Is your nonprofit association considering certification? Here are some steps you should consider first.

1. Steps To Making A Decision
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6. 1. Identify the critical questions for
market research for sustainability.
2. Distinguish two type of
certification competition
3. Examine a readiness certification
check list.
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11. Your Turn
Write down three things you
already know about
certification? Then share
with a neighbor.
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12. Am I a
certification
advocate?

13. When it’s right for an
organization, I am a
certification advocate.
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14. If it’s not, then I’m not.
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15. Key question
to ask
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16. If you develop a certification
program, will your industry
or members look any
different ten years from now
that it does today?
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17. All organizations
can develop a
certification program.
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18. All organizations
can develop a
certification program.
But not all
organizations should.
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19. Your Turn
Credentialing Jargon Primer
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20. 20

21. Good News! Bad News!
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22. No governmental or private
agency charged with setting
and enforcing mandatory
credentialing standards.
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23. Good: You are free to develop
credentialing programs when,
how and for whom you want!
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24. Bad - incredibly confusing for
everyone since terminology is
often applied inconsistently.
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25. Your Turn
Discuss with a partner, why an
organization would want to
have a certification program.
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26. Why create a certification program?
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27. Why create a certification program?
standards of performance
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28. Why create a certification program?
1. Assess current knowledge
& skills
2. Identify those who meet
the minimum criteria
established
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29. Why create a certification program?
ensure customers have
access to qualified service
providers
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30. Why create a certification program?
increase visibility of
profession
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31. Why create a certification program?
Elevate a profession
elevate a profession
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32. Why create a certification program?
Transform an entire
industry an entire industry
transform
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33. Why create a certification program?
Sometimes it does none of
these things. none of these things
Sometimes it does
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34. Why create a certification program?
Sometimes it is simply an
expensive program that
serves a very small portion
of an organization's target
market.
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35. Why create a certification program?
additional revenue stream
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36. Why create a certification program?
Increase attendance at
educational events
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37. Why create a certification program?
Because a competing
organization has one and
you can do it better
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38. Big Toolbox Of Options Available
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39. Big Toolbox Of Options Available
1. Certification
2. Certification programs
3. Accreditation
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40. Big Toolbox Of Options Available
4. Awards
5. Member classification systems
6. Professional development
programs
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41. What Are You Trying To Build?
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42. Your Job Is
1. If its feasible to develop and
implement.
2. Is there sufficient market demand?
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43. Your Job Is
4. Are your leaders and staff all on
board?
5. Do you have sufficient resources
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44. National Study Of Certification
launched program w/ expectation
program would be self-sustaining
in five years
Knapp & Associates & American National Standards Institute
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45. National Study Of Certification
Met the goal
Knapp & Associates & American National Standards Institute
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46. National Study Of Certification
Reported a net gain in
2010
Knapp & Associates & American National Standards Institute
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47. Study recommendations
You may need to subsidize the
certification program for several
years, if not in perpetuity.
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48. Study recommendations
Early in process
1. Identify strategies that
will support sustainability
2. Determine what assets
can be leveraged to
accomplish this goal
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49. Study recommendations
Marketing is a
must have!
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50. Questions To Ask To Create
Sustainability
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51. Questions To Ask To Create
Sustainability
1. What is the size and
anticipated growth of the
market?
2. What percentage of eligible
individuals intends to become
certified?
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52. Questions To Ask To Create
Sustainability
3. What percentage of employers
would encourage or require their
employees to become certified?
4. Which market segments are most
likely to be interested in
certification?
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53. Questions To Ask To Create
Sustainability
5. What are the perceived benefits of
certification and obstacles to
obtaining the credential?
6. What program features would be
most desirable to potential
candidates and employers?
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54. Questions To Ask To Create
Sustainability
7. How much would candidates or
employers be willing to pay for
certification?
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55. Steps For Decision Making
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56. Steps For Decision Making
1. Identify an investigatory and/or
decision-making group.
2. Determine & prioritize challenges
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57. Your Turn
What types of problems
would an organization or
stakeholders have for the
organization to considering
credentialing?
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58. Steps For Decision Making
3. Determine what type of program
addresses these challenges
4. Determine program target and goals
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59. Steps For Decision Making
5. Consider opportunities and
obstacles
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60. Your Turn
What are some of the
obstacles that could keep
from developing a
certification program?
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61. Barriers
i. Stakeholder resistance (certified
population, employers, etc.)
ii. iIndustry competition
iii. Creating and sustaining value
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62. i. Stakeholder resistance (certified
population, employers, etc.)
ii. Industry competition
iii. Creating and sustaining value
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63. iv. Resource intensive
v. Qualified certification staff
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64. vi. Certification professionals
vii. Legal liability
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65. Steps For Decision Making
6. Identify guiding principles
7. Design program concept
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66. Steps For Decision Making
8. Study feasibility
a. Should we go into this certification
business
i. gathering, analyzing and evaluating information
with the purpose of answering this question
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67. Steps For Decision Making
8. Study feasibility
b. Market Viability
c. Financial Viability
d. Organizational Capacity
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68. Two Types Of Competitors
A. Direct competitors
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69. Two Types Of Competitors
B. Indirect competitors
i. Academic degree programs
ii. In-house training programs
iii. Professional Develop Programs
iv. Education institutions
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70. Your Turn
What are some
competitive advantages to
consider when starting a
certification program?
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71. Certification Check List
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77. Jeff Hurt
jhurt@velvetchainsaw.com
velvetchainsaw.com
77