Certification Maintenance (CM) Eligibility Requirements

From: www.planning.org/cm/activities/pdf/cmproviderhandbook.pdf

When you register, we ask how your activity meets our criteria for the content, delivery, and administration of events. (For help on administration, see page 10 of the above document.) We will base our reviews on the information you provide.

When asked to describe the event or activity (for multi-part events) please consider the following questions:

1. How will the event offer a professionally relevant learning experience for a planner (e.g., for a planner with at least two years of experience)?
2. How does this event meet a specific planning-related training objective?
3. What are the specific training objectives? What do you want attendees to learn from this event?

Providers seeking ethics or law credit must justify that their event:

For ethics: Relates to the AICP Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct - www.planning.org/ethics/

For law: Providers must demonstrate that the content of the activity is related to planning law, such as environmental law, land use law, redevelopment law, administrative law, housing law, etc. Activities seeking law-credit CM approval must be closely related to recently enacted planning laws or recent case decisions or trends in existing planning laws or case decisions. Please note that activities related to local-level regulations, policies and ordinances (including zoning), political movements, policy recommendations, and policy initiatives are not eligible for law credit. Training on law must constitute a majority of the content of the activity.

Events must also meet standards of delivery and administration. Events qualifying for CM credit:

• Are led by one or more subject matter experts. An expert is defined by APA as a professional who has made a contribution to the profession through practice, teaching, research, or publications; completed works that proclaim individuality and mastery of the principles of planning taught; and whose work demonstrates outstanding quality and professionalism.
• Use learning methodologies and formats that are appropriate to the event's educational purpose or objectives.
• Do not include any proprietary information. Materials used during the CM credit portion of the event must be solely for educational purposes.
• Are at least 1 (one) hour in duration.
• Are timed in a manner that is consistent with the time for which the event was registered (i.e. an event lasting 75 minutes = 1.25 CM credits, an event lasting 90 minutes = 1.5 CM credits).
• Include an announcement in which AICP members are notified that their attendance is required for the duration of the event in order to receive CM credit.
• Remain unbiased and non-promotional in nature.
Note: An organization’s services or products may be discussed prior to or after the completion of the CM credit portion of the event.
• Include an attendance log and event evaluation. (For tools to facilitate these requirements, see: http://www.planning.org/cm/activities/tools.htm

Note: CM staff may occasionally conduct an audit within 2 (two) years of a CM event. Copies of registration and evaluations will be required.