Thank you for your interest in the Certified Nonprofit Accounting Professional (CNAP) program. The key advantage of CNAP’s intensive training is that it offers participants a wealth of information, provided by professionals dedicated to serving nonprofit organizations, with a minimum time commitment.

We are please to provide you with the following information about CNAP and the different training sponsorship options that are available to for program implementation:

FMA’s CNAP Program Models
FMA offers the CNAP program under two models:

1. The Sponsorship Model
   Through the sponsorship model, FMA works with an organization or foundation (the Sponsor) to conduct the CNAP program for a select target audience, such as your members or grant recipients. This partnership allows the sponsoring organization to tap into FMA’s expertise and provide the selected participants with an educational opportunity that will have a long-term impact on the performance and success of their not-for-profit organizations. The Sponsor usually manages the logistical components of the program, including sending out invitations, managing the registration process, providing the training location, etc. For example, in spring 2006, The Robin Hood Foundation covered the fees for 20 of their grant recipients and hosted the event at a location they selected.
   
   In addition, the Sponsor may elect to cover all or part of the enrollment and program costs for participants. In return, the sponsor is credited in all program materials, including inclusion of its logo in the presentation itself and on the certificate of completion. For those Sponsors that are unable to cover full participant scholarships, we can also make arrangements for partial scholarships, or group discounts to the participants themselves.
   
   
2. Open Enrollment Model
   FMA will be conducting open enrollment CNAP programs in New York City. Should an organization wish to have a small number of its members or grant recipients attend a program, we can make arrangements for a reduced group rate. FMA will notify you of the location and dates for these events.

CNAP Program Basics
Delivered in two phases, with an exam at the end of each, the CNAP program covers both basic and intermediate nonprofit accounting concepts, as well as a host of advanced topics. Phase I is held as a 1 ½ -day course. Phase II is delivered in 2 days, and is held 2-4 weeks following Phase I.

Certificates of completion will be issued to all participants who have attended the sessions and successfully passed the final exams for both Phase I and Phase II. The workshop presenters are continuing professional education (CPE) providers who are accredited by the New York State Education division to offer CPE credits to certified public accountants who attend the program.

Who Should Attend
The CNAP program is designed for those nonprofit personnel with the minimum financial knowledge of a full-time bookkeeper. In addition, the standards established at the national level require that participants must have at least 18 months of experience in a financial position within a nonprofit organization. The program is beneficial for bookkeepers, staff accountants, and any professional charged with the financial management of a nonprofit organization.

We hope that your organization will consider working with FMA under a sponsorship model, or as a source of referrals for future open-enrollment programs, and look forward to discussing this further with you.

To further discuss the ways in which CNAP can fit into your organization’s training program, or for answers to your immediate questions about the CNAP program, please contact Stu Cohen, via email, or at 212-931-9134.