CDFA - Training Institute: Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) Program

Certification Benefits | Graduation Requirements | Up-Front Pricing | Printable Brochure | Getting Started

CDFA’s Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) Program is an intense training course learning experience and is the industry's only comprehensive development finance professional certification program. The DFCP Program is designed to produce graduates with a comprehensive knowledge of development finance concepts, tools and applicability as well as a deep understanding of the entire development finance spectrum. Graduates of the DFCP Program will gain valuable knowledge and experience within the complex development finance industry and achieve a level of understanding unmatched by any other professional certification program.

Graduates of the DFCP Program will be recognized as the most qualified leaders in the development finance industry and will provide graduates better access to professional and personal achievement throughout their career. Your path to a becoming a Development Finance Certified Professional begins with just a few quick steps. Learn more and jumpstart your career today.

Certification Benefits

Graduates of CDFA’s Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) Program will gain valuable knowledge and experience within the complex development finance industry and achieve a level of understanding unmatched by any other professional certification program. Graduates of the DFCP Program will be recognized as the most qualified leaders in the development finance industry and will provide graduates better access to professional and personal achievement throughout their career.

Upon the completion of program requirements, DFCP Program graduates will be recognized formally at the CDFA Annual Development Finance Summit. In addition, graduates will be given the professional designation of “Development Finance Certified Professional” and will be permitted to place the designation of DFCP after their name. Graduates may also use the term “graduate of the CDFA Training Institute’s Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) Program” on their resume and professional biography.

Graduates will be given a diploma plaque detailing their accomplishment and will be recognized by CDFA nationally through a press release and online at www.cdfa.net.

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Graduation Requirements

CDFA’s Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) Program is designed to be rigorous but also efficient and achievable. The objective of the program is to produce qualified graduates who meet the requirements of the DFCP Program. It is in the best interest of CDFA and participants that this program be managed in a manner that maintains a high level of integrity while providing a clear path towards graduation. Participants must attend a variety of CDFA Training Institute courses and complete a comprehensive exam once course requirements have been met. CDFA’s flexible training schedule allows for participants to graduate in as little as two years. However, CDFA expects most participants to complete the program over a three-year period.

To be considered for graduation from the DFCP Program, individuals must attend a total of six CDFA Training Institute courses and complete a single comprehensive exam. Course attendance must meet the following requirements:

1. Attend CDFA’s Fundamentals of Economic Development Finance Course
2. Attend five additional CDFA Training Institute courses, two of which must be advanced

Participants with over 10 years experience may opt out of the Fundamentals of Economic Development Finance Course but must attend an additional course to meet the six course requirement.

To learn more about all of the CDFA Training Institute course offerings view the course catalog.

In order to graduate, participants must complete a comprehensive final exam via an online testing service. The final exam will be offered periodically throughout the year and will cover the core competencies of development finance. Detailed information concerning the exam is available through CDFA.

There are no formal annual maintenance requirements for the DFCP Program. However, CDFA will be developing programming and advanced leadership learning opportunities for graduates of the program. CDFA will work vigorously to keep graduates engaged in the learning process and will develop the next generation of course instructors from the graduate pool.

Participants who have already completed CDFA Training Institute courses will be given credit for those courses and will have the opportunity to complete the remaining requirements to graduate.

Up-Front Pricing

CDFA’s Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) Program provides a learning experience unlike any other program, offering the most efficient and cost effective training available in the development finance industry. The DFCP Program has a straightforward pricing structure to give participants the opportunity to plan their professional development activities.

Registration for each CDFA Training Institute course is approximately $550 for members and slightly higher for non-members. Joining CDFA greatly reduces the expenses incurred for program participation. In addition, participants must pay a $400 exam fee for the final exam. This exam fee allows participants to take the final exam up to two times. Subsequent attempts will require an additional exam fee.

Over the length of the program, participants can expect to pay between $3,800-4,500 to complete all requirements.

CDFA’s straightforward pricing model allows participants to plan their professional development activities with a clear understanding of the potential costs incurred. Over a three-year period, participants of the Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) Program can expect to pay approximately $1,200 per year, well within the capacity of most organizations or individuals seeking professional development.

Getting Started

Your path to a becoming a Development Finance Certified Professional begins with just a few quick steps:

1. View the list of CDFA Training Institute course offerings.

2. Register for the Fundamentals of Economic Development Finance Course.

3. Pick 5 other courses to take over the next three (or more) years.

4. Start down the road to personal and professional advancement.

There is no formal application process to begin the DFCP Program. Simply start attending courses. CDFA will track each individual program participant and can provide guidance to those working towards graduation. If you have already attended CDFA Training Institute courses and would like to know how many more courses you need to take to become qualified for the comprehensive examine, contact CDFA.

*Note: Rates are based on 2010 figures and are subject to change. Members and non-members pay different rates accounting for the variation in expected program expenses. Rates do not include travel expenses.