After researching my options, I went about the business of applying for, studying for, and writing (and passing! Woo!) the exam for my CFRE designation. Here are some things I learned along the way.
1. You gotta have friends
My CFRE study group and colleagues who helped me through the process were invaluable. They kept me on track and gave me frameworks that helped me think about the exam - and the business of fundraising in general - in a whole new way. Kathy, Judy, Heather, Darlene, Amanda, John, Jen, Tara, David, Kimberley…thank you! People want to help you. If you can’t find any people, ask me. I’d be happy to help you.
2. Money is no object
When you are writing the CFRE imagine you working with a large institution with tons of money, staff, volunteers, and time. What would you do in this perfect world? Even for those of us who don’t have enough money/staff/volunteers/time, it’s worth aspiring to these goals. Yeah, I probably should take the time to do some research first. Yeah, I probably should make that donor stewardship phone call I was putting off…
3. Ethics trumps all
Ethics rule on the CFRE exam – as they should. If there’s a question that you think is asking you about ethics, it is. I’m a philosophy major, so I can intellectually justify just about anything…but the truth is we generally know the difference between right and wrong. So trust your gut. Especially if your gut is telling you to eat a cheeseburger. Mmm cheeseburger…(or a veggie burger! No offence to non-meat-eaters! Those can be good too…)
4. Volunteers RULE!
Volunteers. Love them. Respect them. Worship them! Ok, maybe not the last one. But they are your Board, your front-line helpers, your food sorters, ushers, and clothes box carriers. And as far as the CFRE exam goes, they are the ones you have to convince of your hare-brained scheme to raise more money.
5. AFP = Amazing Freaking People
Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) Toronto Congress was terrific. I got a bursary to go, and it was so helpful – not just for my CFRE (which it WAS), but for my career in general. And download all the presentations if you go too. You’ll want to review those after the adrenaline and beer happiness has worn off. On top of that, if you are an AFP member you can also access their resource library, attend social events and classes. And AFP stands up for the profession publicly. So use the resources and join the community!
6. CFRE is an investment. The CFRE does cost you about $1,000, plus books – which you need to buy and study unless you are a genius (in which case…why are doing this job? You should be out there inventing HOVERBOARDS). But hey, a few hundred bucks now might mean a salary bump or promotion down the road. Plus, to quote the motivational poster I saw in the testing facility where I wrote my CFRE exam: “Competence Builds Confidence.”
7. Reading is…like…good and stuff. Read the books! Start with Excellence in Fundraising Canada (there’s a new edition!), Achieving Excellence in Fundraising, and the AFP CFRE study guide. Also, the AFP First Course is great. In fact, they have a whole reading list for the CFRE…so get cracking (book spines, that is! Boom!). In particular, be sure to study what you don’t already know…coughplannedgivingcough…
8. Human resources matter. While studying for and writing the CFRE, I kept noticing the emphasis on human resources. Charities need to treat their employees with respect and listen to their ideas, give them vacation and a reasonable work/life balance, provide benefits. We need to care about one another and have fun in the office, work as a team and address the lack of diversity in the sector. With a 16-month retention rate in this profession, the CFRE process makes you think that we, as a sector, could and should do a better job taking care of our human resources.
9. Did I mention ethics?
Before writing the CFRE, I considered myself a highly ethical guy. I respected donor confidentiality, followed through on obligations, and raised money passionately for those in need. And yet…when I was a younger grant-writer, I would write grants for musicians and take a percentage only if the grant was received. I thought I was helping them out (because they were broke), and that I was ‘doing the right thing.’ Whoops. I know better now. No matter how much you assume you know it’s always helpful to go back to the beginning.
10. Celebrate!
Celebrate everything! This is a tough gig, people. So celebrate when you get a big gift. Celebrate when somebody in need gets help. Celebrate when you write your CFRE exam. Celebrate when you do pass! (Even if you have to try more than once.) Celebrate being alive and having people who care about you. Celebrate having colleagues who are passionate about this sector and the work we do and aren’t afraid to speak up. Celebrate when things get better. Celebrate your hobbies, because everybody needs a mental break. And celebrate you! You are a good person and you do good things. You deserve it!
I am so glad I decided to become a certified fundraising executive and I realize that taking this step isn’t always an easy decision. A big help and inspiration for my decision was a blog by my colleague Rory Green, if you are thinking about starting this journey check Rory's blog post here.
Josh Bowman, CFRE, is the Fundraising Director for CAPE, an environmental and health charity based in Toronto. He is a professional fundraiser, story-teller, comedian, and blogger. He has worked and consulted in Vancouver, New York, and now Toronto for almost a decade.
