Our Impact
Since its launch in 2015, the CFP Board Center for Financial Planning has made significant strides to advance the financial planning profession by improving the health of our talent pipeline, fostering greater diversity within our workforce and increasing the quality of our practitioners’ knowledge and insights. Learn more by accessing our 2021 Annual Report.
ADVANCING FINANCIAL PLANNING
Creating a More Diverse & Sustainable Profession
CFP Board Center for Financial Planning programs focus on improving gender and racial diversity in the profession, attracting and developing the next generation of financial planners, and building an Academic Home that fosters research, expands the body of financial planning knowledge and fuels the growth of new faculty and students.
Our IMpact: By the Numbers
The Center’s initiatives are having a meaningful and positive impact. We are developing innovative solutions for the growth and sustainability of our profession by leveraging rigorous research, research-based programs and broad collaborations.
View our 2021 Annual Report.
93%
Increase in the number of CFP® professionals under 30 years of age since 2016.
7,407
New women CFP® professionals since 2016, bringing the total number to 21,504.
4,196
Black and Hispanic CFP® professionals in 2021 — nearly 4 times the growth rate of all CFP® professionals during the year.
Our INITIATIVES
Learn more below about the progress we're making in these areas to ensure a diverse, resilient profession and pipeline of talent.
FINANCIAL PLANNER WORKFORCE
Building a Talent Pipeline
The Center has awarded 100 scholarships totaling nearly $500,000 to aspiring CFP® professionals. Eleven scholars have become CFP® professionals and 42 others are in the final stages. Here are some other ways we're helping to build and diversify the pipeline of talent.
KNOWLEDGE
65K+
views and downloads of the Financial Planning Career Paths guide for employers since 2019.
CAREER RE-ENTRY
92%
conversion to full-time positions in the Financial Planner Re-entry Initiative pilot program.
CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
27K+
Job seekers registered at the CFP Board Career Center, where 55 new job postings are added every month.
Fostering diversity & Inclusion
971 ATTENDEES
from firms, academia and non-profits convened at the Center's third annual Diversity Summit, held virtually over 3 days in 2020.
2,380 CANDIDATES
opted into the Candidate Referral Program with 9 total firms.
3,700+ engagements
created between mentees and CFP® professional mentors since 2016.
4,000+ STORIES & MESSAGES
posted on social media using #CFPPro as part of the “I am a CFP® Pro” campaign.
TRAINING & THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
advancing knowledge for practice
The Center is leading the way to ensure a cutting-edge body of knowledge through our research publications, by convening thought leaders and by partnering with leading academic institutions. These milestones help illustrate the strides we're making.
Academic Research Journal
Published 10 editions of Financial Planning Review, the profession’s peer-reviewed academic research journal, with an acceptance rate under 10%, and generated over 69,000 downloads since 2018.
Academic Research Colloquia
Convened over 600 leading academicians, researchers and practitioners at four annual Academic Research Colloquia for Financial Planning and Related Disciplines since 2017.
Teaching Programs
Offered 7 Financial Planning Teaching Seminars with Columbia University that have prepared 174 current and prospective faculty since 2017.
Client Psychology Programs
Since 2019, offered 3 sessions of the Client Psychology Program with The Wharton School to help financial planners develop a more client-centered practice, drawing 95 total participants.
Book Series
Added 2 volumes to book series to expand profession’s body of knowledge: Client Psychology (2018) and Communications Essentials for Financial Planners (2017).
BUILDING THE CAPACITY OF THE CENTER FOR LONG-TERM IMPACT
Since the Center was founded in 2015, we have raised more than $15.1 million in cumulative gifts and pledges from more than 5,900 corporate sponsors and individual donors to support our work.
volunteers
3,300+
volunteers have supported the Center and its initiatives.
partnerships
20
partnerships created with organizations focused on workforce development and diversity.
research
5
original research projects completed.
Center Annual Reports
The Center's annual reports highlight the impact of our programs within each of our three focus areas:
- Talent Pipeline: Attracting and cultivating a quality workforce to grow the profession.
- Diversity and Inclusion: Developing a workforce that better reflects our country's changing demographics.
- Knowledge for Practice: Elevating financial planning as a recognized academic discipline while building a research-based body of knowledge for practitioners.
Our annual reports also acknowledge the thousands of corporate sponsors, individual donors and volunteers who have generously given their resources and time to support the Center.
2020 Annual Report
Previous reports:
Support The Center
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