Professional Credentials for Community & Economic Developers

  • American Institute if Certified Planners (AICP)
    • From the American Planning Association to acknowledge the achievement of the academic qualifications, relevant work experience, and mastery of essential skills required to serve as an effective community planner.
  • BRE Professional (BREP) 
    • From the Business Retention and Expansion International (BREI) to designate an individual is a BRE professional and certifies that they have the knowledge and experience to lead economic development activities in his or her community. BREP is the advanced level certification. There is also a BRE Coordinator (BREC) credential that is obtained by taking a BRE Fundamentals course.
  • Certified Association Executive (CAE)
    • From the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE) to recognize an individual who has demonstrated the wide range of knowledge essential to manage a qualifying organization (nonprofit organization, e.g. trade association, professional society, individual membership organization, philanthropic organization, tribal organization, or an association management company (AMC).
  • Certified Chamber Executive (CCE) 
    • From the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE) to display the achievement of knowledge in the four core chamber management areas: Management; Planning and Development; Membership, Communications and Revenue; and Operations.
  • Certified Economic Developer (CEcD)
    • From the International Economic Development Council (IEDC) for excellence in the Economic Development profession and broad depth of knowledge in Economic Development competencies.
  • Certified Economic Research Professional (CERP) 
    • From the Council for Community and Economic Research (C2ER) to award individuals who demonstrates excellence in economic research and embodies the applied skills of economic, demographic, industry, and workforce analysis. Individuals are research professionals who demonstrate a mastery of economic and related data analysis, and their ability to utilize these skills in applied research.
  • Economic Development Finance Professional (EDFP)
    • From the National Development Council (NDC) designates individuals with the knowledge and skills essential for making economic development deals: business credit and real estate finance analysis techniques, loan packaging procedures, negotiating and problem solving skills, and deal structuring techniques.
  • Economic Gardening Certification (EGc) 
    • From the National Center for Economic Gardening to identify an Individual is eligible to run certified Economic Gardening programs and to apply to be on the national team. EG programs provide strategic research and frameworks to help local companies scale up. It is the original “grow your own” program.
  • Entrepreneurship Development Professional (EDP) 
    • International Economic Development Council (IEDC) and designed for professionals who work with entrepreneurs and small businesses as well as those that support them via programs, networks and approaches that foster small business and entrepreneurial growth.
  • Institute for Organization Management (IOM) 
    • from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and was designed to enhance individual performance, elevate professional standards, and recognize association, chamber of commerce, and other nonprofit professionals who demonstrate the knowledge essential to the practice of nonprofit management.
  • Main Street America Revitalization Professional (MSARP) 
    • From the Main Street America Institute (MSAI) and represents a professional in the field of downtown and commercial district management with expertise in preservation-based community development techniques through the lens of the Main Street Approach.
  • Master Economic Development Practitioner (MEDP) 
    • From the Texas Christian University, University of Southern Mississippi, University of New Mexico, and Valdosta State. Participants who complete the course receive a diploma from the universities. The program targets mid and senior-level economic development professionals such as state commerce directors, rural and urban practitioners, utility economic developers, and site selection consultants, among others.
  • Professional Community and Economic Developer (PCED) 
    • From the Community Development Council (CDC) for Individuals that have met standards of competence for community development professionals.
  • Certified Exit Planning Advisor (CEPA) 
    • From the Exit Planning Institute to certify qualified professional advisors in the field of exit planning.
  • Certified Independent Professional Municipal Advisor (CIPMA)
    • From the National Association of Municipal Advisors (NAMA)  to designate municipal advisors and professional staff that display an elevated dedication to continuing education and ethics in their work for state and local governments, entities, and obligated persons.
  • Certified Key Account Executive (CKAE) 
    • From the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association and establishes that key account executives at electric co-ops have attained certain knowledge of and experience in the key account competencies.
  • Certified Designation Management Executive (CDME) 
    • From Destinations International and used to recognize senior executives, who blend theory with experience and application of knowledge to help tourism industry leaders thrive in a constantly changing environment. The program focus is on vision, leadership, productivity and implementing business strategies.
  • Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) 
    • From Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA) and is designed to produce graduates with a comprehensive knowledge of development finance concepts, tools and applicability as well as a deep understanding of the entire development finance spectrum.