What Professional Development, Credentials, and Certifications Does AFP Offer?

Updated

AFP (the Association of Fundraising Professionals) offers a layered professional development system: conferences and immersive events, core training programs, short-form learning, and three credentials — ACFRE, CFRE, and CNP. The right entry point depends on your career stage and how much time you can commit. AFP ICON and AFP LEAD are the flagship events; the ACFRE is the advanced, executive-level credential; CFRE and CNP are the broader certification paths. AFP also runs a career center and a mentorship program for members building toward these credentials.

Conferences and Events

AFP's event lineup spans large annual gatherings and smaller intensive formats:

  • AFP ICON — AFP's flagship conference, listed under both the main navigation and the "Explore AFP" menu.
  • AFP LEAD — a separate leadership-focused event.
  • Immersive Programs and Deep Dives — longer, concentrated formats listed alongside ICON and LEAD under Professional Development.
  • National Philanthropy Day — AFP's sector-wide recognition event, listed in the Explore AFP menu.

One concrete example from the site: a two-day virtual intensive on aligning your board and staff for fundraising success, co-presented by AFP Global and the University of Maryland, scheduled for Sept. 28–29. That format — short, virtual, topic-specific — is representative of the "immersive" tier rather than the multi-day ICON experience.

Core Training and Short-Form Learning

Under Professional Development, AFP groups its ongoing learning into several tracks:

Category What it includes
Core Training Programs Foundational fundraising instruction
Donor-Advised Fund Essentials A topic-specific program
Board Leadership and Fundraising Course Training aimed at board-level fundraising roles
Hosting & Licensing Programs AFP makes available for others to host
Short-Form Learning Webinars & Recordings, Micro-Learning Videos, E-Courses, Members-Only Webinars

The short-form tier is the lowest-commitment option: recorded webinars and micro-learning videos for quick, on-demand learning, and e-courses for structured self-paced study. Note that one webinar category is explicitly members-only, so some short-form content sits behind membership.

Credentials and Degrees

AFP lists three credentials under "Credentials & Degrees":

  • ACFRE (Advanced Certified Fundraising Executives) — positioned as the advanced credential, aimed at senior fundraising executives. AFP describes it as "Advanced Certified Fundraising Executives" in its Explore menu.
  • CFRE — the Certified Fundraising Executive credential.
  • CNP — the Certified Nonprofit Professional credential.

These sit in the same navigation section as "Career Support," which also includes the AFP360° Career Building Tool, a mentorship program, and open positions at AFP itself. If your goal is a credential, the practical sequence is: confirm which credential matches your experience level, then use AFP's training programs and mentorship to build the required background.

How to Choose a Path by Career Stage

  • Exploring the field or new to fundraising — start with short-form learning (webinars, micro-learning videos, e-courses) and a core training program. Lowest cost in time, and it tells you whether the field fits.
  • Working fundraiser building credentials — combine a core training program or topic-specific course (for example, Donor-Advised Fund Essentials) with a conference like AFP ICON for breadth, and look at CFRE or CNP as the certification target.
  • Senior or executive-level — AFP LEAD and immersive programs fit leadership development, and ACFRE is the credential tier AFP positions as advanced.
  • Board members or staff supporting boards — the Board Leadership and Fundraising Course targets this role directly.

Practical Notes Before You Commit

  • Membership affects access. At least one webinar category is members-only, and AFP maintains separate Membership Levels & Options and Membership Benefits pages. Check those before assuming a program is open to you.
  • Pricing is not stated on the pages reviewed. AFP's site shows a pricing link only in the career center context ("Post A Job" at careers.afpglobal.org/employer/pricing/). Program fees, membership dues, and credential costs are not listed in the material reviewed here, so confirm current pricing directly with AFP.
  • Regional variants exist. AFP operates afpglobal.org alongside AFP Canada, AFP Canada – Français, and AFP México y Puerto Rico, plus local chapters. If you are outside the US, check whether your region has its own programming and pricing.
  • Chapters are a local entry point. "Find a Chapter" appears in both the main and universal navigation; chapter-level events are often cheaper and closer than national conferences.

To verify current schedules, eligibility requirements, and fees for any of these programs, use AFP's Professional Development and Credentials & Degrees sections directly, or contact AFP through the chapter nearest you.