Certified Giving Officer Designation

A number of institutions offer degrees and coursework in charitable planning, fundraising, and nonprofit management. Until now, however, planned giving officers and others working for charities have had little choice in being able to pursue a recognized designation that signifies their expertise and commitment to excellence.

To fill this void with a truly relevant alternative, The Institute for Stewardship and Philanthropy (ISP) has created the formal designation of Certified Giving Officer (CGO).
Starting in late fall of 2006, ISP will offer virtual courses prepared by some of the foremost authorities on charitable fundraising and planning. Each course consists of written materials, audio or video lectures, and online examinations.

Those charitable officers pursuing the CGO designation and those who have attained their CGO and are in good standing receive all the benefits that Members receive.

Certified Giving Officers must be recertified each year. Recertification includes the following requirements:

• Statement that the CGO remains in good standing with all of his or her licenses and other professional designations.
• The CGO has taken at least 15 hours of live or virtual continuing education, including at least 9 hours of charitable training and 3 hours of ethical training.
• At least 5 of the 13 hours must be courses that have been accredited by The Estate and Wealth Strategies Institute at MSU.

The Officer must take a yearly examination provided by ISP that addresses current developments in charitable fundraising and planning. The examination will be based on a yearly Study Guide furnished by ISP.

In addition to the benefits of membership, CGOs can use ISP letterhead and calling cards. The template for each will be furnished by ISP to the CGO. CGOs will also receive a Designation Certificate and annual Certificates of Good Standing.
The cost for the Certified Giving Officer Designation program is an initial fee of $995.00. The yearly certification fee, after attaining the Certified Giving Officer Designation, is currently $500.

A participant in the Certified Giving Officer Designation program must complete the course of study and examination one-year from date of registration. For those applicants who do not meet this deadline, a $500 per year fee is required to extend the time for course completion.