Setting the Global Standard for Ethical Fundraising

CFRE International is an independent nonprofit organization dedicated to setting standards in philanthropy through a valid and reliable certification process. The Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) credential is the world's only globally recognized, accredited certification for fundraising professionals.

About CFRE Certification

Global Reach

8,200+

Certified Fundraising Professionals

30+

Countries and Territories

32

Participating Organizations

Mission, Vision, & Values

We certify experienced fundraising professionals aspiring to the highest standards of ethics, competence, and service—building a world where philanthropy is practiced in an environment of trust, respect, and accountability.

Our values are the principles that guide the daily work of staff, our board, and volunteers in making ethical decisions that affect candidates, certificants, and the profession of fundraising:

Integrity

We ensure fairness, accuracy, validity, and reliability in developing and administering the CFRE certification program.

Service

We engage in continuous organizational review and improvement to deliver programs that exceed expectations.

Diversity

We embrace varied strengths, skills, and perspectives that contribute to the development of the certification program and our certificants.

Accountability

We create a quality, sustainable organization that operates honestly and transparently, and prudently uses financial and volunteer resources.

Impartiality

We adhere to an objective, fair, and consistently applied process for collecting and evaluating information for decision-making.

Strategic Plan & Priorities

In September 2022, CFRE International convened a Strategic Planning Committee comprising board members, staff, and representatives from partner organizations to develop a 2023-2027 Strategic Plan. The Board‑approved plan advances the global professionalism of fundraising and guides CFRE International's programs.

While CFRE International has advanced significantly over the past several years, we continue our efforts to enhance professionalism within the fundraising sector through several strategic priorities:

Strengthen Global Recognition

Build recognition of CFRE as the international standard for certification of fundraising.

Enhance Learning Resources

Increase the availability of reliable and valid CFRE Exam preparation materials and practitioner literature.

Optimize Organizational Excellence

Ensure CFRE International's governance, management, and infrastructure support ongoing excellence.

Support Strategic Pathways

Develop and promote a CFRE career pathway for individual professional development.

Accreditation

In 2017, the ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) accredited the CFRE certification program under the ANSI/ISO/IEC 17024 standard for certification of personnel, making the CFRE credential the world’s only internationally recognized, accredited certification for philanthropic fundraising professionals.

ANAB accreditation is the hallmark of a rigorous, high-quality certification program. ANAB accreditation confers independent, widely respected national and international validation of both the CFRE certification program and the credential.

Research shows that accredited certification programs are consistently preferred by employers because they drive quality and improve results. Accreditation by ANAB also means that the CFRE credential’s global significance is recognized by other worldwide accrediting bodies with which ANAB has established multilateral recognition agreements.

Our History

  1. 1981-1996

    Separate certification programs available: AHP offered CAHP, and AFP/NSFRE offered CFRE.

  2. 1997

    Programs merged to form the CFRE Professional Certification Board.

  3. 2001

    CFRE International established as an independent nonprofit.

  4. 2017

    ANAB accredited the CFRE certification program under ANSI/ISO/IEC 17024.

  5. Today

    8,200+ certificants across 30+ countries and territories.

Become a CFRE

Explore the initial certification and recertification pathways.


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