About the Academy

The Academy is a unique educational program, designed to promote a prerequisite level of knowledge and professionalism in the field of community redevelopment. The courses are open to anyone interested in learning more about redevelopment practice in Florida. ANYONE who wants to take the course and provides the registration information and payment may register and take the courses. We offer online registration and payment for the courses. For more information, contact:

Merrily Bennett, Association Services Coordinator
Direct: (850) 701-3677
mbennett@flcities.com

Registration

Please review all the Academy sections if this is your first time registering for a course. 

  • Our courses fill up quickly, and space is limited.  We reserve the ability to limit class size in consideration of our students and instructors.  
  • All courses are available for audit (no test), for the professional designation track, or one course at a time. Make-up tests and “test outs” (non-core courses) are available upon written request three weeks prior to the course.
  • Course credits completed prior to application for the designation track will be transferred upon acceptance.

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Payment

All payments for courses must be made using the payment portal links. Fees for all courses are $495 for members, and $595 for non-members.

  • You must sign into the FRA payment site to register and pay for a course. Links to the payment portal are under each course listed below.
  • Enter your payment password tied to your email (different from your MyFRA member forum password).  If someone else registers for you, your email may not be in the system.
  • If you are signing in for the first time, obtain a payment password by contacting Merrily Bennett, Association Services Coordinator, (850) 701-3677, mbennett@flcities.comYou will receive a confirmation by email after registering.

*Check your junk/spam folders or “white list” us to make sure you receive our emails.* 

Cancellations

Please request all cancellations in writing to Merrily Bennett, Association Services Coordinator, mbennett@flcities.com. Cancellations requested after the study materials have been sent out and/or after three weeks prior to the course date will be accepted for credit only. Cancellations requested three weeks prior to the course date will be refunded minus a $50 fee per course. 

2024 Academy Course Schedule

For easy access you can download the entire 2024 Academy Course Schedule.

Core Courses

  • CRA 101 – (January 19, 2024) GAI Offices, Orlando | CANCELLED
  • Budgeting, Funding and Reporting – (February 23, 2024) GAI Offices, Orlando | Register here
  • Operations and Capacity Building – (March 22, 2024) GAI Offices, Orlando | Register here
  • CRA 101 – (April 19, 2024) GAI Offices, Orlando | Register here
  • CRA 101 – (August 16, 2024) GAI Offices, Orlando | Register here
  • Operations and Capacity Building – (August 23, 2024) GAI Offices, Orlando | Register here
  • Budgeting, Funding and Reporting – (October 22, 2024) Tampa Marriott Water Street – Annual Conference | Register here
  • CRA 101 (October 22, 2024) Tampa Marriott Water Street – Annual Conference | Register here
  • Operations and Capacity Building – (October 25, 2024) Tampa Marriott Water Street – Annual Conference | Register here
  • CRA 101 (October 25, 2024) Tampa Marriott Water Street – Annual Conference | Register here

Elective Courses

  • Creating & Using Redevelopment Incentives – (February 16, 2024) GAI Offices, Orlando | Register here
  • Housing as a Redevelopment Tool – (April 19, 2024) Winter Park Community Center – Cedar Room | Register here
  • Planning Strategically for Redevelopment – (June 7, 2024) GAI Offices, Orlando | Register here
  • Capital Project Management – (July 12, 2024) GAI Offices, Orlando | Register here
  • Infrastructure I – Above Ground – (July 26, 2023) GAI Offices, Orlando | Register here

Professional Designation Track

Only FRA members in good standing may apply for and receive an FRA Academy designation of FRA-RA (Redevelopment Administrator) or FRA-RP (Redevelopment Professional). Please check the “Designation Guidelines” document for more details.

  • Application for entering the designation track is by sending in all the required information (see Designation Guidelines) to Merrily Bennett, Association Services Coordinator, mbennett@flcities.com. We will notify you after we receive your documents that we have received the required information. The FRA, based on the number of years in a position and job duties of the applicant, determines which track an individual qualifies for – FRA-RA or FRA-RP (see GUIDELINES). One may apply to have their designation track changed (for example, from FRA-RP to FRA-RA), if their position or job duties change and the minimum criteria is achieved.
  • There are no separate processes for designation candidates – registration, payment, testing, notification, courses and cancellation policies are the same. Designation as an FRA-RA or FRA-RP is conferred when an applicant passes the required courses (three core courses and 2 electives). There is no time specified for completing all courses, nor is there a time specified for taking a particular course.
  • Registration for a course may be secured before you are accepted into the designation track, but you must remit payment using the online academy payment portal to be registered.
  • The FRA-RP or FRA-RA letters of designation may be used by any applicant immediately after notification of their “graduation” from by the FRA. Each graduate receives an official document from the FRA, bestowing the designation. All graduates are invited to attend the FRA Academy graduation event in conjunction with the FRA Annual Conference, usually held on Thursday evening of the third week of October. Check the FRA conference pages to verify the schedule. To be awarded a certificate at the graduation event, you must have completed all the five courses prior to October 1 of that year.

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Course Materials

  • Course materials (study guide) will be sent to each registrant at the email used to register, soon after the course registration deadline. IF YOU DO NOT RECEIVE THESE MATERIALS soon after the deadline, please contact us at mbennett@flcities.com. There is material in the study guide that will not be covered in class but may appear on the test. Computers are not allowed for use during the courses or the tests.
  • PowerPoints, group discussion, problem-solving and other activities are included as a part of each course. The goal for each course is to share with your peers, in this live setting, which you may not otherwise experience. To the extent that the topic covers your issues, it is a good idea to come to the course with a list of “must ask” questions of the instructors and students. We learn a great deal from each other.

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Tests

  • Proctored tests are administered after the instructional portion of the course is completed. Notification of test results (pass/fail) is sent as soon as possible to the email address of the registrant.
  • If you not taking a test, please let the instructor know at the beginning of the course. If you are taking the test as a make-up, or “testing out” of a course (see GUIDELINES), please advise us in writing three weeks prior to the course dates.  You do not have to attend the whole course to make-up a test, but you are welcomed to do so.

Logistics

  • Continental breakfast, beverages and lunch are included in the price of each course. Breaks are taken in the morning and afternoon, and lunch break is close to 12 noon. We very much appreciate you letting us know in writing as soon as possible if you have special access or dietary needs, or if we may be of assistance in any way. Each course is from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Doors to the facility open no later than 8:30 a.m.
  • There will be a sign in sheet furnished at each course. Please make sure to sign it before you leave, or credit cannot be given for attendance.
  • Please help us by filling out the evaluation forms to give us feedback on the facility, instructor, and course content before you leave. We value your input and comments.

Check your junk/spam folders or “white list” us to successfully receive our correspondence.

Facility

Location will vary.

Embassy Suites – Downtown
191 E. Pine Street
Orlando, FL 32801
P – (407) 841-1000
F – (407) 841-0010

Courtyard at Lake Lucerne
211 N. Lucerne Cir NE
Orlando, FL 32801
P – (407) 648-5188
F – (407) 246-1368

Doubletree – Downtown
60 South Ivanhoe Boulevard
Orlando, FL 32801
P – (407) 425-4455
F – (407) 425-7440

Aloft Orlando Downtown
500 South Orange Avenue
Orlando, FL 32801
(407) 380-3500

Courtyard Orlando Downtown
730 North Magnolia Ave
Orlando, FL 32803
(407) 996-1000

Crowne Plaza Orlando-Downtown
304 W. Colonial Dr.
Orlando, FL 32801
(800) 939-4249

Sheraton Orlando Downtown Hotel
400 West Livingston Street
Orlando, FL 32801
(407) 843-6664

Owen M. Beitsch, PhD, FAICP, CRE
Thomas R. Kohler
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