Nonprofit Management Certificate

Gain the Skills You Need To Thrive In the Nonprofit Industry

Our online Nonprofit Management Certificate program is designed to help you build the professional and practical skills and knowledge needed to support the sustainability and growth of nonprofit organizations.

Offered by the University of San Diego’s Division of Professional and Continuing Education in partnership with the university’s highly regarded School of Leadership and Education Sciences, Department of Leadership Studies, this multi-course certificate program provides a high-quality learning experience focused on the following essential areas:

• Fundraising
• Managing nonprofit teams
• Attracting/retaining volunteers
• Building effective boards
• Marketing and much more

Certificate Requirements

To earn a professional certificate in Nonprofit Management, participants must:

• Complete the eight required courses
• Complete all coursework with a final grade of C or better
• Submit a one-time certificate fee of $45

Learn more about the University of San Diego’s Professional and Continuing Education Certificate Benefits and Policies.

Learning Method Information

Online Fixed-Date

Online Fixed-Date: Online fixed-date courses offer a convenient, yet rigorous style of learning that enables you to collaborate with your instructor and other students in a shared, online learning environment. These courses have fixed start and finish dates, but as an online student you will have 24/7 online access to your classroom assignments, syllabus and course resources. Our online fixed-date courses allow you to work on your assignments anytime, although you are required to complete the assignments by specific dates.

How is the learning structured? In an online fixed-date course, you and your classmates will proceed through the curriculum together, collaborating in a shared learning experience. Each online fixed-date course is asynchronous, meaning that you can work on your assignments anytime, although required to complete the assignments by specific dates. The course is designed with learning modules where all of the content is grouped into weekly assignments. Each module covers one or more topics. Within each of the learning modules, you can expect the following components:

• Module introduction that outlines what you can expect to learn in the module.
• Required readings (textbook, articles, journals, etc.) and presentations (audio and/or video).
• Assignments with due dates (which may include: written assignments, journal entries, research, blogs, etc.) based on the readings and presentations.
• Discussion forum where you answer prompts from the instructor and interact with your classmates.
• Module conclusion to review the topics and what you should have learned.
• Typically, there is a final project, paper, or exam due in the last module that culminates all of the topics covered in each of the learning modules. You’ll find that the design of the learning modules has a rhythm to help you manage your time in the course.

Nonprofit Management Certificate Program Curriculum

The Management Certificate Program consists of eight online “fixed date” courses spanning the full spectrum of the nonprofit management experience. All eight are required to earn your certificate, however, the courses may also be taken individually:

• Overview of the Nonprofit Sector
• Introduction to Fundraising
• Introduction to Nonprofit Financial Management
• Attracting and Retaining Volunteers
• Developing Effective Nonprofit Boards
• Fundamentals of Program Evaluation
• Marketing Essentials for Nonprofit Professionals
• Nonprofit Grantwriting

Benefits of USD’s Online Nonprofit Management Certificate Program

Here are some of the most compelling reasons to enroll in the University of San Diego’s Nonprofit Management Certificate program: 

• Improve your ability to champion a cause
• Increase the likelihood of campaign success
• Build a productive board that can help lead your nonprofit to the next level
• Recognize internal controls, implement fund accounting best practices, and develop effective financial tools and budgets
• Build your organization’s brand with marketing strategies designed to differentiate your organization and boost brand awareness
• Make an even more significant positive impact in the community that you serve
• Earn a national nonprofit credential in conjunction with this certificate program. Students completing the USD Nonprofit certificate program are eligible to obtain a national credential from the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance (NLA) with this program.

Instructors

Professional development courses offered by the University of San Diego’s Division of Professional & Continuing Education are taught by faculty that possess a depth and breadth of academic and real-world professional experience.

Frequently Asked Questions