CFRE flashcards

32 cards. Read the term and the definition here. The deck at the top of this page is optional.

Capacity, affinity, readiness

Three-part prospect qualification screen: capacity estimates gift size, affinity measures connection to the mission, and readiness gauges timing and willingness to give now.

Linkage, ability, interest

Volunteer-based screening triad in which linkage identifies who knows the prospect, ability estimates financial capacity, and interest reflects demonstrated commitment to the mission.

Wealth screening

Vendor process that appends estimated asset, real estate, and stock-holding data to donor records; results are predictive estimates that must be verified before solicitation planning.

Prospect clearance

Internal process confirming that no other solicitor is already assigned to a prospect, preventing duplicate asks and protecting donor relationships across annual, major, and planned giving programs.

Predictive modeling

Statistical scoring of donors by likelihood to give, upgrade, or lapse, typically built from recency, frequency, monetary value, and engagement data from the organization's own records.

Gift range chart

Campaign planning tool listing the number of gifts required at each level; the pattern commonly shows the top ten gifts providing about 60 percent of goal.

Charitable remainder trust

Irrevocable split-interest gift that pays income to the donor or other beneficiaries for life or a term of years, with the remaining principal passing to charity.

Charitable lead trust

Split-interest trust that pays income to the charity for a set term, after which the remaining assets return to the donor's heirs or to the donor.

IRA charitable distribution

Rule allowing IRA owners aged 70½ or older to transfer funds directly from an IRA to a qualified charity, excluded from gross income, up to an annually indexed limit.

Blended gift

A single solicitation that combines an outright current gift with a documented deferred commitment such as a bequest, retirement plan beneficiary designation, or gift annuity.

Annual fund ask ratio

Common heuristic for setting renewal ask amounts: solicit 1.5 to 3 times the donor's prior-year gift, or the next tier of the giving society.

Donor retention rate

Percentage of prior-year donors who give again this year; calculated as repeat donors divided by prior-year donors, multiplied by 100.

Moves management

Structured process of planning and recording sequential contacts that move a prospect toward a solicitation and then into ongoing stewardship.

Contact report

Written record of a donor interaction capturing date, participants, purpose, key information learned, outcome, and the next planned step with that donor.

Donor lifecycle

Sequence of identification, qualification, cultivation, solicitation, and stewardship through which a donor progresses, with stewardship feeding back into cultivation.

Stewardship

Post-gift communication and engagement that demonstrates impact, thanks the donor, and builds the relationship that supports future giving.

Average gift

Total dollars raised divided by the number of gifts received in the same period; tracked over time to detect upgrade and downgrade trends.

Board give-or-get

Policy requiring each board member to personally give and/or raise a minimum amount annually; full board participation strengthens external solicitations.

Volunteer position description

Written role summary stating duties, time commitment, reporting relationship, and expected outcomes, used to recruit, train, and evaluate volunteers.

Solicitation team pairing

Model in which a trained volunteer makes the ask while a staff member handles preparation, logistics, follow-up, and documentation of the outcome.

Volunteer lifecycle

Recruit, orient, train, engage, recognize, evaluate, and renew; each stage requires explicit staff ownership and scheduled follow-up.

Committee charge

Written statement of a committee's purpose, authority, membership, and deliverables, reviewed annually by the board to keep work aligned with strategy.

Cost to raise a dollar

Total fundraising expense divided by total dollars raised; lower values indicate greater efficiency but must be read alongside program context and investment stage.

Return on fundraising investment

Net fundraising revenue, calculated as dollars raised minus fundraising costs, divided by fundraising costs and expressed as a ratio or percentage.

Fiduciary duties

Board obligations of care (diligence), loyalty (putting the organization's interest first), and obedience (following mission and law).

SMART goals

Goal-setting standard requiring objectives to be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound so progress can be reviewed objectively.

SWOT analysis

Planning tool that maps internal strengths and weaknesses against external opportunities and threats to inform strategy and resource allocation.

Donor Bill of Rights

Sector statement of donor entitlements including being informed, knowing how gifts are used, privacy, and expecting professional, truthful solicitation.

Written acknowledgment threshold

IRS rule requiring a written acknowledgment for any single contribution of $250 or more before the donor may claim the charitable deduction.

Quid pro quo disclosure

When a payment over $75 includes goods or services, the organization must state the fair market value received and the deductible remainder.

Gift acceptance policy

Board-approved rules defining which gifts the organization will accept, how unusual assets are reviewed, and when a gift may be declined.

Conflict of interest

Situation where a board or staff member's personal interest could influence organizational judgment; it is disclosed in writing and the interested party recuses from the decision.