AHP Connect Articles

AHP Member Tanya Sloan: Knowing When the Time is Right to Pursue the CFRE Credential & Tips for a Smooth Experience

Fundraising professionals frequently face mounting pressures that put their skills to the test. Whether it’s navigating the recent drop in donations, filling the big shoes of retiring colleagues, or needing to meet ever-higher targets, fundraising requires a potent mixture of know-how and experience. A number of professionals choose to solidify their knowledge by earning the globally-recognized, accredited Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) credential.

AHP member Tanya Sloan took the next step in her career by earning the CFRE designation in June 2023. Tanya knew becoming a CFRE would tangibly signal her commitment to confidence, ethics, and professionalism in all aspects of her fundraising work.

Here, Tanya, who is Managing Senior Director of Development at the Oregon Health & Science University Foundation, shares her CFRE journey and gives actionable advice to anyone considering pursuing the credential.

What was the moment when you decided to pursue your CFRE credential and how long had you been in fundraising at the time?

I started my career in alumni relations and reunion giving. I moved fully to the development/fundraising side in 2014. I decided to pursue my CFRE credential as an additional way to signal proficiency in all aspects of fundraising, complementary to my experience in the field.

What were the reasons that made you think the time was right to start?

Ultimately, the timing had to do with me moving up in my career and knowing CFRE is a respected credential, and having the privilege to allocate a portion of my professional development budget towards the exam fee.

I joined AHP in 2022 and the 20% discount members get on the CFRE application fee was a motivating factor as well.

At any point during your CFRE journey did you seek advice from a CFRE? If so, what words of wisdom did they offer?

I did not seek advice directly, but I joined the CFRE Central online forum. It gave me good perspectives on how people were preparing and what they found useful.

How did your AHP membership support you in your CFRE journey?

AHP members receive a substantial discount on the CFRE application fee. Plus, AHP gives members access to excellent learning materials.

I felt well-prepared to take the test without doing anything more than using the practice tests to gauge whether I would pass and with what percentage.

Did you speak to your boss about supporting your CFRE journey? If so, how did you approach the conversation?

I shared with my boss that I was going to take the CFRE Exam. He was very supportive of me taking the time to do that and gain the credential.

When did you begin your application and how long did it take to complete?

It didn’t take long, maybe an hour? I had a fairly good record of recent activity for the Education section. I then tracked back through my calendar for conferences and other professional learning.

I am fortunate to have worked for organizations that supported professional development with annual conferences and virtual learning.

The part of the application that usually takes people the longest is the Education section. How did you approach earning the needed Education points?

I attend conferences annually, sometimes twice a year. I attend dozens of webinars through respected vendors like AHP, Veritus, AFP, CASE, and others.

It wasn’t difficult for me to come up with the necessary points; I love learning and staying on top of fundraising trends and best practices.

Can you describe how you approached studying?

I took the CFRE Practice Exam—both the full one and each section individually. That was helpful. I spent time learning from questions I missed.

Then I took the test. I did not participate in a study group and didn’t use specific materials, but I can see how they would be helpful.

Did you feel anxious at all about taking the exam? If so, how did you go about managing your anxiety?

I didn’t feel anxious beyond the fact I was not allowed to take a break except the one between the first and second set of 100 questions.

Overall, I felt ready. I had a strategy to flag questions I wasn’t fully confident on, then come back to them after answering the full batch.

That helped me answer the bulk of the questions and gave me the opportunity to spend more time on the ones I wanted to read more thoroughly.

Can you describe your experience on exam day and how you felt as you sat down to take the exam?

Ready and eager to get it done! I very carefully selected the location where I would take my test since I chose the online proctored option.

The proctors were very thorough and had me rearrange the room slightly. I tested my laptop in the space before exam day. I also signed on a little early on exam day to make sure everything worked.

I found the four hours provided to take the exam were generous. I was done before I expected to be.

Once you passed, who was the first person you told?

I honestly don’t really remember, but I told everybody who I had told I was taking the test so they knew the result. It felt great to have the result right after the test; waiting would have been so hard!

There are a number of people who complete the CFRE application requirements but hesitate to hit the “Submit” button. For anyone in that position, what words of encouragement would you offer?

For anyone in this situation, take the Practice Exam. The questions are a faithful representation of how questions on the test are worded and it gives you a sense of the exam environment. I found it was a reliable way to gauge my readiness.

Thank you for sharing your CFRE experience and congratulations on becoming certified this year!