CFRE Reading List

The CFRE International website includes a list of books that may be of use to you as you review for the CFRE examination.

The books listed were frequently used by exam writers and reviewers during development of the CFRE examination.

Many of these books are available from the FIA Bookshop and Library – the guide below is intended to assist you to quickly source the books you require. Local libraries and internet bookstores may stock books not available from FIA.

Comprehensive Resources

The resources below are comprehensive in nature, covering each of the six CFRE knowledge domains.

Title Author Available from
FIA Bookshop?
Available from
FIA Library?
Fund Raising Basics: A Complete Guide. Jones and Bartlett, 3rd edition, 2009. Ciconte, Barbara Kushner and Jeanne G. Jacob. No No – 2nd edition available
Conducting a Successful Fundraising Program. Jossey-Bass Publishers, 2nd edition, 2001. Dove, Kent E., Jeffrey A. Lindauer and Carolyn P. Madvig. Yes Yes
The Nonprofit Handbook: Fundraising. New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 3rd edition, 2001. Greenfield, James M. Yes No
Achieving Excellence in Fund Raising. Jossey-Bass Publishers, 4th edition, 2016. Tempel, Eugene R, Timothy L. Seiler and Eva E. Aldrich. Yes Yes

Domain-Specific Resources

The resources below focus on one of more of the six CFRE knowledge domains.

Title Author Available from
FIA Bookshop?
Available from
FIA Library?
Keep Your Donors: The Guide to Better Communications & Stronger Relationships. New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 2008. Ahern, Tom and Simone Joyaux. Yes Yes
The Complete Guide to Planned Giving: Everything You Need to Know to Compete Successfully for Major Gifts, 3rd ed. Quincy, MA: Ashton Associations, 2001. Ashton, Debra. No No
Relationship Fundraising: A Donor Based Approach to the Business of Raising Money, 2nd ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2002. Burnett, Ken. Yes Yes
The Nonprofit Handbook: Management, 3rd ed. New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 3rd edition, 2001. Connors, Tracy Daniel. Yes Yes
Conducting a Successful Annual Giving Program. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 2001.  Dove, Kent E. Yes Yes
Conducting a Successful Capital Campaign, 2nd ed. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2000.  Dove, Kent E. Yes Yes
Conducting a Successful Development Services Program. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2002.  Dove, Kent E., et al Yes Yes
Conducting a Successful Major Gifts and Planned Giving Program. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2002.  Dove, Kent E., Jeffrey A. Lindauer and Carolyn P. Madvig. Yes No
Ethical Decision Making in Fundraising. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2000.  Fischer, Marilyn. Yes Yes
Developing Major Gifts: Turning Small Donors into Big Contributors. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett Learning, 2006.  Fredricks, Laura. No No
Beyond Fund Raising, 2nd ed. New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 2005.  Grace, Kay Sprinkel. Yes No
Fund Raising: Evaluating and Managing the Fund Development Process, 2nd ed. New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 1999.  Greenfield, James M. Yes No
Fund-Raising Fundamentals: A Guide to Annual Giving for Professionals and Volunteers, 2nd ed. New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 2002.  Greenfield, James M. Yes Yes
Major Donors: Finding Big Gifts in Your Database and Online. New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 2006.  Hart, Ted and James M. Greenfield, Pamela M. Gignac and Christopher Carnie. Yes Yes
Internet Management for Nonprofits. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2010.  Hart, Ted, Steve MacLaughlin, James M. Greenfield, and Philip H. Geier, Jr. Yes No
Prospect Research: A Primer for Growing Nonprofits, 2nd ed. Jones and Bartlett Learning, 2007.  Hogan, Cecilia and David Lamb. No No
Strategic Fund Development: Building Profitable Relationships That Last, 3rd ed. Aspen Publishers, 2011.  Joyaux, Simone P. Yes No
Capital Campaigns: Strategies That Work, 3rd ed. Aspen Publishers, 2009.  Kihlstedt, Andrea and Catherine P. Schwartz. No No
Direct Marketing for Nonprofits. Gaithersburg.  Lautman, Kay Partney. No No
Ethical Fundraising: A Guide for Nonprofit Boards and Fundraisers. New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc., 2008.  Pettey, Janice Gow. Yes Yes
Donor-Centered Planned Gift Marketing. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2011.  Rosen, Michael J. Yes No
Revolution in the Mailbox: Your Guide to Successful Direct Mail Fundraising. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Publishers, 2004.  Warwick, Mal. Yes Yes