Political Science
Varner Hall, Room 418
371 Varner Drive
Rochester,
MI
48309-4482
(location map)
(248) 370-2352

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 Nonprofit Management Certificate (NPMC) program requires completion of 6 courses described 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. The NPMC program can be completed 100% online.
If you would like to receive information about this certificate program, including updates about schedules and registration, please complete our NPMC Interest Form.
Pontiac Impact Scholarship is available for those whose work benefits the citizens of Pontiac. If you are interested, complete the Student Assessment Survey and scholarship application.
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
- 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
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
25% Prepayment discount on purchase of entire certificate for Michigan Nonprofit Association Members. Login to this page at MNA for discount code.
25% Prepayment discount of purchase of entire certificate for Association of Fundraising Professionals. CFRE education points approved for these courses. Minimum 10 person cohort. (Class will begin as scheduled if 10 students have registered.)
Program Schedule:
Course Title: Management Best Practices in Nonprofit Sector
Instructor: Susan Harding
Course Dates: Sep 12, 2023 to Oct 24, 2023
Class Times: Tuesdays, 6-9 p.m.
Class Format: 100% online synchronous
Course Title: Performance Metrics in Nonprofit Management
Instructor: Flavio Di Stefano
Course Dates: October 31 to December 12, 2023
Class Times: Tuesdays, 6-9 p.m.
Class Format: 100% online synchronous
Course Title: Entrepreneurship and Fund Development
Instructor: Aimee Argel
Course Dates:January 9 - February 20, 2024
Class Times: Tuesdays, 6-9 p.m.
Class Format: 100% online synchronous
Course Title: Leadership & Human Resource Management in Nonprofit Organizations
Instructor: Maureen Rovas
Course Dates: February 27 - April 9, 2024
Class Times: Tuesdays, 6-9 p.m.
Class Format: 100% online synchronous
Course Title: Communications, Marketing and Outreach for Nonprofit Managers
Instructor: Christian Marcillo
Course Dates: April 16 - May 28, 2024
Class Times: Tuesdays, 6-9 p.m.
Class Format: 100% online synchronous
Course Title: Financial Management & Accountability for Nonprofit Managers
Instructor: David McGhee
Course Dates: June 13 - August 1, 2023 (One extra week as July 4th falls on a Tuesday)
Class Times: Tuesdays, 6-9 p.m.
Class Format: 100% online synchronous
Susan Harding, Ph.D.
Christian Marcillo
oupace@oakland.edu
(248) 370-3177