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Level Up Your Knowledge in the Virtuous Academy

Rachel Specht
  • Updated

Whether your organization is onboarding with Virtuous as a new customer, or you are a new team member at an organization who already uses Virtuous tools, the Virtuous Academy is the place to be! The Virtuous Academy is a free resource to anyone who wants to learn about how to use our software or who works in the nonprofit space and wants to know more about Responsive Fundraising. We offer course work that covers all of our products (Virtuous CRM+, Virtuous Raise, Virtuous Volunteer, and Virtuous Momentum), each with at least one certification option to help you learn how to maximize these tools and features. We also have course and certification tracks that cover Responsive Fundraising (a relationship-based fundraising approach developed by the CEO of Virtuous, Gabe Cooper).

Note: The Virtuous Academy is moving to a new home on May 1, 2026. See FAQ below for details.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the lessons like?

You can expect a combination of:

  • Video tutorials
  • Hands-on exercises (no sandbox environment necessary!)
  • Interactive presentations
  • PDF downloads
  • And more!

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Why is the Academy changing?

We believe our users deserve the best technology and the best tools to learn how to become responsive fundraisers. This is why we’re upgrading to a modern learning platform that provides a better experience for learners and better insights for our teams so we can best support you.

This new system will allow us to personalize learning paths, connect education to successful adoption, and more. We know everyone’s journey to responsive fundraising looks different, so we want to meet you where you are in your learning journey—and this new platform will allow us to do just that.

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What's changing?

  • A refreshed look and feel
  • New learning paths and recommended content
  • Easier access on mobile devices
  • An expanded library of resources—think of it as a one-stop-shop for learning all things Virtuous and Responsive Fundraising.

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Do I have to create an account with this new Academy?

  • If you were already registered in our legacy Virtuous Academy: You will receive an email prompting you to create an account. If you did not receive this email or have questions, please reach out to academy@virtuous.org.
  • If you were not registered in our legacy Virtuous Academy and want to create one: You can sign up here!

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Where do I access the new Virtuous Academy?

The link will stay the same: academy.virtuous.org.

Bookmark this page!

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When will this change happen?

This will happen May 1, 2026.

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I can’t sign in!

You will use your email address from your legacy Virtuous Academy account—you may need to reset your password in the new Virtuous Academy.

Keep in mind that this login will be different from both:

  1. Your login to the Virtuous CRM+ app, and
  2. Your login to the legacy Virtuous Academy.

If you continue to run into issues, please reach out to academy@virtuous.org.

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What happens to all my course progress?

Any course and/or certification you completed in the legacy Virtuous Academy will show as such in the new Virtuous Academy. Any incomplete course work will not show.

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I’m having issues with the new Academy. Who can help me?

You can reach out to academy@virtuous.org or talk to our technical support team.

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I just got an email telling me to get recertified. I’ve never done this before.

Any learner who has completed a certification is now required to “recertify” one year after they’ve last certified. This ensures that certified learners stay up to date on all the latest tools our apps have to offer.

All this means is you will be required to retake the certification exam, which will be refreshed as our app functionality improves. Those who use our tools often should be able to complete these in about 15 minutes.

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I used to be able to post my certification on LinkedIn. Can I still do that?

Yes! After completing a certification, you will be prompted to log in to LinkedIn and add the certificate to your account. 

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Courses used to be free—will they still be free?

Yes!

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Will course work look different?

Expect to see the same courses you know and love, just with a slightly different flow.

Additionally, the new Virtuous Academy will provide:

  • Playbooks
  • Worksheets
  • Customized pathways
  • And more!

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I’d like to become certified. Should I get all the certifications?

That depends!

  • If you want to become a Virtuous CRM+ expert: Take the Virtuous CRM+ Administrator Certification. 

Note: This is the only CRM+ certification you’ll need. Taking the Finance, Fundraiser, and Marketing certifications would be redundant if taken in addition to the Virtuous CRM+ Administrator Certification.

  • If you want to become an expert on all things marketing in Virtuous CRM+: Take the Virtuous CRM+ Marketing Certification.
  • If you want to become an expert on all things finance in Virtuous CRM+: Take the Virtuous CRM+ Finance Certification.
  • If you want to become an expert on all things fundraising in Virtuous CRM+: Take the Virtuous CRM+ Fundraiser Certification.
  • If you want to become a Virtuous Raise expert: Take the Virtuous Raise Administrator Certification.
  • If you want to become a Virtuous Volunteer expert: Take the Virtuous Volunteer Administrator Certification.
  • If you want to become a Virtuous Momentum expert: Take the Virtuous Momentum Administrator Certification.
  • If you want to become a Responsive Fundraising expert: Take the Responsive Fundraising: Level 1 Certification and the Responsive Fundraising: Level 2 Certification. (Remember: These are CFRE eligible!)

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Is certification required?

While we don’t require certification completion, we highly recommend that all database administrators and power users become certified in the tools they use. This is the best way to become a Virtuous pro!

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