If you are a fundraising professional with five years experience, you are eligible to apply for professional certification.  In the fundraising profession, that is Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE), offered by CFRE International.  CFRE International offers the only internationally-recognized baseline professional credential for philanthropic fundraising executives.

Why certify?  Good question.  Every organization needs a “Top 10 List”, so here’s ours:

Top 10 Reasons to Become CFRE Certified

1.   Certification grants you more credibility. CFRE certification serves as an impartial, third-party endorsement of your knowledge and experience against international standards in philanthropy. It adds to your credibility as a fundraiser and sets you apart from other professionals.

2.   Certification can improve career opportunities and advancement. CFRE certification can give you the "edge" when being considered for a promotion or other career opportunities. CFRE certification clearly identifies you as an employee who has demonstrated mastery of fundraising principles and techniques based on accepted best practices.

3.   Certification prepares you for greater on-the-job responsibilities. CFRE certification is a clear indicator of your willingness to invest in your own professional development. Certified professionals are aware of the constantly changing environment around their profession and possess the desire to anticipate and respond to change.

4.   Certification improves skills and knowledge. Typically, achieving CFRE certification requires training, study and "keeping up" with changes. CFRE certification showcases your individual mastery by confirming proficiency and knowledge in the field. CFRE certification also requires recertification every three years, proving you stay ahead of the curve in fundraising.

5.   Certification may provide for greater earnings potential. Many fundraising professionals who have become CFRE certificants experience salary and wage increases based on their certification status. Studies show that on average CFRE certificants earn 17% more than their non-certified counterparts. In addition, CFRE certificants are in high demand internationally.

6.   Certification demonstrates your commitment to the fundraising profession. Receiving CFRE certification shows your peers, supervisors and, in turn, donors your commitment to your chosen career and your ability to perform to set standards.

7.   Certification enhances the profession's image. CFRE certification programme seeks to grow, promote and develop certified professionals, who can stand "out in front" as role models in the fundraising field.

8.   Certification reflects achievement. CFRE certification is a reflection of personal achievement because the individual has displayed mastery of his or her field by meeting requirements and standards set in philanthropy.

9.   Enriches Self Esteem. CFRE certification is a step toward defining yourself beyond a job description or academic degree while gaining a sense of personal satisfaction.

10.      Certification offers greater recognition from peers. As a CFRE certificant, you can expect increased recognition from your peers for taking that extra step in your professional career.

And, if you need one more:

In the U.S., Certified Fund Raising Executives (CFRE) earn 17% more than their non-certified colleagues.  The average salary of CFRE certificants in the United States is $85,032.

Can you hear me now?  Interested?  Want to know how to begin?  Well, for starters, go to the CFRE website, www.cfre.org, and look around.  There’s a lot to see and it is pretty easy to maneuver and understand.   You might want to click on Apply Now, then click on Get Started Now!  You can set up your own account and start the application process.  It doesn’t cost you anything until you are ready to submit your application.

 The reason 2009 is the Year of CFRE is that the Fort Worth and Dallas AFP Chapters are hosting the CFRE Review Course, June 24-25, 2009 at the Arlington Convention Center in conjunction with the DFW Philanthropy Conference on June 26.

 AFP’s CFRE Review Course is a 2-day, intensive educational opportunity which provides an overview of skills, techniques, and program components based on fundraising experience at the five-year level.  Its content is based on the domains covered in the CFRE Examination.  Each module in the CFRE Review Course is taught by a senior level professional with CFRE credentials.

 In this course you will learn key concepts that fundraising professionals should know after five years of experience in the field. If you are working toward your CFRE, taking this course will assist you in learning or reviewing concepts covered in the CFRE exam as detailed in the Test Content Outline provided by CFRE International.  If you are taking the course to learn new concepts and skills, the course will allow you to review what you already know and build on that knowledge.

Want to know more?  The next thing you need to do is contact James Holcomb or Fran Lobpries at cfre@dfwphilanthropyconference.com.  He is the official CFRE guru for the Fort Worth AFP Chapter and Fran holds the same distinction in the Dallas Chapter.  Ask them any questions you have and tell them to put you on the list for any CFRE updates.  If you are eligible, they will put you on a time-line to complete the CFRE application process in time to take the CFRE Review Course in June 2009, and qualify to take the exam in 2009 or 2010.  What are you waiting for?  Contact James or Fran now or call him at 817-999-3640.  Don’t delay…be the next CFRE of your AFP Chapter.

cfre@dfwphilanthropyconference.com