ACFRE Track

1
ACFRE Track

• ACFRE Means Something
• Doesnt it?
• James M. Greenfield, ACFRE, FAHP
• AFP 45th International Conference
• San Diego, California
• March 30 April 2, 2008

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ACFRE Means Something Doesnt It?

• Is the ACFRE about
• Accountability
• Community Benefit
• Philanthropic Culture
• Social Enterprise
• Stewardship
• Volunteerism

3
ACFRE Means Something Doesnt It?

• Or, is the ACFRE about
• Charisma
• Example
• Generosity
• Leadership
• Reflection
• Risk-Taking
• Zeal

4
ACFRE Means Something Doesnt It?

• For those who aspire
• to be an ACFRE
• I care about my profession
• I want to increase respect for my credential
• I want an increase in salary
• I want a better job
• I want to make a difference
• I want a leadership role in AFP

• For those who already have their ACFRE
• I want to advance my profession
• I want to increase public respect for
  fundraising
• I want to be a better steward of the
  philanthropic process
• I want to be taken seriously

5
ACFRE Means Something Doesnt It?

• What is a profession?
• A profession is an occupation
• that requires extensive
• training and the study and
• mastery of specialized
• knowledge, and usually has a
• professional association,
• ethical code and process of
• certification or licensing.
• Wikipedia.org

• What is its qualification?
• COMPETENCE IS NOT ENOUGH!
• Attainment of professional
• stature requires a level of
• bearing or comportment
• involving both behavior and
• attitudes that raise above
• merely doing a job in a
• competent manner.
• Robert Carbone. Fund Raising as a Profession .
  1989, P. 7.

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ACFRE Means Something Doesnt It?

• Some CFRE statistics
• Number of CFREs granted since inception
  (1981) 9,364
• Number of current CFREs worldwide
  (03/08) 5,378
• Number of current candidates filing applications
  (07) 579
• Number of current candidates qualified for the
  exam 527
• Number of new CFREs granted during 2007 350
• Number of newly re-certified CFREs in 2007
  1,250
• Number of examination sites available
• In USA Canada 300 All others worldwide
  12

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ACFRE Means Something Doesnt It?

• Is CFRE/ACFRE about Advancement?
• Is/Will there be a new obligation?
• Is/Will there be a new responsibility?
• Is/Will there be a new opportunity?
• Is/Will there be new duties we should take?
• Is/Will there be an action we should take?

8
ACFRE Means Something Doesnt It?

• Do we agree? CFRE ACFRE is not about
• How much money we raise
• Whether we are female or male
• What salary we make
• What level position we hold
• What type of nonprofit we serve

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ACFRE Means Something Doesnt It?

• Some statistics
• Speakers at this AFP conference
• CFRE ACFRE
• Saturday 5 of 13 (38) 4 of 13 (31)
• Sunday 3 of 10 (30) 2 of 10 (20)
• Monday 17 of 44 (39) 11 of 44 (25)
• Tuesday 29 of 58 (50) 10 of 58 (17)
• Wednesday 10 of 14 (71) 1 of 14 ( 7)
• Total 64 of 139 (46) 28 of 139
  (20)
• 92 overall (66)

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ACFRE Means Something Doesnt It?

• What does it mean, beyond CFRE?
• What should we expect, beyond ACFRE?
• CFRE/ACFRE sets one apart from others
• CFRE/ACFRE implies professionalism
• CFRE/ACFRE implies a leadership role
• CFRE/ACFRE asks us to be more
• CFRE/ACFRE aids in our job credibility
• CFRE/ACFRE means we can/should act

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ACFRE Means Something Doesnt It?

• Consider this Does act mean we should ?
• Nurture networks
• Continually adapt
• Empower others
• Invest in the basics
• Focus on impact change
• James Gelatt, Contributions, Vol. 22, 1, 2008

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ACFRE Means Something Doesnt It?

• Consider these actions CFRE and ACFRE
• Are we advocates for ethical fundraising?
• Are we speakers teachers of philanthropy?
• Are we students of a culture of philanthropy?
• Are we advocates to philanthropists?
• Are we being philanthropic enough?

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ACFRE Means Something Doesnt It?

• Some ACFRE statistics
• Number of candidates since inception (1993) 176
• Number of current candidates in process 14
• Number of total ACFREs granted since 1993
  82 (47)
• Number of ACFREs by year since inception
• 1993 18 1994 6 1995 3
  1996 3
• 1997 3 1998 3 1999 3
  2000 9
• 2001 12 2002 6 2003 1
  2004 6
• 2005 4 2006 2 2007 2
  2008 1

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ACFRE Means Something Doesnt It?

• Now, consider this .
• Are you living for philanthropy?
• Or
• Are you living off philanthropy?
• Robert Payton, 1988

15
ACFRE Means Something Doesnt It?

• What is the future for a CFRE? For an ACFRE?
• Linked to a role in AFP, AHP, CASE or others?
• Linked to our advancing this profession?
• Is a step-up option we should take?
• Is our license to be more outspoken?
• Is in danger of becoming complacent?
• Is limited to just who/what we are now?
• Is only a personal goal? A certificate?

16
ACFRE Means Something Doesnt It?

• Given all options, whats your choice?
• For those who aspire to retain their CFRE
  
• Maintain my full-time professional employment
• Continue my fundraising skills and practice
• Maintain my continuing education in the field
• Continue my active engagement as a volunteer
• Be an active advocate for certification to
  others
• Apply for my re-certification as soon as
  eligible

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ACFRE Means Something Doesnt It?

• Given all options, whats your choice?
• For those who aspire to apply for ACFRE
• Will it affect my full-time professional
  employment?

Will it improve my fundraising skills and
practice? Will it aid my continuing education in
the field? Will it improve my active engagement
as a volunteer? Will I be a more effective
advocate for certification to others? Will I
submit my ACFRE application as soon as Im
eligible?
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ACFRE Means Something Doesnt It?

• Given all options, whats your choice?
• For those who apply to become an ACFRE
• Study the four stages in the application
• Study the eight domains in the exam
• Read selections from the ACFRE bibliography
• Prepare to commit to the entire process
• Seek out and use a mentor as your guide
• Understand why you want to do this

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ACFRE Means Something Doesnt It?

• Given all options, whats your choice?
• For those who have their ACFRE
• Teaching? Consulting? Speaking? Writing?
• Advocacy? Giving? Mentoring? Studying?
• Community service? Consulting service?
• Actively pursue a top leadership position?
• (e.g. CEO, ED, Board, Senior VP, or ?)

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ACFRE Means Something Doesnt It?

• And, speaking of leadership
• The majority of nonprofit leaders are boomers
• who first reached 60 on January 1, 2006 .
• How much longer will they work?
• Are there replacements enough?
• Are they prepared to lead?
• The Philanthropist, September 2007, p. 128

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ACFRE Means Something Doesnt It?

• It is estimated that 3 out of 4 executive
  directors will likely leave their jobs in the
  next 5 years.
• Daring to Lead 2006 A National Study of
  Nonprofit Executive Leadership, Compasspoint
  Nonprofit Series and Meyer Foundation
• The Nonprofit Sectors Leadership Deficit
  study estimates 640,000 new leaders will need to
  be found over the next 10 years.
• The BridgeSpan Group

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ACFRE Means Something Doesnt It?

• Further, a Canadian Study on the same model
  as Compasspoint found that 2 out of 3 nonprofit
  executives among 19,000 nonprofits, are women,
  and 36 of respondents see a new challenge
  within the next 2 years. And 82 expected to
  leave in the next five years.
• Taking Philanthropy Seriously Beyond Noble
  Intentions to Responsible Giving.
• William Damon and Susan Verducci, editors.
  Indiana University Press, 2006.

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ACFRE Means Something Doesnt It?

• Consider this
• We have options . And help
• You are hereby anointed as an
• AC

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ACFRE Means Something Doesnt It?

• AC Advanced Catalyst for
• Accountability for your performance
• Advocating a culture of philanthropy
• Accepting a leadership role
• Continuous strategic planning
• Practicing stewardship (donors gifts)
• Measuring and reporting results as outcomes
• Reporting community benefits delivered

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ACFRE Means Something Doesnt It?

• And, lastly, consider this .
• In our every deliberation
• we must consider the impact of
• our decisions on the next
• seven generations.
• The Great Law of the Six Nations of the Iroquois
  Confederation

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ACFRE Means Something Doesnt It?Where do
we each go from here?
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ACFRE Means Something Doesnt It?

• Final Comments?
• Any Questions? Any Discussion?
• James M. Greenfield, ACFRE, FAHP
• J. M. Greenfield Associates
• Email fundrazer_at_cox.net Web
  www.fundrazer.com