Free Nonprofit Micro-eMBA for Nonprofits – Program You Can Provide
© Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting,
LLC. Much of this program is based on materials adapted from
the Nonprofit Capacity Building Toolkit(SM)
and Field Guide to Consulting and Organizational Development
With Nonprofits.
Complete, Free Nonprofit Development Program
- As a free, self-paced program for entrepreneurs to develop
a nonprofit organization. - As a free, self-paced program to understand systems and practices
in nonprofits. - By organizations to promptly provide a nonprofit organizational
development program.
If You Want to Do the Program
- There is no enrollment needed. Just pick the modules that
you want to do, and start them. - If you are using the program to start a nonprofit, do all
the modules in the order listed in the program. - There is no certification or degree — the program is entirely
for your learning. See the links below.
If Your Organization Wants to Provide the Program
- Organizations can provide this program. Directions are provided
below. - Those organizations might evaluate learners’ results and
issue certifications, if they choose. - For more information, see the links below.
If You Are Focusing on For-Profits
See the Free Micro-eMBA(SM)
Table of Contents
Who
Who Can Benefit from Program
Results for Learners and Their Organizations
Nature of Learners Who Will — And Won’t
— Thrive in this Program
What
Program Design and Format of Learning Modules
Catalog and Links to Learning Modules
How
Cost of Program and Time to Complete
It
Please Tell Others About This Program!
Providing Program Requires Little
in Resources and Expertise — Here’s How!
Program Not to Be Used to Generate
Profits
How Do I Get Started?
Who Can Benefit From Program
- Highly motivated learners who:
– Have limited time and money
– Prefer to schedule and locate their own learning experiences
– Prefer highly practical results from programs - Nonprofit executives and board members seeking guidance
to start a nonprofit or to firm up the foundation of an already
established nonprofit - Nonprofit service providers who wish to offer highly
accessible and practical nonprofit organization development programs
in their areas - Nonprofit middle managers or entry-level personnel
who desire highly accessible and adaptable means to professional
development for advancement in their careers - Consultants and volunteers who desire understanding
of nonprofit organizations, their systems and practices, in order
to provide more effective community service
Results for Learners and Their Organizations
Personal and Organizational Outcomes (knowledge, skills and
abilities)
- Complete and careful deliberation about whether to start
a nonprofit organization - Guidance to register new nonprofit organization for incorporation,
tax-exemption, etc. - Broad understanding of their nonprofit, including structures,
systems, culture and life cycle - Basic understanding of the role of chief executive officer
- Basic skills needed to recruit the first board members and
work with the new board - Basic skills in management and leadership in order to plan,
organize, lead and coordinate activities in their nonprofit - Basic oversight and governance provided by resourced and
trained board of directors - Basic and integrated planning processes for strategic direction,
program development and marketing and evaluation, financial management,
fundraising, and staffing and supervision of employees and volunteers - Substantial cost savings from continued access to free, complete,
online materials for personal, professional and organizational
development - (Outcomes from each module are listed near the top of each
module.)
Program Outputs (tangible results)
Learners in the program produce the following results:
- Job description of chief executive officer
- Management and leadership training plans
- Complete resources to equip board members
- Training plan and materials to train the board
- Strategic plan
- Operating and program budgets
- Program design plan
- Program marketing analysis (for each service)
- Public and media relations plan
- Sales plan
- Advertising and promotions plan
- Customer service plan
- Financial report and analysis
- Fundraising plan
- Policies for staffing and supervising employees and volunteers
- Volunteer management plan
- Program evaluation plans, including outcomes-based evaluations
- Assessments of practices in areas of legal, fundraising,
financial management, staff and volunteer management, board practices,
organizational planning, program planning and program evaluation
Note that the recurring processes that produce the above items
are at least as important — if not more important — than the
items themselves. This program carefully guides the learner through
those processes.
Nature of Learners Who Will — and Won’t — Thrive in this
Program
Who Will Thrive
This highly accessible and practical program is particularly
useful for highly motivated learners who:
1. Trust their own ability to manage and carry out their own learning
2. Understand that in learning, you don’t always get what you
pay for — but you get out what you put in
3. Prefer practical results (along with powerful outcomes) from
a program, e.g., results such as plans, policies and procedures,
job descriptions, financial statements, etc.
4. Who cannot afford to pay the rapidly increasing costs of tuition
and materials
5. Who are geographically remote from educational facilities
6. Prefer to schedule and locate their own learning experiences
7. Can see the value of self-directed, “homeschooled”
learning with the support of peers in an atmosphere of trust and
confidentiality
8. Prefer to share ongoing ideas, materials and support among
peers
9. Lastly, learners will thrive in this state-of-the-art program
if they have a sense of adventure about new experiences and the
patience for learning new ways of doing things
Who Will Not Thrive
Perhaps the best way to convey the nature of people who won’t
thrive in this program is to point out certain myths that many
of us have come to believe over the years. This program will not
be appealing to people who tend to believe (consciously or unconsciously)
that:
1. The prettier the content and materials, the more valid the
content and materials
2. The more expensive the program, the more learning that will
be accomplished (the fallacy of “executive-level pricing”)
3. The more books and binders in the program, the more learning
in the program
4. Program certification and diplomas represent guaranteed learning
that was accomplished by participants in the program
5. Learning occurs primarily in a classroom
6. Educators can always manage learners’ learning better than
the learners themselves
Program Design and Format of Learning Modules
Arrangement of Modules — From Building Basics to Complete
Nonprofit Fitness Test
The program includes 12, online learning modules. Modules are “courses”
through which learners progress in the program. Materials and activities for
learning are tightly integrated with each other across various modules in the
program. A listing of the learning modules is included in the section Links to Learning Modules, which directs learners through
the learning modules. Note that learners can choose to complete modules according
to their own needs, as well.
Learners Can Start Anywhere in the Program
The program can be highly useful to learners regardless of
the order in which they go through the modules in the program.
Learning modules are arranged generally in the order needed
to develop an organization from the ground up. Learners who are
going through the program primarily as a form of training and
development can proceed in a sequential fashion through the Links to Learning Modules,
and address the a) topics for discussion and reflection and the
b) activities to build systems and practices both of which are
posed in each learning module.
Note that the activities required to build and manage a healthy
nonprofit organization are usually cyclical and highly integrated in nature —
for example, program planning often produces learning that, in
turn, polishes previous strategic planning activities. Therefore,
learners are guided to revisit certain portions of various learning
modules at various points in the program.
Format of Each Learning Module
Learning modules (other than the first and last) have the following
format:
- Introduction — explains how the module fits into
the program and the overall process of nonprofit organization
development - Outcomes — lists the new knowledge, skills, practices
and systems that learners will accomplish from completing that
module - Specific Materials for Review — references specific
and free materials needed to respond to all suggested topics
for discussion and reflection and to the learning activities
to build basic systems and practices - Specific Topics and Questions for Reflection and Discussion
— highlights key concepts to understand about the overall topic
of the learning module - Specific Activities to Build Systems and Practices
— guides the learner to develop the basic systems and practices
to successfully build and manage the nonprofit - Assessments — helps the learner measure and / or
evaluate extent of application of that topic to the learner’s
nonprofit - Tracking Open Action Items — guides the learner throughout
the program to consistently record and track any incomplete action
items remaining from the current and previous learning modules - Reminders to Learners — some of the modules pose
miscellaneous reminders for learners to ensure they’re using
information and skills from previous learning modules
Links to Learning Modules
The Free Nonprofit Micro-eMBA has numerous modules that pertain to program development.
Each of the modules suggests specific materials for
review, specific topics for discussion and reflection, and specific
activities to develop basic systems and practices. Various modules
also include assessments and guidelines to record and monitor
action items from current and previous learning modules.
Module
1: Program Orientation — Getting the Most from This Program
- Guidelines for You to Get the Most from this Program
- Tips to Improve Your Reading and Studying Skills
- Extensive Free, Online Resources for You
- Design Your Best Approach to the Program
Module
2: Starting & Understanding Your Nonprofit
Starting Your Nonprofit:
- Clarify What You Mean by “Nonprofit”
- Decide if You Are an Entrepreneur
- Decide If Should You Start with Fiscal Sponsorship
- Get Guidelines to Incorporation and Tax-Exemption
Understanding Your Nonprofit:
- Know How to Classify Your Nonprofit With the IRS
- Recognize Key Roles in Your Nonprofit
- Learn Basic Structures in Your Nonprofit
- Recognize the Life Cycle of Your Nonprofit
- Classify the Culture of Your Nonprofit
- Verify Your Nonprofit Meets Regulations
Module
3: Understanding the Role of Chief Executive
- Learn What a Chief Executive Officer Is
- Understand Major Functions of CEO
- Understand Core Knowledge and Skills for CEO Role
- Be Prepared for Building Your Board
- Set Basis for Strong Board-Staff Relationships
- Avoid “Founder’s Syndrome”
Module
4: Developing Your Basic Management & Leadership Skills
Gain Basic Skills in:
- Problem Solving and Decision Making
- Planning
- Delegation
- Internal Communications
- Meeting Management
- Managing Yourself
Optional:
- Review Advanced Topics in Management and Leadership
- Design Your Management and Leadership Development Plans
Module
5: Building and Training Your Board of Directors
- Understand Roles and Responsibilities of a Board
- Adopt Board Policies
- Build Board Committees
- Recruit New Board Members
- Ensure Strong Participation of Board Members
- Prepare for Board and CEO Evaluations
- Build Board Calendar to Schedule All Operations
- Organize a Board Manual
- Train Board Members
- Assess the Health of Your Board Practices
Module
6: Developing Your Strategic Plan
- Understand the Strategic Planning Process
- Draft Your Mission, Vision and Values Statements
- Conduct Basic Strategic Analysis
- Set Strategic Direction
- Conduct Action Planning
- Draft an Operating Budget
- Write and Communicate Your Plan
- Monitor and Evaluate Your Strategic Plan
- Evaluate Your Strategic Planning Practice
Module
7: Developing and Marketing Your Programs
- Understand Program Design
- Construct a Program Logic Model
- Clarify Program Outcomes, Goals and Strategies
- Conduct Basic Market Analysis for Each Program
- Draft Your Public and Media Relations Plan
- Draft Your Sales Plan
- Draft Your Advertising and Promotions Plan
- Organize Your Marketing and Promotions Plan
- Evaluate Your Program Planning Practices
Module
8: Managing Your Nonprofit’s Finances and Taxes
Financial Management
- Learn Basics of Bookkeeping and Finances
- Understand Budgeting and Deviation Analysis
- Understand Basic Cash Management Practices
- Recognize Major Nonprofit Financial Statements
- Know Basics of Nonprofit Financial Analysis
- Evaluate Your Financial Management Practices
Managing Taxes
- Know Key Steps to Apply for Tax-Exempt Status
- Access Form to File Form 990
- Know When Unrelated Business Income Applies
- Know Terms of Lobby and Advocacy
- Evaluate Your Tax Management Practices
Module
9: Developing Your Fundraising Plan
- Learn Common Sources of Funding
- Understand Board’s Role in Fundraising
- Assess if You’re Ready for Fundraising
- Learn Who Should Ask for Money, How Much
- Recognize Best Practices in Annual Appeals, Events, Major Gifts and Capital
Campaigns - Learn Key Components of Grant Proposals
- Draft Your Fundraising Plan
- Evaluate Your Fundraising Practices
Module
10: Supervising Your Employees and Volunteers
Supervising Staff, Including How to:
- Define New Job Roles
- Recruit Job Candidates
- Screen Applicants
- Orient New Employees
- Delegate to Employees
- Ensure Strong Performance
- Fire Employees
- Compile Personnel Policies and Samples
- Evaluate Your Supervisory Practices
Supervising Volunteers, Including How to:
- Design Your Volunteer Program
- Decide Where Volunteers Can Help
- Recruit and Screen Volunteers
- Ensure Strong Performance
- Recognize Common Risks and Liabilities
- Evaluate Your Volunteer Management Practices
Module
11: Designing Your Program Evaluation Plans
General Program Evaluation
- Understanding Program Evaluation, Goals and Types
- Gain Overview of Data Collection Methods
- Understand Guidelines for Analyzing, Interpreting and Reporting Information
- Recognize Pitfalls to Avoid
- Evaluate Your Program Planning and Evaluation Practices
Outcomes-Based Evaluations
- Get Ready for Your Outcomes Planning
- Select Your Outcomes and Target Outcomes
- Develop Your Logic Model
- Identify Indicators for Each of Your Target Outcomes
- Decide What Data You Need and How You Will Collect It
- Gain Guidelines for Your Data Analyses
- Draft Your Outcomes-Based Evaluation Report
Module
12: Conducting Final Fitness Test of Your Nonprofit
Evaluate Quality of:
- Compliance to Laws and Regulations
- Board Operations
- Supervisory Practices
- Strategic, Program and Personnel Planning
- Financial Management
- Fundraising Practices
Optional:
Module 13: Managing Ethics in the Workplace
Set Up Systems to Manage Ethics, Including:
- What is Business Ethics?
- Myths About Business Ethics
- 10 Benefits of Managing Ethics
- Ethics Management System
- 8 Guidelines for Managing Ethics
- 6 Key Roles and Responsibilities
- Codes of Ethics
- Codes of Conduct
- Ethics Policies and Procedures
- Resolving Ethical Dilemmas
- Conduct Ethics Training
Cost of Program and Time to Complete It
Program Costs
The cost of the program depends very much on how the learner
chooses to go through the program. If the learner chooses to go
through the program on their own (rather than, for example, as
part of a group of learners sponsored by a local service provider),
the program is entirely free. Otherwise, program costs are determined
by the local service provider who sponsors the program.
Time to Complete Program
Learners can go through all of the modules in the program or
they can choose their own set of modules and how those modules
will be completed. Consequently, the amount of time to complete
the program depends very much on how the learner chooses to go
through the program. The more time and energy that learners invest
in the program, the more they will learn and accomplish for their
organizations and careers.
Many of the learning activities in this program are activities
that organizational leaders and managers should do in the workplace
anyway to develop a healthy organization. Consequently, time in
the program to conduct these learning activities should not be
viewed only as “time in the program”; rather, this program
helps learners turn their organizations and careers into “learning
labs” where they get things done — and learn at the same
time.
As a very rough estimate, learners can spend anywhere from
10-40 hours in each module — again this amount of time depends
very much on how thorough learners are in reviewing learning materials
and conducting activities to deepen and enrich that learning.
Certain modules include more learning activities than others.
Therefore, the program sponsor and learners may choose to dedicate
more than one meeting for these modules. For more information,
Suggested Number of Meetings Per Learning Module
in Here’s How to Provide the Program.
Please Tell Others About This Program!
- The vast majority of nonprofit organizations have very limited
time and money — yet the majority of these nonprofits still
do not tap the vast reserve of free resources available on the
Internet and Web! Please help spread the word! - Please print out this program flyer and place copies appropriately
around your nonprofit community. - If you know of service providers who will see value in providing
this nature of program, please tell them. You might suggest they
read the program description at https://staging.management.org/freenonprofittraining/program-description.htm - If you’re a service provider to nonprofits, please consider
offering this program as a service in your area.
Thank you!!!
Providing the Program Requires Little in Resources and Expertise!
Providing the program in your area requires little in resources
and expertise. See Here’s How to Provide the Program.
Within certain limits, I can also work with you to customize
the program to suit your needs, if needed. For example, you may
want to modify certain topics.
Program Not to Be Used Primarily to Generate Profits
This program was developed on a pro bono basis as a service
to the nonprofit community. The study materials for the program
are contained in the Free Management Library, also developed as
a pro bono service. Because of the pro bono nature of the program
and its resources, the program should not be used primarily
to generate profits. Specifically, any fees to learners to
participate in this program should be no more than the very low
costs incurred to provide and operate the program.
How Do I Get Started?
- Begin proceeding through the modules by referencing the Links to Learning Modules.
For the Category of Personal Development:
To round out your knowledge of this Library topic, you may
want to review some related topics, available from the link below.
Each of the related topics includes free, online resources.
Also, scan the Recommended Books listed below. They have been
selected for their relevance and highly practical nature.