and one private) and now a large, prominent, national non-profit. I was also offered a position with a large hospital in which I turned down in 2014 in order to remain with my current organization. Currently (as of this posting), I’m involved in an interview process with one of the largest public universities in the United States with an endowment in the billions. None of these organizations (including the big University in which I’m currently interviewing) mentioned the CFRE in their job postings. The CFRE has never come up in my interviews; instead, the employers want to discuss my experience and the fact that I have a law degree and probably how engaging they find my personality which is critical in finding the best fundraisers. None of my current colleagues has the CFRE credential. (Only one former colleague of mine was CFRE certified.) Having the CFRE credential would not provide me with a raise with my current position; only my work performance can lead to a raise. So, as far as I’m concerned, the CFRE would not provide any tangible benefit to me. My law degree and my ten plus years of experience in working for a variety of organizations is what’s most important from a career growth standpoint.

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