Hocbigg - Nonprofit Management
Contents
Summary
The Nonprofit Management curriculum is a complete education in Nonprofit Management using online materials.
Organization
This repository is organized into 2 main components:
- Core Curriculum (this page): the foundational knowledge of the field;
- Advanced Topics: focused study in specific areas;
Process: Learners may work through the curriculum independently or collaboratively, and either sequentially or selectively.
- For simplicity, courses in the Core Curriculum are ordered according to their prerequisites.
- The Core Curriculum provides a shared foundation and is intended to be completed in full.
- Advanced Topics are optional; learners are encouraged to select one area of focus and complete all courses within that topic.
Note: When there are courses or books that don't fit into the curriculum but are otherwise of high quality, they belong in extras/courses, extras/readings.
Communities
- Forums:
- Subreddits:
- You can also interact through GitHub issues. If there is a problem with a course, or a change needs to be made to the curriculum, this is the place to start the conversation. Read more here.
-
Join our Discord server (for discussions around this and other curricula):
Curriculum
- Foundations of the Nonprofit Sector
- Governance, Law, and Ethics
- Financial and Human Systems
- Programs, Evaluation, and Impact
- External Relations and Resource Development
- Strategy, Leadership, and Organizational Change
- Specialized and Adjacent Domains
How to use this curriculum
Core Sections
Study them in this exact order:
-
Foundations of the Nonprofit Sector
Start here. This section explains what the nonprofit world actually is. -
Governance, Law, and Ethics
Next. You need to understand who is legally and ethically responsible for running a nonprofit. -
Financial and Human Systems
After governance, learn how nonprofits handle money and people — two areas that determine whether an organization survives. -
External Relations and Resource Development
Finally (of the core), study how nonprofits bring in the money and build relationships with the outside world.
Foundations of the Nonprofit Sector
| Subject | Book / Text | Online Resource |
|---|---|---|
| The Nonprofit Sector and Civil Society | Scope, history, nonprofit–government–market relations — Salamon, The State of Nonprofit America | Coursera – Introduction to the Nonprofit Sector (University at Buffalo, audit) |
| Mission, Values, and Organizational Purpose | Mission drift, legitimacy, public trust — Drucker, Managing the Non-Profit Organization | NonprofitReady – Mission, Vision, and Values |
Governance, Law, and Ethics
| Subject | Book / Text | Online Resource |
|---|---|---|
| Nonprofit Governance and Boards | Fiduciary duties, board–staff relations — BoardSource – Governance Knowledge Center (free) | Coursera – Introduction to Nonprofit Law (UPenn, audit) |
| Legal Structures and Compliance | Tax exemption, reporting, regulation — National Council of Nonprofits – Legal Compliance Library | NonprofitReady – Nonprofit Compliance Basics |
| Ethics, Accountability, and Power | Menzel, Ethics Management for Public and Nonprofit Managers | NonprofitReady – Ethics modules |
Financial and Human Systems
| Subject | Book / Text | Online Resource |
|---|---|---|
| Nonprofit Finance and Accounting Fundamentals | Budgets, statements, stewardship — National Council of Nonprofits – Nonprofit Finance Fundamentals | Harvard – Nonprofit Financial Stewardship (free webinar series) (Harvard Online; some free access) |
| Revenue Models and Nonprofit Economics | Young, Financing Nonprofits (open-access articles) | NonprofitReady – Revenue Diversification |
| Human Resources and Organizational Culture | Pynes, Human Resources Management for Public and Nonprofit Organizations | NonprofitReady – HR courses |
External Relations and Resource Development
| Subject | Book / Text | Online Resource |
|---|---|---|
| Fundraising and Resource Development | Sargeant & Shang, Fundraising Principles and Practice | NonprofitReady – Fundraising Pathway |
| Grant Writing and Institutional Funding | Karsh & Fox, The Only Grant-Writing Book You’ll Ever Need (Archive.org) | NonprofitReady – Grant Writing |
| Marketing, Communications, and Public Trust | Kivi Leroux Miller, The Nonprofit Marketing Guide | NonprofitReady – Marketing Essentials |