Nonprofit Management Certificate

With the increased demand for sustainable funding streams, program metrics verifying outcomes, and new technical skills surrounding nonprofit management, community leaders have requested our help. Oakland University’s NPMC requires completion of 6 courses listed below. All six will be offered in rotation and students can begin the certificate instruction with the next available course. These are non-credit courses offered as 10 person minimum cohorts.

If you would like to receive information about this program, including updates related to schedules and registration, please click here.

Course Descriptions

Management Best Practices in the Nonprofit Sector

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

Entrepreneurship & Fund Development

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

Financial Management & Accountability for NP Managers

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

Performance Metrics in Nonprofit Management

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 & qualitative data
Sustainable strategic planning
How to report performance
Trends and challenges in social impact measurement

Leadership & Human Resource Management in NPOs

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

Communication, Marketing & Outreach for NP Managers

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 & outreach

Program Schedule & Pricing

Cost per course: $695
Course frequency: One 3-hour instructor-led "meeting session" per week, email communications and assignments.
Total course length: 7 weeks
Total contact hours: 21 hours

Minimum 10 person cohort. (Class will begin as scheduled if 10 students have registered.)

Course Start & End Dates 2020/2021	Course Title	CRN	Class Format (until further notice)	Times
Start Date: September 8, 2020 End Date: October 20, 2020	Management Best Practices in Nonprofit Sector Instructor: Allandra Bulger		100% online, synchronous class meetings	Tuesday Evenings 6 - 9 PM
Start Date: October 27, 2020 End Date: December 8, 2020	Performance Metrics in Nonprofit Management Instructors: Dr. Truman Hudson		100% online, synchronous class meetings	Tuesday Evenings 6 - 9 PM
Start Date: January 5, 2021 End Date: February 16, 2021	Entrepreneurship & Fund Development Instructor: Aimee Argel		100% online, synchronous class meetings	Tuesday Evenings 6 - 9 PM
Start Date: February 23, 2021 End Date: April 6, 2021	Communication, Marketing & Outreach for Nonprofit Managers		100% online, synchronous class meetings	Tuesday Evenings 6 - 9 PM
Start Date: April 20, 2021 End Date: June 1, 2021	Leadership & Human Resource Management in Nonprofit Organizations Instructor: Maureen Rovas		100% online, synchronous class meetings	Tuesday Evenings 6 - 9 PM
Start Date: June 15, 2021 End Date: July 27, 2021	Financial Management & Accountability for Nonprofit Managers		100% online, synchronous class meetings	Tuesday Evenings 6 - 9 PM

Instructors

Aimee Argel

Senior Director of Individual Giving

Michigan State University

Allandra Bulger

Executive Director

Co.act Detroit, Techtown

Marc Craig
President and CEO
Community Housing Network

Truman Hudson, Jr., Ed.D.

Principal, Social Innovation Institute

Judy Muhn,

Organizational Development Consultant, NEW

Christian Marcillo Founder Future Help Designs

Maureen Rovas

Executive Director

American Lung Association in Michigan