Submitting your CFRE initial certification application is an exciting step towards becoming a CFRE. Check out our tips to get your application ready in time for the next deadline.

1) Attend webinars and virtual trainings to earn Education points

If you’re still working towards earning 80 Education points, never fear! Fundraising webinars that are at least 45 minutes long qualify towards the education requirement.

Either save your registration confirmation email or take a screen shot of the first and last slides as your proof of attendance.

Find a trove of CFRE-approved education with My Education Finder.

Remember, fundraising education not pre-approved can still count as long as it relates to the domains on the Test Content Outline. However, pre-approved fundraising education will tell you precisely how many CFRE points you’ll earn.

2) Count your volunteer time

You can earn up to one point per year per organization you volunteer with in the Service Learning area of the Education section. If you’re on a board or a committee, you’ll rack up two points per year per organization.

A maximum of 10 points from Service Learning can count towards the Education requirement.

If your fiscal year ends March 31, 2021, and there will be leftover professional development funds, speak to your boss about if they can be applied towards your CFRE initial certification fee.

More than 50% of CFREs report their employer covered part or all of the initial certification cost.

4) Common application errors to watch for

One of the most frequent mistakes we see is people entering “TBD” into fields of their application. It’s a common practice when applicants are filling out their application and want a placeholder while they verify information.

However, it’s too easy to forget to remove those “TBDs” before hitting the submit button. Closely read through your application to ensure no placeholder language is lingering.

Also, double check that your contact information is up to date. We will mail your CFRE certificate to the mailing address you’ve entered inside your CFRE application. Make sure it’s not an address where you last lived two years ago.

5) There is no fee to resubmit your application

Remember that should we find an error in your application, we will send it back to you to correct.

Once you’ve made the updates, there is no cost to resubmit your application.

Keep in mind that once you submit your application, you will have one year to sit for the CFRE exam. You’ll have plenty of time to study.

Don’t put off enjoying all of the benefits that come with being a CFRE. Submit your application today!