Have you been in fundraising for five years? Do you thrive on helping organizations achieve their goals? Do you keep current with fundraising trends? Has it been awhile since you took an exam? Is giving back to your profession important to you?

Test Content Outline

The Certified Fund Raising 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 a candidate identifies an area where review is needed, chapters or publications from the Resource Reading List can be selected to help in that review.

Click here for a print-ready version of the Test Content Outline (PDF) - North American Exam

I. Current and Prospective Donor Research (16% - 32 Items)

Develop a list of prospective donors by identifying individuals and groups who have the capacity and propensity to give in order to qualify prospective donors for further research and cultivation efforts
Implement and utilise a secure data management system that stores information about current and prospective donors to enable retrieval and analysis
Analyse the list of current and prospective donors using characteristics such as demographics, interest, values, giving history, relationships, and linkages to the organisation in order to select potential donors for particular projects and fundraising programmes
Rate current and prospective donors in categories of giving potential in order to prioritise and plan cultivation and solicitation.
Present the list of current and prospective donors and relevant information to organisational leaders in order to establish consensus for action.

II. Securing the Gift (19% - 38 Items)

Develop a compelling case for support by involving stakeholders in order to communicate the rationale for supporting the organisation’s fundraising programme
Apply prospect research data to develop a solicitation plan for involvement of individual donors and/or donor groups.
Design a comprehensive solicitation programme in order to generate financial support for the organisation’s purpose
Prepare donor-focused and segmented solicitation communications in order to influence and facilitate informed gift decisions
Ask for and secure gifts from prospects in order to generate financial support for the organisation’s purpose
Evaluate the solicitation programme using appropriate criteria and methodology in order to produce accurate analytic reports for effective decision making

III. Relationship Building (27% - 54 Items)

Initiate and strengthen relationships with all constituents through a systematic cultivation plan designed to build trust in, and long term commitment to, 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
Promote a culture of philanthropy by broadening constituents’ understanding of the value of giving
Acknowledge and recognise gifts in ways that are meaningful to donors and appropriate to the mission and values of the organisation

IV. Volunteer Involvement (8% - 18 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 the fundraising process and related activities in order to expand organisational capacity
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

V. Leadership and Management (18% - 36 items)

Foster and support a culture of philanthropy across the organisation and its constituencies
Ensure sound administrative and management policies and procedures to support fundraising functions
Participate in the organisation’s strategic planning process in order to ensure the integration of fundraising and philanthropy
Design and implement short-and long- term fundraising plans and budgets in order to support the organisation’s strategic goals
Apply key principles of marketing and public relations to fundraising planning and programmes
Conduct ongoing performance analysis of the fundraising programme using accepted and appropriate standards in order to identify opportunities, resolve problems, and inform future planning
Recruit, train and support staff by applying human resource principles in order to foster professionalism and a productive team oriented work environment
Contract for services in order to optimise the efforts of the fundraising function

VI. Ethics and Accountability (11% - 22 items)

Ensure that all fundraising activities are conducted in accordance with ethical principles and standards
Create gift acceptance policies that reflect the values of the organisation and satisfy legal and ethical standards
Clarify, implement, monitor, and honour donors’ intent and instructions, and ensure allocations are accurately documented in the organisation ‘s records
Report to constituencies the sources, uses, impact, and management of donated funds in order to preserve and enhance confidence and public trust in the organisation
Comply with all reporting requirements and regulations in order to fulfil commitment to accountability and demonstrate transparency