Welcome
Requirements
For the Nonprofit Management concentration, students are expected to complete all core MPA classes, three concentration electives (below), and two at large electives.
- PA 5140 Nonprofit Management and Leadership: Analyzes the specific problems of management in nonprofit organizations, including planning, personnel, financial and policy issues. The objective of this course is for students to critically examine how individuals can effectively lead and manage nonprofit organizations. Students will learn critical skills such as how to manage staff, cultivate donors, how to build their board of directors, and how to create a strategic plan. They will learn how nonprofit managers and leader execute these skills in such a way that their constituents – donors, staff, board, clients – are motivated and inspired to dedicate their full effort toward achieving the organizational mission, are willing to take risks and innovate, and are loyal and committed to a cause championed by a leader whom they trust and feel acts toward them with empathy and emotional intelligence.
- PA 5150 Executive Nonprofit Leadership: Emphasis is on collaborative communication, emotional intelligence, the authenticity of effective nonprofit leaders, self-regulation and management, balancing work and life, and other intrapersonal and interpersonal skills nonprofit leaders need to develop sustainable relationships with staff, donors, board members, and volunteers and sustain their own motivation along the way.
- PA 5170 Nonprofit Fundraising and Grantwriting: Fundraising and grant-writing are critical and in-demand skills in both the public and private sectors. In this course, students learn various fundraising approaches including how to run successful solicitations, appeals, and campaigns. Additionally, the course addresses principles of effective grant-writing, from locating grants and developing proposals, to understanding methods of evaluation.
Note: PA 5140 is no longer a prerequisite for PA 5170 - Two electives (6 units) selected from any 5000 or 6000 level PA non-core class.
Nonprofit Career Paths
The nonprofit sector contributes an estimated $1.047.2 trillion to the U.S. economy, with over 1.54 million nonprofits registered with the IRS, according to the Urban Institute. Nonprofit organizations span various focus areas including but not limited to education, health, the environment, animal rights, sports, music, social services, and research. With such a large footprint, there are a number of career paths that students can take to become leaders in the nonprofit sector. Some popular job titles in nonprofit management include Marketing Associate, Campaign Manager, Development Director, Executive Director, Program Officer, Volunteer Services Director, Grant Administrator, Social Media Coordinator, and Special Events Coordinator.