Nonprofit Management Certificate

Course provides an overview of the nonprofit sector, its diversity and impact on the economy, legal and ethical frameworks in which nonprofits exist, and basics of the nonprofit system of governance and trends in nonprofit governance. Weekly topics:

• Nonprofit sector: history, diversity and impact
• Legal frameworks and Governance
• Ethical issues (what are the ethical issues and boundaries of nonprofits in the U.S.)
• Leadership Models and Challenges
• Advocacy, Lobbying, and Collaborations
• Nonprofit challenges and how to cope with it
• Summary of the best management practices in the nonprofit sector

Course addresses issues in performance evaluation in nonprofit organizations, setting program goals and metrics, and managing evaluation with limited resources. Weekly topics:

• Measuring, assessing and evaluating impact at organizational level
• Measuring, assessing and evaluating impact at programmatic level
• Developing measurable and feasible ways of success
• Quantitative and qualitative data
• Sustainable strategic planning
• How to report performance
• Trends and challenges in social impact measurement

Course provides knowledge about innovative solutions to social problems, as well as about traditional and new forms of organized fundraising, such as individual giving, special events, understanding grant writing, managing annual giving campaigns, and developing planned giving initiatives. Weekly topics:

• Fundraising and accountability
• Innovations and entrepreneurial ideas in the sector
• Understanding grant writing
• Relationship building
• Planned giving
• Managing annual campaigns
• Summary of innovative activities and fundraising in the nonprofit field

Course addresses board’s roles and responsibilities, board structure and recruitment, ways to better lead nonprofit staff, such as attracting, recruiting, retaining, motivating, supervising employees and volunteers, and personnel regulation related to nonprofits at the state and federal level. Weekly topics:

• Leadership within a nonprofit organization (BOD and CEO) and their roles and responsibilities
• Employment Law
• Staff management and development (attracting, recruiting, retaining, motivating, supervising)
• Volunteer management and development (attracting, recruiting, retaining, motivating, supervising)
• Cultural competency and diversity
• Leadership challenges and moral expectations
• Summary of the best personnel management practices in the nonprofit sector

Course introduces the application of marketing theories in nonprofits, strategies in organizational communication and public relations, use of social media and other means of communications, stakeholder and donor management. Weekly topics:

• Marketing/advertisement
• Ethical use of communications and PR
• Donor management
• Community outreach
• Effective Information/communication technology
• "Big data" in advancing the causes of nonprofits
• Trends, challenges and best practices in communication, marketing and outreach

Course covers financial, fiscal and budgeting management topics integral to nonprofit management, transparency and stewardship of proper financial management, application of accounting principles, and proper reporting. Weekly topics:

• Strategic financial planning
• Financial reporting for nonprofits
• Accounting for nonprofit managers
• Budget development
• Financial investment and savings
• Managing of restricted and unrestricted funds, cash-flow problems
• Overview of principles of proper financial management in nonprofits