Duke University

Certificate in Nonprofit Management

Students in the Duke Nonprofit Management Program are a diverse group of motived learners interested in developing their knowledge and skill base. Participants are employees of nonprofit organizations, philanthropists, community leaders/volunteers, individuals transitioning into the nonprofit sector from the private sector, persons from social service nonprofits, arts, membership organizations, foundations, trade associations and faith communities. The program attracts students from around the U.S. and the world.

Preparatory Reading Assignments

The Intensive Track requires pre-reading. Assignments are sent to students electronically after the close of registration for each session.

Nonprofit–Board Development/Governance

To be successful, nonprofit organizations require strong leadership from their Board of Directors. The board's responsibility is to manage the corporation which includes, but is not limited to, overseeing the senior management’s effectiveness, organizational policies and procedures, and the execution of its strategies. Learn the roles and responsibilities of the board, including its paramount duties, and why board accountability requires a fully engaged and active board of directors who manage the organization.

Discuss how you may increase board members’ commitment to the mission and purpose of your organization, and how boards must fulfill their legal and governance duties. This course addresses the following topics: the board’s role and responsibilities, the board and the executive director’s relationship, the financial and legal responsibilities of the board, and how to recruit and select good board members.

Key Learning Objectives:

• Understand the board’s roles and responsibilities
• Discuss how board accountability prompted by a nonprofit’s internal and external stakeholders requires a fully engaged and active board that manages the organization

Nonprofit-Financial Management

This course provides an understanding of financial management for nonprofits and focuses on topics integral to nonprofit fiscal management. Learn finance terms as they relate to the effective operation of a nonprofit organization. Discuss how to track income and expenses to specific programs to fulfill the expectations of funders, donors, and the IRS. The roles of the board, staff, and committees are covered. Become familiar with the standards of excellence for nonprofit organizations and understand financial statements, budgeting, and surviving an audit.

Key Learning Objectives:

• Understand how to read and interpret financial reports and records
• Gain knowledge on how to obtain the complete bottom line on programs
• Use tools and skills to give foundations the results they ask for
• Understand the year-end audit and 990

Grant Writing and Compliance

This class focuses on the important elements of a grant proposal including the cover letter, executive summary, need statement, goals and objectives, methodology, evaluation, and the budget and future funding. Learn the typical questions funders ask when considering a proposal and the criteria used. Participants will be guided through the grant’s management process - from the preparation of a grant proposal to the fiscal report preparation. Topics include monitoring and reporting requirements, budgetary management, and accountability. Practical tips for ensuring compliance and improving chances of future success will be presented. In addition to proposal writing and compliance, participants will learn strategies to diversify a nonprofit’s base through individual and corporate donor programs.

Key Learning Objectives:

• Implement effective processes & practices that lead to successful grant writing
• Conduct grant research via the Internet, publications, and other sources and prioritize prospects
• Determine the most effective writing strategies and styles for various grant applications
• Ensure compliance and report on a grant's progress and impact

Sustainable Strategic Planning

Participants explore the strategic planning process as an important tool for nonprofit organizations. The focus will be on the basic components of a strategic plan and the planning process, as well as comparing various business practice tools for an organizational assessment. Tools include the SWOT Analysis, Sustainability Matrix, and Strategy Canvas, etc. This course provides an opportunity for students to apply various tools and examine current practices in strategic planning.

Key Learning Objectives:

• Explore the components of a strategic plan process
• Apply various analysis tools

Nonprofit-Planning and Evaluation

More than ever, nonprofits are under pressure to measure and report on their impact and to “manage for results” in an era of strained resources. In this session, we will present an introduction to the basic principles underlying effective program planning and evaluation. We will explore important considerations in designing programs that effectively address clearly defined problems. We will discuss how to identify and refine a programmatic “theory of change” that traces the causal logic that connects the program’s activities to desired outcomes. Finally, we will identify fundamental considerations of planning and conducting major types of program evaluation.

Key Learning Objectives:

• Explain the significance of performance measurement for effective program management, evaluation, and reporting
• Define the core problem that a program seeks to address, along with its root causes, complicating factors, and negative effects
• Develop or refine a theory of change for designing programs and measuring performance
• List key steps in planning and conducting a formative or summative program evaluation

Employment Law for Nonprofits

Nonprofits must follow federal and state employment and labor laws. This course is designed to provide a practical overview of the main employment law issues that arise in nonprofit organizations. You will learn about state and federal laws that govern employment policies and practices as well as recommended guidelines for minimizing risk.

Key Learning Objectives:

• Understand state and federal employment laws that apply to nonprofits
• Learn best practices for hiring employees and working with volunteers
• Understand the rights and obligations within the employer-employee relationship

Social Enterprise as a Strategy for Nonprofits

Social enterprise, roughly defined as using business methods in pursuit of social impact, has grown tremendously over the past two decades. We will talk about how nonprofits are using social enterprise - it can be a way to increase unrestricted funds or to focus on operational effectiveness and efficiency. We will start with social entrepreneurship, and then move to the specifics of how this plays out for nonprofits, including some of the benefits and pitfalls of moving into social enterprise. There will be some time to consider these concepts in your organization (or a classmate's).

Key Learning Objectives:

• Understand the various forms of social enterprise
• Understand the potential benefits and pitfalls of adopting social enterprise within a nonprofit structure

Nonprofit-Human Resource Development

The ability to help people experience success at work creates benefits for employees, volunteers, leadership teams, organizations, and those whom your organization serves. This class addresses skills that can be used at an individual level to better help staff with obstacles that may affect their job performance and satisfaction.

Learn how to strategically respond to issues involving employee communication, motivation, delegation, and coaching; how to actively listen to and give constructive feedback to employees, volunteers, and clients; how to use team members’ differences to help them stay fully motivated at work; how to apply an effective step-by-step process for successful and mutually beneficial delegation with shared, defined expectations; and how to prepare for and conduct a solutions-focused coaching session that fully involves your team member to create a strategy for performance improvement.

Key Learning Objectives:

• Provide staff with constructive feedback
• Actively listen to others’ messages to more fully understand their meaning
• Discuss common motivation principles
• Align team member' motivation with their values
• Apply a step-by-step process for effective and strategic delegation
• Assess possible coaching situations to decide if coaching is necessary
• Lead a team member’s coaching session