Nonprofit Management Certificate

Course Curriculum

The Nonprofit Academic Centers Council (NACC) Curricular Guidelines provide a model curriculum for degrees in nonprofit leadership, nonprofit organization management, nonprofit sector studies, and philanthropy. In discussing the distinctive characteristics of undergraduate nonprofit management education, NACC emphasizes:

• Community engagement as an essential element of undergraduate education.
• Application of pedagogical tools designed specifically for undergraduate population.
• The use of service-learning methods to build knowledge of the nonprofit and philanthropic sector and to foster new skills to promote the development of an engaged citizenry.
• Internships to build knowledge and skills while creating enhanced opportunities for future employment.

Additionally, it describes key curricular topics that are foundational to undergraduate training in nonprofit management:

Part 1:

1. Comparative perspectives civil society, voluntary action, and philanthropy
2. Ethics and values
3. Public policy, law, advocacy, and social change
4. Nonprofit governance and leadership
5. Community service and engagement

Part 2:

1. Leading and managing organizations
2. Nonprofit finance and fundraising
3. Financial management
4. Managing staff and volunteers
5. Nonprofit marketing
6. Assessment, evaluation, and decision-making methods

Drawing on curricular topics recommended by NACC, a GSPIA certificate in Nonprofit Management will address the following key competencies through curriculum and experiential learning. Students will be equipped with the knowledge and skills to:

• Recognize the scope and scale of the nonprofit sector and its influence on society
• Identify the theoretical basis for nonprofits, their organizational formats and incentive structures, and their legal and professional limits.
• Employ human resources and financial systems consistent with best practices among mission-driven organizations including volunteer management, fundraising, and fund-based financial management.
• Select and implement appropriate advocacy strategies to meet community and organization needs. Emphasis is to be placed on strategic and community-engaged advocacy practices.
• Compare models of social entrepreneurship, including idea generation, building support networks, business planning, initial funding, and organization launch

Total Credits: 18