Certified Nonprofit Consultant – Are You Competing for Nonprofit Clients?

Certified Nonprofit Consultant – Are You Competing for Nonprofit Clients? is a review by America’s Fundraiser, Linda Lysakowski, ACFRE, CNC, of NANOE’s Certified Nonprofit Consultant credential. Linda has a rich history of raising millions for charitable organizations as nonprofit consultant.

When I started my business more than thirty years ago, I wondered how I could compete with the big firms, who had sales people, marketing departments, and were literally the guys who “came from at least fifty miles and carried a briefcase,” which is how people tended to describe consultants. And what did I have to offer? My background was eleven years in banking and just five years in the nonprofit world. So, what qualified me to be a consultant, Was I crazy to go up against the “big guys?

Well, it just happened that five years was the minimum time needed to be in the profession to become a CFRE (Certified Fund Raising Executive). So, I immediately applied to sit for the exam and became a CFRE. Anytime I was called for an interview I stressed the fact that I was a CFRE, and explained what the process was like and that the initials CFRE meant that I passed a written exam and adhered to a code of ethics. Many clients were impressed with that because they did know nonprofit world had a credentialing program.

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After I had been in the field ten years, I went through the even more rigorous process and became an ACFRE (Advanced Certified Fund Raising Executive). Being among, at that time, only fifty-five people worldwide to hold this designation gave me even more prestige when I talked to potential clients. Today there are about a hundred-twenty ACFRE’s worldwide, so it is still considered quite an achievement.

Certified Nonprofit Consultant – Are You Competing for Nonprofit Clients?

Now you would think I would be satisfied because of my personal achievement. But no, not me! This year, at the age f 81, I received my MTS-FT, master’s in theological studies, with a specialty in Franciscan Theology, and got some more important nonprofit credentials to add to the alphabet soup on my business card—CNC, CNE, and CDE.

When I became affiliated with Jimmy LaRose, I discovered a whole new set of credentialing and became excited about this program, so I now hold all three of these credentials as well as my ACFRE. So, is it time for you to get credentialled? You don’t have to get all three but even one of these will give you more viability in the marketplace when job searching and may even get you a better salary.  So, which one is for you?

VISIT HERE TO LEARN EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CERTIFIED NONPROFIT CONSULANT (CNC)

The CNC, Certified Nonprofit Consultant, will mean a lot if you are competing against larger firms for nonprofit clients. During the course of this exam, which is all online, you will answer questions about how to handle situations that come up

when dealing with clients, and how to ethically and professionally work with clients. After receiving this designation, be sure to add it to your business cards and all your marketing material, especially your website. Today there are a lot of people who call themselves consultants, but don’t really have the experience or ability to be of service to their clients. Often, they just “hang out their shingle” when th

ey are between jobs. Or perhaps they left a job in the for-profit sector and say to themselves, “I was on the board of a nonprofit (or I was a volunteer) so I can easily consultant for nonprofits.” They of course have never worked for a nonprofit and don’t really understand the challenges of running a nonprofit. You want to show potential clients that you take your work seriously and are committed to serving clients in the most ethical and professional manner possible. So, I suggest you look into this if you are a nonprofit consultant or planning to get into consulting.

The CNE, Certified Nonprofit Executive, is for all you nonprofit CEOs, or Executive Directors (the more outdated version of CEO). Again, this credential gives you a leg up on the competition if you are job searching. It shows your bosses (your board) that you are serious about your work and are qualified to handle the CEO position. It is the only certification for nonprofit CEOs that I am aware of. So, if you’re interviewing for a position, or perhaps it’s time for your annual review, having these credentials will definitely benefit you. And when you are visiting major donors and hand them your card, they will undoubtedly ask what the initials CNE mean, so here is your chance to show them that you are on a level with the CEOs of the companies you are talking to and will show individual donors that you are a capable CEO.

The CDE, Certified Development Executive is for you fundraisers out there. You want to show donors that you are an accredited professional. Often people think that fundraising is something anyone can do and that it is either someone who sits behind their desk writing grants all day, or someone who plans and manages special events. The average person has no idea what a real development professional does, so this gives you a chance to explain what your work is really about and that you have met the criteria to carry those initials proudly.

VISIT HERE TO LEARN EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT CERTIFIED NONPROFIT CONSULANT (CNC)

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