Working to assure the applicability and relevance of the
CFRE examination for fundraising professionals, several groups of CFRE
certificants volunteered to be trained as Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) over
the past few months. These newest
members of our Subject Matter Expert Corps gained insight into how the content
for the CFRE exam is determined and how to write test questions. Volunteers included:
Eva
Aldrich, CFRE (The Fund Raising School, Indianapolis, IN)
Paul Amundsen, CFRE (Paul W. Amundsen, Inc., Zion,
IL)
George Ann
Bissett, CFRE (The
Dunedin Fine Art Center, Dunedin, FL)
Bruce Bonnicksen,
CFRE (Mayo Health and Mayo Clinic,
Rochester, MN)
Sean Carter, CFRE (Alley Theatre, Houston, TX)
Sandra
Dolese, CFRE (First
Place, Seattle, WA)
Marianne Downey, CFRE (University of Illinois,
Champaign, IL)
Brian Duclos, CFRE (Calgary Zoo, Calgary, AB)
Melanie Frazier, CFRE
(Winnetka Community House, Winnetka, IL)
Sarah Fry, CFRE
(California State University, Chico, Chico, CA)
Larry Gilhousen, CFRE
(Boys & Girls Clubs of America, Inc, Saint Petersburg, FL)
Sharon
Gleason, CFRE (Girl Scout Council of the Nation’s Capital,
Washington, DC)
Eric Green, CFRE (MacMurray College, Jacksonville, IL)
LaDonna Greiner, CFRE (World Vision, Suwanee, GA)
Jim Hahn, CFRE (Waukesha County Museum, Waukesha, WI)
Janis Hamilton,
CFRE (Vancouver, BC)
Beverly Harrington,
CFRE (Culpeper Regional
Hospital, Culpeper, VA)
Karlene Jennings, CFRE (The College of William and
Mary, Williamsburg, VA)
Alan Johnson, CFRE (Coastal Behavioral Health Care, Anna Maria, FL)
Lewis Jones, CFRE (Combined Community Services, Warsaw, IN)
May Low, CFRE (Heart & Stroke Foundation of BC
& Yukon, Vancouver, BC)
Malcolm Puckett, CFRE (Church Advancement, LLC,
Chesapeake, VA)
Christine Radtke, CFRE (Governors State University, University Park)
Dianne Reeves, CFRE (Florida Atlantic University,
Jupiter, FL)
Carolyn Saxton, CFRE (Lubeznik Center for the Arts, Michigan City, IN)
Sherry Stein, CFRE (The Fraser Institute, Vancouver,
BC)
Susan Sylvester, CFRE
(Samuel Merritt College, Oakland, CA)
Eric Thompson, CFRE (Purdue University Calumet, Chesterton, IN)
Lisa Westermark, CFRE
(Richmond Hospital Foundation, Richmond, BC)
Tamara Wojdylo, CFRE (Vancouver, BC)
Donald Zeilstra, CFRE (The Nature Conservancy in Michigan, Lansing, MI)
The group, who will serve for at least two (2) years, spent
two days learning how certification all exams are developed, what the process
is for the CFRE exam, and being trained to write test questions. Following the training time, the group
rolled up their sleeves and began drafting items for potential future inclusion
on a CFRE exam.
One member commented that, “Beyond gaining an appreciation
for the test, the experience has added more value to the credential with my
expanded understanding behind the certification and recertification
process. Wow!” All test questions must be linked to a
specific area of the Test Content Outline to make sure that it is testing
knowledge or skills essential to fundraising competency. In addition, the correct answer to each
question must be supported by a specific reference in commonly accepted
professional texts that are found on the CFRE Resource Reading List.
“Test development for the CFRE exam is a dynamic and
on-going process that strives to reflect best practices in the profession.”
commented one participant. “I was
surprised – and impressed – by the amount of methodology behind the process”
Inclusion in a diverse group of fundraisers engaged in the
daily work of the profession brings credibility to the exam and the
certification process. Not only are
Subject Matter Experts contributing to the country-specific questions for the
exam, but to the item bank as a whole.
Questions written by a Canadian fundraiser could end up on an exam for
professionals in New Zealand and vice versa.
The ability to contribute to a global body of knowledge makes the CFRE
especially valuable as an international standard.
