29 Apr Certifications for the Grant Professional By: Kellie Brungard, GPC
If you were to ask grant professionals how they arrived at their current position/role, most would laugh and relate a roundabout journey. Grant Professional is not at the top of the list of jobs to which children, youth, and teens aspire. Many of us find ourselves working as grant professionals by way of degrees in journalism, education, social work, and even the STEM fields. Through our various career paths in nonprofit organizations, educational institutions, and social service agencies, grant professionals develop unique skills and have various areas of expertise and specialization that support our grantsmanship work. As a result, there are many professional certifications that benefit the grants profession. Certifications help uplift the profession by establishing a level of knowledge and ethical practices and acknowledging experience and expertise within an industry. Below is an overview of professional credentials related to the grants profession and the requirements for obtaining them.
Certified Grants Management Specialist (CGMS)
There are just over 300 CGMS professionals at the end of 2023; only five have also received their GPC, including two AGS staff. The application phase is often the focus of our work as grant professionals. However, a keen understanding of the post-award phase and how to navigate common challenges can be instrumental in supporting organizations. The CGMS covers the lifecycle of federal grants, strongly emphasizing federal post-award management practices.
The National Grants Management Association developed the CGMS certification program to elevate professional standards, enhance individual performance, and designate professionals who demonstrate the knowledge essential to the practice of grants management. To be eligible, candidates must have a bachelor’s degree and at least three years of full-time grants management experience in the last ten years or no college degree and five years of full-time grants management experience. Eligible applicants must pass a certification exam. A CGMS credential is valid for three years and requires 60 continuing professional education (CPE) credits within three years for renewal.
Project Management Professional (PMP)
Project management is another key skill for navigating multiple deadlines, facilitating teams in program design, and preparing collaborative proposals. There are 1.4 million PMP certification holders worldwide through the Professional Management Institute; only a few also hold their GPC, including one AGS team member.
The PMP acknowledges professionals skilled at managing people, processes, and business priorities of professional projects. The PMP was created to recognize project managers with proven project leadership experience and expertise in a variety of work environments. PMP candidates need a bachelor’s degree, 36 months of experience leading projects in the last eight years, or a high school degree with 60 months of experience leading projects in the last eight years. Both pathways require 35 hours of project management education/training or a certified associate in project management (CAPM) designation. Following eligibility determination, candidates must pass a certification exam. Maintaining a PMP requires 60 professional development units of time spent learning, teaching others, and volunteering.
Grant Professional Certified (GPC)
Likely the most familiar certification in the grant professional industry, the grant professional certification developed by the Grant Professional Certification Institute (GPCI) is based on rigorous standards and ongoing research to meet real-world demands of grant professionals. GPC-credentialed professionals demonstrate excellence in the grants profession and, on average, report higher earnings than those without the credentials. There are 474 GPCs worldwide; including 19 AGS employees (and counting!)
GPC candidates have two pathways and must qualify for 120 of 170 possible points. Pathway 1 point categories include a high school degree, associate’s degree, completion of a technical training course, or honorably completed military training; a minimum of five years of grant experience in the last seven years; a minimum of five successful grant proposals in the last seven years; three signed letters of reference; up to 50 hours of grant-related continuing education activities in the last two years; and up to 50 hours of community-based volunteer services in the last three years. Pathway 2 point categories include a bachelor’s degree or higher; a minimum of three years of grant experience in the last five years; a minimum of five successful grant proposals in the last seven years; three signed letters of reference; up to 40 hours of grant-related continuing education activities in the last two years; and up to 20 hours of community-based volunteer services in the last three years. Following eligibility determination, candidates must pass a certification exam. Maintaining a GPC requires a minimum of 105 points of profession-related activities in two or more professional development categories, including education, grant employment, grant professional performance, professional service, and independent projects.
Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE)
The CFRE equips professionals with a solid foundation of what today’s fundraising professionals need to succeed. The process ensures a full understanding of six key fundraising areas: current and prospective donor research, securing the gift, relationship building, volunteer involvement, leadership and management, and ethics, accountability, and professionalism. CFRE International’s 2022 annual report noted more than 7,700 credentialed members worldwide; this includes two AGS employees.
CFRE candidates must accumulate points in three categories: education (80 points through continuing education, authoring, academic degrees, and service-learning), professional practice (36 points through employment or consulting), and professional performance (55 points through funds raised, communications projects, and management projects). Following eligibility determination, candidates must pass a certification exam. CFRE recertification requires the accumulation of points in education, professional practice, and professional performance every three years.
No matter your certification aspirations related to the grants profession, AGS has live and on-demand training to support preparation and continuing education requirements. Training topics include federal grant development, ethics, organizational development, evaluation, and grant writing, with more in development each month. Browse available topics, and sign up to receive information about upcoming trainings here.
This blog post is aligned with the Grant Professional Certification Institute’s Competencies and Skills.
Competency #7: Knowledge of practices and services that raise the level of professionalism of grant developers
Skill 7.2: Identify advantages of participating in professional organizations that offer grant developers growth opportunities and advance the profession