Certification FAQ’s

1. What is the relationship between GPA and GPCI? Answer: Since its inception, Grant Professionals Association (GPA) has been dedicated to establishing a valid credentialing process for grant professionals. To this end, and in keeping within the ideal parameters for psychometric testing, GPA created GPCI, an independent body to oversee its credentialing initiative. While GPCI is considered an affiliate of GPA and shares GPA’s vision and mission, it is governed by its own board and maintains its own 501(c)3. Find more information about GPA here.

2. Who is the GPC meant to serve?
The GPC is designed to serve individuals who possess broad based knowledge and real world experience in the field of grantsmanship. An individual who comes forward to sit for the GPC will have a strong ethical base, commitment to the constituents we serve and competence in the fundamentals of grantsmanship. The GPC will also come to serve all stakeholders in the grants field. It will provide widely recognized affirmation of the GPC practitioner as a person of integrity whose broad interest is in building social capital. As the GPC becomes a well-recognized, respected element of the grants sector, it will help stakeholders make the important distinction between the ethical grants professional and those who seek personal profit by capitalizing on the needs of others.

3. How will others know that I have achieved certification?
An acronym indicating a professional credential is customarily included after one’s name in formal correspondence, such as in a letter or business card. The acronym for the grant professional is GPC. GPCI will maintain a directory of certified grant professionals.

4. I am so confused over the number of entities that say they offer certifications. Is there any legitimate grants profession certification available today?
Answer: Often, people mistake a certificate of completion with a professional certification. A certificate of completion states that an individual has completed a course and achieved a certain level of success in understanding the principles taught in the course. A professional certification or credential is an objective measure of the level of experience and expertise in the profession as defined by the profession as a whole. Unfortunately, many of our colleagues in the field are not aware of this distinction. Within the realm of testing and credentialing, a professional credential must be developed following rigorous psychometric protocols. These protocols dictate that an educational program, as well as other educational bodies, cannot issue a professional credential upon completion of coursework. See Certification vs. Certificate for more information regarding this critical difference.

5. What is the difference between GPC Certification and CFRE Certification?
The different between the CFRE and GPC credentials mirrors the difference between the organizations from which these certification initiatives sprang. Like the Association of Fundraising Professions (AFP), the CFRE serves professionals concerned with the general field of fundraising. Whereas, like the Grant Professionals Association (GPA), the GPC serves professionals who specialize in grants.

6. When will the GPC examination be offered?
The GPC examination will be offered at least annually, in conjunction with the annual GPA national conference. The exam may also be offered in other areas during the year. Watch the home page for announcement of future examinations.

7. Can you tell me more about the scope of the examination?
We recognize that tasks in the grants profession are varied, and our job duties are often diverse. We represent, for example, education, health care, the nonprofit sector and research. Some of us are grant developers, others managers. We are educators and trainers. The GPCI examination identifies our commonalities, and as such is best described as a “generalist exam.” It measures an individual’s ability to demonstrate knowledge and apply the profession’s core competencies and skill sets – ethics, proposal planning, resource knowledge and research, grant construction, professional development and grant management, among others. In the future, specialty strands may be offered once this part of the credentialing process is firmly grounded.

As one grants professional said, “Grant professionals, who often work under incredible pressures from timelines, deadlines, accidents of nature and the almighty, and people (funders, fundees, employers, the clueless, etc.), can probably bear taking a test on material that they have been practicing for years, especially a test developed by their peers.”

8. How often will the test be offered?
The GPC examination will be offered at least annually, in conjunction with the annual GPA national conference. The exam may also be offered in other areas during the year. Watch the home page for announcement of future examinations.

9. Are there different versions of the GPC examination?
There are multiple versions of the examination.

10. Are there study guides, preparatory classes or other test preparation aids available?
A Candidate Information Guide will be available for those of us with test anxiety. This guide contains a list of the skills tested and at least one sample question for each skill, plus correct answers. The guide will also offer practical advice for test taking. However, this short booklet will NOT enable the unqualified person to pass the test. Instead, it should reassure those who are well qualified. No single course or study will make you competent to pass the examination. However, GPCI does offer a Literature Review that includes recommended readings. This bibliography is a non-exhaustive list of publications most often cited by the examination’s item writers and other experts in the field.

11. Is certification mandatory for GPA membership?
No. Certification is a voluntary process and is not a requirement for GPA membership.

12. Must I be a member of GPA in order to be eligible for the GPC certification process?
No, however, GPA members do receive a reduced examination fee as a benefit of GPA membership.

13. What will it cost to register to take the GPC examination?
You can find the current fees here.

14. What will I receive when my certification is made official?
As a successful candidate, you will receive permission to use the designation “Grant Professional Certified™” or “GPC” to represent your professional credentials. You will also receive a certificate suitable for framing and a wallet-sized card.

15. May I take the test again if I do not pass it the first time?
Currently, there is no waiting period for taking the examination again, however, you must reserve a seat. The maximum length of time that an application will be valid has not yet been announced by GPCI. More details will be announced on this web site.

16. Is there a grievance procedure in place for me to challenge the credentialing process?
A grievance procedure for challenging the process is under development. Details will be provided on this site at a later date.

17. May I file a complaint against a GPC credentialed individual for failing to uphold professional standards?
An individual may lodge a grievance against a GPCI certified individual who is believed to have engaged in professional behavior that is clearly in direct conflict with the standards set by GPCI and the profession. Find more details about the procedures on this web site, as they are announced.

18. Are Continuing Education Units (CEUs) required to maintain my certification and, if so, how does it work?
Yes, a Grant Professional Certified individual must continue to demonstrate competence and continued learning throughout his or her career. GPCI has adopted a Certification Maintenance Program (CMP), which will require demonstration of participation in a minimum number of professional development activities, including but not limited to attendance at GPCI CMP approved workshops, conferences and trainings, completion of independent studies, mentorships as a mentor or mentee, and continued work in the field, and more. A nominal fee will be charged to each GPC participating in the CMP program.

Individuals, who seek to maintain their certification but elect not to participate in the CMP program, will be required to retake the CPCI test after a certain number of years and pay the full application fee. The number of years will be announced on this web site.

19. Will GPCI maintain a clearinghouse (or official list) of GPCI credentialed grant professionals?
Yes, GPCI will maintain a registry of grant professionals in good standing, here.

20. Will GPCI make accommodations at the testing site for disabilities?
The examination will be administered in two sessions — up to four hours with up to two breaks for the multiple choice portion and up to 90 minutes for a writing exercise. Answers to questions on the multiple choice test will be recorded by filling in “bubbles” on an answer sheet. The writing exercise will require us of a computer. GPCI will make accommodations for disabilities, as needed, for any portion of the exam and will handle each request on an individual basis. Please communicate your needs well in advance to testadmin@grantcredential.org. 21. How long is the examination?
Answer: The examination is administered in two parts — a multiple choice test and a writing exercise. Candidates will have four hours to complete the multiple choice test and 90 minutes to complete the writing exercise. Up to two break times will be allowed during the multiple choice session, but any breaks are counted as a part of the maximum four-hour session.

22. Does GPCI have plans to offer an online examination?
We are going to an electronic exam in 2012 and while we develop this, we want to track the names of folks interested in news about our new exam. We have set up a quick survey that will let you leave your names and email addresses. This will allow us to send you periodic emails about how we are proceeding and, more importantly, let you know when we are open for business.

Please fill out the survey which will gather your name and email address so we can keep in contact with you. http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ElectronicExams

23. Must I have a college degree to qualify to take the GPC examination?
Answer: To be eligible to take the examination, the GPC candidate must qualify for 120 out of 170 possible points through four categories – education (up to 40 points); experience (up to 70 points); professional development (up to 40 points); and community involvement (up to 20 points). This point scale was developed for (at least) three reasons. GPCI does not want to exclude grant developers simply because they did not have a college degree. Many learned by doing.
The Institute wants those with GPC behind their name to be well-rounded professionals.

The eligibility criteria helps the candidate know if his/her experience and background makes them a viable candidate to pass the examination. This point system will not guarantee success, but the GPCI Board believes a professional with these qualities should be able to pass the exam.

With that said a candidate who earns adequate points based on experience, professional development and community involvement can score 130 points, 10 more than the 120 points required to sit for the exam. Therefore, a candidate without a degree can, indeed, qualify.

For more information about grant credentialing, please email Credential@grantcredential.org