CAE Credential Bootcamp (Spring 2027)

Staff studying for the CAE exam ahead of the program's spring testing window should register by February 19, 2027, the application deadline the CAE program itself sets. Director of Learning and Credentialing Theo Nakashima-Ward and Jonah Whitcombe, director of operations at the Federation of Food Bank Networks, will again split the day across the exam's six content domains, the same format that has drawn strong feedback from past cohorts.

Whitcombe will open with organizational management and programs and services, the two domains candidates tend to read fastest but test worst on, since the exam's practice questions favor precise vocabulary over general familiarity. Nakashima-Ward will cover finance, membership and marketing, and close the day with public policy and leadership strategy together.

Each lecture block pairs with timed practice questions drawn from NANA's study bank, refreshed each cycle with new questions written from the prior cohort's most-missed topics. The day ends with test-day logistics: how to schedule an appointment, what identification to bring, and a reminder that NANA pre-approves credit hours toward the credential but does not administer the exam itself.

Candidates who attended a previous bootcamp and are returning for a second review ahead of their own exam date can register at a discounted rate rather than paying the full fee twice.

Candidates should bring their own study notes and a list of the practice questions they've missed so far; the day works best as a targeted review rather than a first pass through the material, and the practice-question blocks assume some prior study.

Registration runs $495 for members and $695 for non-members and includes a study guide and two full-length practice exams, usable ahead of either the spring or the following winter CAE window. Registration closes when the CAE program's own application deadline passes on February 19, 2027.