Credentialing World Tour: North America

Certified in Volunteer Administration (CVA)

What It Is

Certified in Volunteer Administration (CVA) is a designation earned by individuals as a mark of excellence in the field of volunteer administration. The CVA credential was first developed by the Association for Volunteer Administration (AVA) in the early 1980s and focused mainly on credentialing practitioners in the United States and Canada.  It is currently under the stewardship of the Council for Certification in Volunteer Administration (CCVA).  The mission guiding the CCVA is to promote and certify excellence in volunteer administration to advance the capacity of communities to effectively engage volunteers. 

The CVA itself is a professional certification recommended for practitioners with a minimum of three years’ experience. Individuals pursuing the credential are expected to demonstrate successfully their knowledge and ability to apply skills required for competent volunteer management through a process of testing and peer review.

Unlike many "certificate" or certification programs being offered by colleges and universities the CVA credentialing program is competency-based. It is not intended to teach individuals how to manage volunteers effectively. Rather, it is designed to measure an individual's "knowledge-in-use"--the application of knowledge and skills by those with real-life experience in the role. This includes the assessment of a candidate's ability to structure tasks, produce ideas, and solve problems. 

The CVA program:

• is voluntary;
• is grounded in core competencies and standards developed by colleagues and peers;
• advances volunteer administration as a profession;
• provides a vehicle for updating best practices;
• is open to salaried and non-salaried individuals;
• welcomes practitioners from all types of organizations.

CCVA adheres to standards established by the Institute for Credentialing Excellence (ICE) – the primary body in the United States for quality assurance of credentials.

To date, nearly 1,100 CVAs have been awarded, with a steady increase in the number of candidates each year. This credential accepts interested candidates from around the world, but is currently only able to offer the program in English. While the majority of CVAs are in the USA and Canada, there have been recent candidates from Australia, Bermuda, Bolivia, Japan, Lebanon, New Zealand, and Slovakia. CCVA is interested in continuing to work with colleagues throughout the world to reduce language and cultural barriers that limit access to the credential.

Core Competencies

The professional practice of volunteer management is founded on standards that define competency in the field. Despite the extensive variety, breadth and depth of activity inherent in the discipline, as with other professions, volunteer administration has a set of elements or core competencies (a “body of knowledge”) that form the foundation for sound practice.  This Body of Knowledge speaks to the full scope of practice and provides a common framework for courses, training, and certification.

The CCVA has adopted a Body of Knowledge that outlines five core areas of competency: 

Ethics: The ability to act in accordance with professional principles.

• Professional vs. Organizational vs. Personal Ethics
• Ethical Principles in Volunteer Administration
• Ethical Decision Making

Organizational Management: The ability to design and implement policies, processes and structures to align volunteer involvement with the mission and vision of the organization.

• Strategic planning
• Change management
• Policies and procedures
• Project management

Human Resource Management: The ability to successfully engage, train and support volunteers in a systematic and intentional way.

• Volunteer Staffing (role design, marketing, recruitment, placement, orientation, training)
• Support for Volunteers (supervision, corrective action, conflict management, team building, recognition, sustaining involvement, meeting management)

Accountability: The ability to collect relevant data and to engage in meaningful monitoring, evaluation, and reporting to stakeholders.

• Fiscal management
• Data management
• Evaluation and outcome measurement
• Risk management
• Quality improvement

Leadership and Advocacy: The investment of personal integrity, skills, and attitudes to advance individual, organizational, and community goals advocating for effective volunteer involvement inside of the organization and in the broader community it serves.

• Leadership development
• Organizational assessment
• Diversity and inclusion
• Community collaboration & alliances
• Advocacy (internal and external)

Individuals earning the CVA credential successfully demonstrate knowledge and application of each of these core competencies. CCVA also promotes ethical standards of volunteer administration as stated in Professional Ethics in Volunteer Administration  and views these principles as an essential part of one’s competence in the field. Candidates for the CVA credential are required to affirm their intent to uphold these ethical principles.

How It Is Earned

The CVA credential is designed for individuals with the equivalent of at least three years of experience (paid or unpaid) leading and managing volunteers. Since 2000, the average amount of experience for CVA candidates has been seven to eight years. In addition, at least 30 percent of an applicant’s current position must be related to volunteer resource management. CCVA recognizes that most individuals in the field perform this role in addition to other job duties – not as their primary role – so this requirement is designed to allow as many practitioners as possible to enter the program.

Each year registrations are accepted between October 1 and March 1. Potential candidates must submit a brief application form, two letters of recommendation, and the registration fee.

The competency-based CVA program consists of a two-part measurement format to capture a candidate's knowledge and application of skills based on practical experience. Candidates must pass both components in order to earn the CVA credential. The two components are:

Examination: The CVA Exam contains 80 multiple choice questions which test the candidate’s knowledge and ability to apply that knowledge to specific situations as presented in case studies. Scored using the criterion-referenced standard, the CVA exam is offered using an online testing system. Candidates have two hours to take the examination at a computer location of their choice, and proctors must be present for the entire testing period. A mock exam is available during the weeks prior to the exam date so that candidates can familiarize themselves with the testing software and the exam format.

The CVA Examination is developed by trained topic expert volunteers on the CVA Test Committee, under the guidance of a professional test consultant. Test questions cover the five core competencies, and candidates are provided with a list of primary and secondary references which address these topics.

2. Portfolio: CCVA believes that personal reflection is a critical component of this profession and of professional development. Unlike the multiple-choice Exam, the Portfolio component of the CVA credentialing process offers a unique opportunity for candidates to reflect on the value of what they do, why they do it, and how it impacts others. In addition, CVA candidates are expected to meet a standard of writing excellence based on correct punctuation, grammar, spelling, and clarity. A sample Portfolio is provided to all candidates.

The CVA Portfolio consists of three components intended to further demonstrate knowledge-in-use, and is drawn directly from the candidate’s own experience in the field.  The CVA Peer Assessment Committee, consisting of trained CVAs, conducts a peer review of Portfolio submissions based on clearly defined criteria.

• Management Narrative (1500 – 1750 words)

This component is a description and analysis of a project or activities which reflect the candidate’s leadership role in the core competencies. It must focus on activity within the past five years, and must be sufficiently broad in scope to cover four competencies. Candidates are given a list of required elements they must address.

•   Ethics Case Study (100-250 words)

This component demonstrates the candidate’s ability to apply the principles of professional ethics to their work. The Case Study must describe a real-life ethical dilemma, and articulate how it relates to one or more of the CCVA core values of this profession.

• Philosophy  Statement (100-250 words)

This component requires the candidate to articulate his/her own beliefs about volunteering and the role of leader and manager. It must be reflective and personal from a broad perspective, beyond the organization or setting where the candidate currently works.

In order to encourage candidates throughout the CVA process and to maximize the potential for success, CCVA offers several types of support. Optional conference calls are scheduled to review requirements for both the Exam and the Portfolio components, and a listserv is available for candidate questions and mutual support. CCVA also assists in connecting candidates with CVA certificants for general guidance and support.

CVA Renewal

The CVA credential remains valid for five calendar years. The basic CVA renewal credit unit is the Professional Development Unit (PDU). A wide variety of activities that promote continued learning, professional development, or leadership in the field may be submitted for PDU credit toward renewal of the CVA credential. CVAs must earn 35 PDUs per five-year renewal cycle. In addition, a personal philosophy statement of 100-250 words must be submitted as part of the renewal process. Upon earning the CVA, individuals receive a copy of the CVA Renewal Guidelines with complete instructions and details on how to earn and track PDUs.

How It Evolved

The CVA credential was developed by the Association for Volunteer Administration (AVA) in the early 1980's as a professional development tool for individual practitioners who mobilize and manage volunteers. From the beginning, this certification program was intended to be: 1) applicable to all types of settings and organizations; 2) competency-based; and 3) international in scope. Under the auspices of AVA the program grew slowly but steadily, certifying over 400 individuals through 2000 in the U.S. and Canada.

In 2000, AVA undertook a major revision of the program in order to update the core competencies on which it was based and ensure compliance with standards of best practice in professional certification.  After a successful pilot of the new process in 2001, the program continued to grow with very positive feedback from the field. It was managed by a part-time contractor and over 50 volunteer committee members who made decisions regarding test items, scoring of portfolios, selection of reference materials, and recertification. An additional 255 professionals were credentialed from January 2001 to August 2006.

In June 2006, in the wake of the dissolution of AVA, the CCVA was founded to invest in the future of the CVA credential. The Council hired an existing CVA with decades of professional experience in the field and laid out a plan to strengthen and enhance the program.  

Today CCVA remains governed by a board with extensive experience in the field of volunteering. Many have earned the CVA credential and all share a commitment to the profession of volunteer administration.   CCVA enjoys the support of national and international institutions in the field of volunteering.  These organizations recognize the value of able practitioners and the CVA certification as a professional development option for strengthening and sustaining volunteer administration.

In 2010, CCVA also assumed management of the CAVS (Certified Administrator of Volunteer Services) certification, a program especially for leaders of volunteers in healthcare settings. (There is a matrix on the CCVA website that quickly shows the differences and similarities between both programs.)

Contributors’ Reflections

Candidates seek the CVA for many reasons and there are benefits for both individuals and the organizations they serve.
Benefits for the individual practitioner: 

• increases personal and professional credibility
• demonstrates the transferability of knowledge, skills, and abilities
• reinforces commitment to professional excellence
• enhances employability and/or position in the organization
• clarifies and articulates personal values and professional ethics
• identifies areas of skill or knowledge to strengthen
• assesses personal expertise against standards of performance
• enhances self-esteem through peer recognition
• increases confidence in problem-solving skills

Benefits to organizations/agencies/employers:

• demonstrates a commitment to excellence in the management of volunteer resources
• improves organizational capacity, credibility and community image
• increases organization's understanding of volunteer resources management
• assesses employee’s application of core competencies
• identifies and documents leadership potential
• demonstrates organizational support for volunteer engagement

CCVA is proud of its contribution to the field of volunteer administration and the hundreds of CVAs who are practicing excellence every day.  CCVA envisions a world where skilled and competent leaders are effectively engaging volunteers to serve and enrich their communities. As a Council we believe in:

• Leadership:  We champion the spirit of volunteering and growing skilled leaders in the field of volunteer administration. We foster an ethos of transparency, fiscal soundness, and ethical operations.
• Collaboration:  We identify global wisdom and expertise in volunteer administration to develop international partners and candidates. Collaboration and inclusivity are our modus operandi, and consensus is our preferred decision-making tool.
• Excellence:  We balance the application of research with the reality of effective practical application in volunteer administration settings. We act in the spirit of good will, and the presumption of good will in others.

We are pleased to encourage the conversation and thank e-Volunteerism for this opportunity. Below, we conclude with some comments from individuals who have earned their CVA.  To learn more, visit us at www.cvacert.org.

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