CFRE Recommended Resource Reading List
The publications on the Reading Resource List are all widely available and provide information on current, commonly accepted fundraising practices. These references are comprehensive and most closely relate to information covered on the exam.
It is not intended that each candidate read every publication on the Resource Reading List. Most candidates read one to three books, focusing on texts that address where they need to bolster their fundraising knowledge.
This list is provided as a guide for candidates seeking books on particular subject areas or general overview texts.
The books listed were used frequently by item writers and reviewers to create the exam. However, reading any or all of the publications on this list does not guarantee you will excel on the exam.
The exam is not intended to be an assessment of your knowledge of literature. There is no single reference, or small group of references, that are associated with most of the questions on any given exam form. The best advice is to review a basic, widely used reference. You may then wish to seek additional information not covered in that publication.
Click here to access guidelines for nominating a book for inclusion on the CFRE Resource Reading List.
Comprehensive resources
These resources are comprehensive in nature, covering each of the six CFRE knowledge domains: Current and Prospective Donor Research, Relationship Building, Securing the Gift, Volunteer Involvement, Leadership and Management, and Ethics and Accountability.
  Fundraising Basics: A Complete Guide, 3rd ed. (2009) by Barbara Kushner Ciconte and Jeanne G. Jacob |   Excellence in Fundraising in Canada (2011) by Guy Mallabone |   Achieving Excellence in Fundraising, 3rd ed. (2010) by Eugene R. Tempel, Timothy L. Seiler, and Eva E. Aldrich |   Achieving Excellence in Fundraising, 4th ed. (2016) by Eugene R. Tempel, Timothy L. Seiler, and Dwight F. Burlingame |
Complete Reading Resource List
Each of these resources covers one or more of the six Knowledge Domains of the CFRE exam. Knowledge Domain Codes contained in the table are the following:
| KD1 = Current and Prospective Donor Research | KD4 = Volunteer Involvement |
| KD2 = Securing the Gift | KD5 = Leadership and Management |
| KD3 = Relationship Building | KD6 = Ethics and Accountability |
Use Knowledge Domain Codes in the table search function to find books for particular Knowledge Domains. For example, if you want titles on Securing the Gift, enter “KD2” in the search box. For titles that cover more than one domain, enter more than one Knowledge Domain Code. For example, to find titles on Securing the Gift and Volunteer Involvement, enter “KD2 KD4”
| Link to Book | Title | Knowledge Domains Addressed |
|---|---|---|
  | Keep Your Donors (2008) by Tom Ahern and Simone Joyaux | KD1, KD2, KD3, KD6 |
| Fund Raising Basics (2009) by Barbara L. Ciconte and Jeanne Jacob | COMPREHENSIVE KD1, KD2, KD3, KD4, KD5, KD6 |
  | Developing Major Gifts (2006) by Laura Fredricks | KD2, KD3 |
  | Beyond Fund Raising (2nd ed.) (2005) by Kay Sprinkel Grace | KD1, KD2, KD3, KD4, KD5 |
  | Major Donors: Finding Big Gifts in Your Database and Online (2006) by Ted Hart, et al | KD1, KD2, KD5, KD6 |
  | Internet Management for Nonprofits (2010) by Ted Hart, et al | KD1, KD2, KD3, KD4, KD5 |
  | Prospect Research (2nd ed.) (2007) by Cecilia Hogan | KD1 |
  | Strategic Fund Development (2011) by Simone Joyaux | KD2, KD3, KD4, KD5, KD6 |
  | Capital Campaigns (2009) by Andrea Kihlstedt | KD1, KD2, KD3, KD4 |
| Excellence in Fundraising in Canada (2011) by Guy Mallabone | COMPREHENSIVE KD1, KD2, KD3, KD4, KD5, KD6 |
  | Ethical Fundraising (2008) by Janice Gow Pettey | KD2, KD3, KD6 |
  | Donor-Centered Planned Gift Marketing (2011) by Michael J. Rosen | KD1, KD2, KD3, |
| Achieving Excellence in Fundraising (3rd ed.) (2010) by Eugene R. Tempel, Timothy L. Seiler, and Eva E. Aldrich | COMPREHENSIVE KD1, KD2, KD3, KD4, KD5, KD6 |
| Achieving Excellence in Fundraising (4th ed.) (2016) by Eugene R. Tempel, Timothy L. Seiler, and Dwight F. Burlingame | COMPREHENSIVE KD1, KD2, KD3, KD4, KD5, KD6 |
CFRE International is an Amazon.com Affiliate. If you choose to purchase any of the Reading Resource List titles pictured below using the links on this page (or the CFRE Exam Compass Study Guide), CFRE International will receive a small percentage of the purchase price at no cost to you. This funding will help support CFRE International and the ongoing development and maintenance of the CFRE credential.
