Certified Fund Raising Executive Examination CFRE Test Preparation Study Guide

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The CFRE exam is a certification program designed for fund raising executives and is administered by the CFRE Professional Certification Board.

Format Of The Certified Fund Raising Executive Exam:

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The CFRE examination is administered in paper-and-pencil format. In North America it is conducted in computer-based format. It consists of 225 multiple-choice questions of which 200 questions are scored and 25 questions are pre-test. The content covered in the exam is as follows:
I. 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 project
• 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

II. 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 fund-raising programme
• Design and conduct studies and/or surveys to plan and evaluate specific aspects of a fund raising 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

III. 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

IV. 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

V. 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 fund raising plans and budgets in order to support the organisation's strategic goals
• Conduct performance analysis of the fund raising 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 organisation
• 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 fund raising function
• Create gift acceptance and acknowledgement policies in order to reflect the values of the organisation and satisfy legal and ethical standards

VI. 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 fund raising 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

The candidates are required to complete the examination in 4 hours.