The Nonprofit Leadership Certificate: From Credits to Career

By

Francinia D. McKeithan

A paper submitted to the faculty of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Public Administration

Spring 2011

This paper represents work done by a UNC-Chapel Hill Master of Public Administration student. It is not a formal report of the Institute of Government, nor is it the work of School of Government faculty.

Executive Summary

The Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Program at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) has risen to answer the nonprofit sector's call for the professional skill development nonprofits need to manage their organizations. Since its origin in 1995, over 110 students have completed the program. The purpose of this study was to examine the knowledge and skills gained from completion of the Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Program and to assess the Certificate’s relevance to alumni careers with specific focus on alumni working in the nonprofit sector. Responses were collected from a pool of 101 certificate alumni at a 48.5% response rate. Overall, respondents expressed satisfaction with the effect the Nonprofit Leadership Certificate, with 86% of those surveyed noting satisfaction with the Certificate’s effect on their professional lives. This paper examines the survey responses, draws program specific conclusions based on the responses, makes connections to existing literature, and provides recommendations for future study.

Background The Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Program (“The Program”) began in 1995. Since that time, the Program has focused on preparing students for leadership roles in North Carolina's nonprofit sector. The Program is interdisciplinary and draws upon the expertise of faculty from the University's Schools of Business, Information and Library Science, Law, Public Health, Social Work, and Government, as well as professionals in public agencies, foundations, businesses and the nonprofit community. After completing the Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Program, graduates have been exposed to a variety of competitive skills, including how to:

• Analyze financial statements, • Develop strategic marketing, advocacy and fundraising plans, • Understand 501(c) (3) compliance issues, • Work with and develop a board of directors, • Effectively develop and manage staff, and • Work with the media.

Lastly, the Program exists in a state with over 10,000 nonprofits.1 According to the Employment Security Commission, nonprofits provide over 400,000 jobs – almost 10% of all jobs in N.C. Furthermore, the nonprofit sector puts $33 billion into the state’s economy each year.

Problem Statement In 2001, the MPA program facilitated focus groups of Nonprofit Leadership Certificate graduates to inform curriculum development for the Program. Thirteen individuals with graduate level degrees who were involved in nonprofit management attended the two groups. The focus groups communicated the need for additional training in Fundraising and Development, Personnel and Human Resource Management, Managing Technology, and Strategic Planning. Members of the group also expressed a desire for networking and maintaining a network of support for Program alumni. No other examination of UNC’s Nonprofit Leadership Certificate had been completed since this time. Moreover, the Program had no documented measure of the manner in which alumni careers have benefited from the knowledge and skills gained from Certificate coursework prior to this investigation.

Research Question and Hypothesis What career benefits do alumni of the Nonprofit Certificate Leadership Program report? My hypothesis was that those alumni working Middle or Executive/Senior Management positions in nonprofit organizations would report satisfaction with the benefit of the knowledge and skills gained from the Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Program at a higher rate than alumni that were not in similar positions. A second hypothesis was that alumni would say that they have benefitted from the focus and content of the Certificate’s required coursework by using that knowledge and skill in their career work.

Research Design and Limitations The survey tool (Appendix A) was adapted from the Kellogg Alumni Survey, as discussed by Larson (2002), Fletcher (2005), and Herman & Renz (2007), for use among the alumni of the UNC Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Program. The analysis included 26 items that asked alumni to assess the extent to which they learned about specific NACC2 standards through formal course work in the Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Program.3

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Data Collection & Sampling Of the total 113 alumni listed in the School of Social Work’s database, contact information was confirmed for 101 prospective participants.4 The questionnaires were delivered to the potential 101 subjects using the Qualtrics electronic survey mailer. Response Rate and Respondent Demographics 49 alumni completed the survey. This represents a 48.5% (49/101) total response rate.5 Alumni were asked questions about their age, gender, educational background, current and past employment, and program affiliation.

Gender: Survey respondents were significantly more likely to be female (81%) than male (19%). Age: Most respondents were between the ages of 30 and 39 (51%). The next largest response group was alumni between the ages of 20 and 29 (33%). Education: 14 of those surveyed were affiliated with the Master’s Program at the School of Social Work. The second largest cohorts were composed of students that graduated from the Master of Public Administration and the School of Law (6 alumni each). Employment: 13% indicated Executive/Senior Management positions, while 35% designated positions in Middle Management. Program Characteristics: Respondents were concentrated among more recent graduates: 2010 (9 respondents), 2004 (7 respondents), 2007 (5 respondents), and 2006 (5 respondents) respectively. No responses were from alumni who completed the Program prior to 2000.

Literature Review The first conference addressing university-based programs in nonprofit management education was convened in San Francisco during 1988. In the years that followed, numerous academic conferences were held specifically to discuss nonprofit management education. Scholars have written about the number of Nonprofit Master’s degree programs, where these programs are housed, and the types of courses offered in these programs.6 However, information on the outcomes and impacts of university based graduate nonprofit degree programs has been scarce. The 1980s and 1990s saw the beginning and rapid expansion of nonprofit management education. The field was virtually nonexistent in 1980; by the year 2000, the literature on the topic focused on practical concerns including program rationale, curriculum, faculty, students, funding, alumni and employer satisfaction, and the best place for such programs within universities. The first attempt to determine the success of a nonprofit management degree program did not occur until 1992. Crowder and Hodgkinson reported the results of a survey of faculty and directors that showed respondents were optimistic about the success of their programs. Indicators identified as measures of success included:

• Understanding and appreciation for nonprofits gained by students; • Greater awareness of students of the sector’s critical role in society; • Involvement of professionals from the nonprofit sector in these programs; • Continued success and growth in enrollment; • Growth in number of classes, students, and projects; • A stronger and more involved group of students to advocate for nonprofit causes; and • Increased acceptance of nonprofit issues as legitimate questions of public good and service

delivery by the department, the college, and areas of state and local government. The results of this study pointed to the excitement generated by the development of these programs, but did not address the question of impact.

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In 1996, a flood of research and information was generated when the University of San Francisco held a second conference on nonprofit management education. Amid these papers were several that focused on the design of nonprofit management programs through an analysis of stakeholder, but not alumni, views.7 Mirabella and Wish conducted interviews at 10 locations where universities offered some type of master’s degree with an emphasis on nonprofit management or a separate nonprofit management degree.8 This study, conducted in 1999, marked the first study of the outcomes of nonprofit management education. Alumni of the programs agreed that indicators of program effectiveness included enhanced networking opportunities, acquisition of requisite management skills, and employment/career advancement. The Building Bridges Initiative Cluster Evaluation9 surveyed alumni from six nonprofit management graduate and certificate programs affiliated with the Building Bridges Initiative. The most important finding in this study was the ample evidence that alumni had garnered new skills and were thinking and acting differently because of these skills. Alumni reported increased confidence in their management abilities along with gained ability in applying theory to practice. Moreover, these alumni spoke of new or improved skills in strategic planning, human resources, fundraising, budgeting, and proposal writing. In 2005, Fletcher surveyed alumni of three of the oldest and largest nonprofit management master’s degree programs. Respondents gave positive responses about the degree to which the program prepared them for a managerial position, increased their knowledge relevant to their careers, and prepared them for managing the internal and external functions of nonprofit organizations. Herman and Renz10 later considered the implications for curricular content of nonprofit management programs drawing on a survey of 88 alumni of a Master of Public Administration program with an emphasis in nonprofit management. These implications included decisions about course changes, justifications for special course topics, and the placement of nonprofit management education within programs of various disciplines.

Methods of Analysis The previous paragraphs featured past research on nonprofit management education. In my research, analysis of quantitative data involved descriptive statistics, including frequencies, cross tabulations, and means in addition to inferential statistics such as tests for measures of correlation between variables.

Findings The most distinguishing characteristics among all survey respondents were that:

• 63% are currently employed with a nonprofit organization. • 48% are working in positions of Middle to Senior/Executive Management • 94% were satisfied with the overall progression of their career path.

Career Impact It is clear from the survey results that alumni thought the Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Program had a positive effect on their careers. Overall, 45 of the 49 respondents reported at least one of the following since attending the program (Appendix D):

• 24% become more aware of career options; • 38% expressed increased clarity regarding their career direction; • 40% felt that they were well-prepared for a management position in a nonprofit organization; • 51% felt that they were more likely to assume or had already assumed a leadership role in a

nonprofit organization. While 86% of all respondents professed satisfaction with the Certificate’s benefit to their careers, 82% of those currently working in nonprofit organizations were satisfied with the Certificate’s benefit to their professional life. In addition to this, 97% of those working in nonprofits report satisfaction with the overall progression of their careers (Appendix C).

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Knowledge and Skills Gained from Coursework Alumni working in nonprofit organizations were asked to what degree the eighteen areas contributed to their knowledge and skills (Appendix B, Table B1). Responses ranged from 1 to 10. A level 1 response denoted coursework contributed “not at all” to the respondent’s knowledge or skill in the area and 10 meant coursework contributed “a great deal.”11 Thus, the higher the mean score for an area of the curriculum, the more alumni perceive the program’s contribution to that specific set of knowledge and skills. The area of knowledge/skill with the highest mean was Nonprofit Legal Structure (M= 7.31). Importance of Knowledge and Skills to Work Alumni working in nonprofit organizations were also asked to indicate how important each of the eighteen knowledge and skill areas was to their work (Appendix B, Table B2) using the 1 to 10 response range described above. The area of knowledge/skill with the highest mean value for importance to their current work was Program Development and Management (M=8.25). Comparison of Knowledge and Skills Gained to Importance of Knowledge and Skills to Work A side by side comparison of the mean values and the differences in means for Program contribution and importance to work of each knowledge and skill area can be found in Appendix B, Table 3. Interestingly, the highest difference between mean scores was found in the area of Nonprofit Legal Structure, a difference of -2.75. Respondents felt that they gained considerable knowledge and skill from the Certificate’s coursework on Nonprofit Legal Structure, but many did not find this knowledge/skill area to be nearly as important to their current work. Similarly, respondents working in nonprofit organizations said they learned more about Accounting (difference in means = -1.16) and Fundraising and Development (-0.48) than is important to their current work. In contrast, those respondents working in nonprofits found some knowledge/skills to be of greater importance to their current work than the contributions from Certificate coursework. These included Media and Public Relations (difference in means = 2.19), Marketing (1.75), Information Systems Development and Management (1.62), and Program Development and Management (1.58). In order to measure the association between respondents’ perceived importance of various management functions and the degree to which the Certificate helped them develop that skill, Pearson’s Correlation Coefficients were computed for each of the 18 knowledge and skill areas. (Appendix B, Table B 4) Of the completed correlations, 14 out of 18 had r values below .50 and reflect low to moderate correlations between the compared sets of scores.12 Low correlations indicate that high scores in one variable are not strongly associated with high scores for another variable. Moderate correlations point to moderate associations between variables. Accounting, Public Policy Advocacy, Ethics and Values, and Nonprofit Legal Structure were the areas with the strongest relationship between knowledge/skills gained from the Curriculum and importance in the respondent’s current work. Several factors play into these correlations including alumni employment position, time since completing the certificate, and the respondent’s application and retention of Certificate coursework and may explain these varied responses. Cross tabulation was also used to explore several relationships present in this study (Appendix C). One finding from this examination is that that those in Middle Management to Executive/Senior positions did not profess more associated benefit from certificate learning (45.7%, N= 41) than those working in nonsupervisory positions. There is also a strong relationship between employment in nonprofits and career satisfaction (Appendix C, Cross Tabulation 4). Of the 30 respondents working in nonprofit organizations, only one expressed dissatisfaction with the progression of his/her career path. The direction and focus provided by the Certificate (and reported by respondents) are likely to have contributed to this high level of satisfaction. Satisfaction with Program Elements Appendix D shows alumni satisfaction with various elements of the Program. It includes a combination of interpersonal elements, such as collaboration and faculty mentoring, as well as academic elements.

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Many reported having a greater understanding of the work that nonprofits do as well as the practical skills needed for work in nonprofit organizations. Conversely, there were several program elements that alumni wanted added or changed. These concerns and suggestions are reported in Appendix E, Tables 1 and 2. Key findings included the demand for amplified connections between theory and practice, coordination across programs, increased networking opportunities, and greater emphasis on program development and grant writing.

Conclusion and Recommendations One research question guided this research: What career benefits do alumni of the Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Program report? From this research question, two hypotheses emerged. One hypothesis proposed that alumni working in Middle to Executive/Senior Management positions in nonprofit organizations would report benefits of the knowledge and skills gained from the Program at a higher rate than alumni that are not in similar positions. This hypothesis was not supported from the findings of this report. Alumni that are working in Operations and Non-Management positions in nonprofit organizations report benefits of the skills and knowledge gained from Certificate Program at a higher rate than those working in Middle to Executive/Senior Management positions. Additionally, many of the respondents who are not working in nonprofits report significant benefits that they attribute to the knowledge and skills gained from Certificate coursework. The second hypothesis was that alumni would say that they have benefitted from the focus and content of the Certificate’s required coursework by using that knowledge and skill in their work. Alumni found course content current, instructional quality high, and coursework connected to practice. Although there were differences in the mean scores for each area of knowledge and skill, alumni have gained knowledge and skills from Certificate coursework that they are able to use in both nonprofit and private sectors. However, there is still a need for more involved programmatic linkages between practice and knowledge such as collaboration between students and local nonprofit organizations (Appendix E, Table E 1) Furthermore, many alumni expressed a desire for increased opportunities for networking among students in the Certificate Program in addition to opportunities for networking with nonprofit executives. This desire was also expressed in studies conducted by Mirabella and Wish (1999), Larson (2002), and the study of the Certificate Program that was conducted in 2001. The high number of requests for networking opportunities present among this study’s respondents highlights a need in the Program that is still going unmet. Strategic changes will be required in order to respond to these requests. The Program can offer more networking opportunities, but these events will not be cost effective if students do not actually attend. Because of the interdisciplinary structure of the Program, there may be additional difficulty identifying an optimum location/time for such an event to take place. Also, any course offerings/faculty additions will be restricted given the University’s current budget limitations. Future exploration of the Program should focus attention on the employee knowledge and skills that nonprofits in North Carolina seek. If the Program desires stay true to its mission to educate leaders for work in the state’s nonprofit sector, the program should survey organizations in the state to ensure that it maintains and develops a curriculum that is aligned with the needs of the sector. Further research could explore the NACC quality indicators and craft a survey that would be distributed a survey among these organizations. The Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Program does prepare students to meet the demand for well trained nonprofit leaders in the state of North Carolina. The Program provides a plethora of learning opportunities for students/professionals who choose to either complete the Certificate in its entirety or enroll in select courses. Much like the credits offered, no two careers are just alike. Each participant takes his/her learning from the Certificate and transitions into a career.

1 North Carolina Center for Nonprofits, 2010 2 Nonprofit Academic Centers Council 3 Components of the survey included: Background Information, Application to and Preparation for Practice, Career Impact, Program Experience and Satisfaction, and Demographic Information. The survey contained yes/no questions, multiple-choice questions and rating scale questions, along with open-ended questions. 4 To verify the most recent contact information for graduates of the program, contact information was obtained from the School of Social Work’s Alumni Office. 5 This study included several limitations. First, many of the questions in the survey tool examined elements of satisfaction with the Nonprofit Leadership Certificate. “Satisfaction” is limited to each individual’s interpretation of the term, and there is no definite way of knowing the specific aspect each respondent had in mind when he/she responded to the online survey questions nor can we assert that respondents would answer as they did on the initial survey if they were asked to respond to the same questions again. As with any survey, this appraisal was limited in its ability to show causality. While this study has shown that alumni possessing the Certificate of Nonprofit Leadership express satisfaction with their careers after having participated in the certificate program, it cannot ascertain that obtaining the certificate is, in fact, what led alumni to actual satisfaction with the certificate’s benefits to their career. Further, a selection bias exists given that those who are most satisfied with their careers, university affiliation, and/or those who are still working in nonprofit organizations may have been more likely to respond to this survey because of their positive associations with these experiences. 6 Rubin, Adamski, and Block, 1989; Heimovics and Herman, 1989; Hall, 1994 7 Tschirhart, 1998; Renz, 1996 8 Mirabella and Wish, 1999 9 Larson, 2002 10 Herman & Renz, 2007 11 It is important to note that for Likert scale variables, the mean score should be viewed with caution. This is because Likert scales are not interval level scales, and the concept of a mean requires that intervals be uniform. For the purpose of this project, the average values for each of the learning outcomes are presented with the intention of ranking how well the program is working to enhance student abilities on the various learning outcomes. 12 Based on Pearson Correlation interpretation for social sciences

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Acknowledgements: Countless thanks are due to the members of my Capstone committee (chair Margaret Henderson, Mat Despard, and Gordon Whitaker) for their crucial input and guidance offered during this process. I also thank Teresa Edwards, of the Odum Institute, for her thoughts and feedback in crafting and implementing the survey. Lastly, I want to thank the alumni of the Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Program who gladly took the time to thoughtfully reflect on their experiences with the Program.

Appendix A

UNC Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Program Alumni Survey

Note: the following questions are adapted from the 2001 Kellogg Alumni Survey as discussed by Larson (2002),

Fletcher (2005) and Herman & Renz (2007).

Part 1: Background Information 1. Are you currently employed with a nonprofit organization? Y/N

a. If no, please indicate your employment situation: (Please select all that apply if working more than one position)

i. Employed in local, state or federal government ii. Employed by a private company

iii. Self-employed iv. Student in higher education v. Not currently working

2. If Yes, which of the following sectors best describes the nonprofit organization in which you are

employed? a. Culture, and Humanities b. Education c. Environment d. Animal Related e. Healthcare f. Mental Health and Crisis Intervention g. Diseases , Disorders, and Medical Disciplines h. Medical Research i. Crime and Legal Related j. Employment k. Food, Agriculture, and Nutrition l. Housing and Shelter m. Human Services n. International, Foreign Affairs o. Civil Rights, Social Action, & Advocacy p. Community Improvement and Capacity Building q. Philanthropy, Voluntarism, & Grantmaking Foundations r. Science and Technology s. Social Science t. Public and Societal Benefit u. Religion Related v. Mutual/Membership Benefit w. Other

3. What is your organization’s current annual operating budget?

a. Less than $100,000 b. $100,000 - $500,000 c. $501,000 - $3 million d. $3 million - $10 million e. More than $10 million

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4. How many years have you been with your current employer?

a. 1 year or less b. 2-3 years c. 4 – 8 years d. 9 years or more

5. Which of the following best describes your level of responsibility in your current job?

a. Executive/Senior Management b. Middle Management c. Operations d. Other ______________________________

6. What best describes the focus of your work in your current position? a. Overall Agency Performance Yes No b. Financial Management Yes No c. Development/Fundraising/Marketing Yes No d. Program Planning/Evaluation Yes No e. Program/Service Delivery Yes No f. Other – please specify:

7. Overall, how satisfied are you in the progression of your career path?

Not at all Satisfied Somewhat Satisfied Very Satisfied

1----------2----------3----------4---------5----------6----------7----------8----------9---------10

8. Since you completed the Nonprofit Leadership Certificate, how many years (in total) have you been employed in the nonprofit sector?

a. 1 year – 3 years b. 4 – 8 years c. 9 years or more

9. Before you completed the Nonprofit Leadership Certificate, how many years were you employed in the nonprofit sector?

a. 0 – 3 years b. 4 – 8 years c. 9 years or more

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Part 2: Application to and Preparation for Practice

10. Indicate below how important each of the following areas of knowledge and skill is to your work and how much certificate courses contributed to your knowledge and skill in each area.

Not at All Somewhat A Great Deal

1-----2-----3-----4-----5-----6-----7-----8-----9-----10

How important is this skill/function to you in your nonprofit work?

How much did certificate courses help you to develop this skill?

Fundraising and development Program development and management

Staff supervision and professional development

Board development Nonprofit—government relations Strategic planning Budgeting Accounting

Nonprofit legal structure (e.g., incorporation, tax law)

Ethics and values Proposal writing Marketing Media and public relations Volunteer management Organizational development Public policy advocacy Program evaluation Information systems development and management

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Part 3: Career Impact

11. How has the UNC Nonprofit Leadership Certificate program affected your career? (Check all that apply) • I became more aware of career options. • I became clearer about my career direction. • I became more likely to assume, or have already assumed, a leadership role in a nonprofit

organization. • I became more likely to be, or have already been, promoted within my organization. • I became well-prepared for a management position in nonprofit organization. • It has not affected my career plans.

Part 4: Program Experience and Satisfaction 12. When you were enrolled in the UNC Nonprofit Leadership Certificate program, overall, how

satisfied were you with the following?

Not at All Satisfied Somewhat Satisfied Very Satisfied 1-----2-----3-----4-----5-----6-----7-----8-----9-----10

• Connection of coursework to practice • Involvement of practitioners in the program • Currency of course content • Quality of Instruction • Scheduling of class times • Relationships with other students • Relationships with faculty • Academic rigor of the program

13. Have you been satisfied with the effect the UNC Nonprofit Leadership Certificate program has had on your professional life? Why or why not?1

14. What was the most helpful part of the program?

15. If there was one thing you would change about the program, what would it be?

16. If there was one topic related to nonprofit leadership that you would add to the curriculum, what would it be?

1 From Fletcher (2005)

Part 5: Demographic Information

17. Demographics: a. Please indicate your age?

i. 20-29 ii. 30-39

iii. 40-49 iv. 50-59 v. 60 or above

b. What is your gender? i. Male

ii. Female

18. In what year did you complete the Nonprofit Leadership Certificate?

19. What was your student status while earning the Nonprofit Leadership Certificate?

a. Graduate student Specify Program(s): b. Continuing Studies (Part Time Classroom Studies) student

20. What is your highest level of education?

a. Bachelor’s degree b. Master’s degree or equivalent c. JD d. MD, PhD or other Doctoral-level degree

Appendix B Table B 1 Knowledge and Skill Gained from Coursework As reported by alumni working in nonprofit organizations 

 

  Min Value 

Max Value 

Average Value 

Standard Deviation 

# of Responses* 

Fund‐raising and Development  1 10 6.70  2.36 23

Program Development and Management  1 10 6.67  2.10 24

Staff Supervision & Professional Development  1 10 6.10  2.36 21

Board Development  2 10 6.00  2.25 16

Nonprofit/Government Relations  1 10 4.37  2.73 19

Strategic Planning  2 10 6.19  2.40 26

Budgeting   1 10 6.24  2.23 21

Accounting  1 10 5.42  2.46 19

Nonprofit Legal Structure  2 10 7.31  2.44 16

Ethics and Values  2 10 6.09  2.17 23

Proposal Writing  1 10 5.00  3.10 17

Marketing  1 10 5.63  2.66 16

Media and Public Relations  1 10 4.56  2.63 16

Volunteer Management  1 10 5.93  2.59 14

Organizational Development  1 10 6.79  1.96 19

Public Policy Advocacy  1 9 4.35  2.37 17

Program Evaluation  1 10 6.36  2.36 22Information Systems  Development and Management  1 9 4.00  2.16 13

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Appendix B Table B 2

Knowledge and Skill Important to Work As reported by alumni working in nonprofit organizations 

 

  Min Value 

Max Value 

Average Value 

Standard Deviation 

# of Responses 

Fund‐raising and Development  1  10  6.22  2.63  23Program Development and Management  1  10  8.25  2.38  24Staff Supervision & Professional Development  1  10  7.33  2.50  21Board Development  2  10  6.06  3.19  16Nonprofit/Government Relations  1  10  4.74  3.07  19Strategic Planning  2  10  6.69  2.13  26Budgeting   1  10  7.00  2.53  21Accounting  1  10  4.26  2.64  19Nonprofit Legal Structure  2  10  4.56  2.63  16Ethics and Values  2  10  6.61  2.90  28Proposal Writing  1  10  6.29  3.04  22Marketing  1  10  7.38  3.05  16Media and Public Relations  1  10  6.75  2.70  16Volunteer Management  1  10  6.00  3.21  14Organizational Development  1  10  6.95  2.68  19Public Policy Advocacy  1  9  5.24  3.13  17Program Evaluation  1  10  7.09  2.29  22Information Systems  Development and Management  1  9  5.62  3.12  13

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Appendix B Table B 3

Comparison of Mean Values and Difference in Means  Among Alumni Working in Nonprofit Organizations  

  

Importance of Knowledge and Skill 

to Work  

Knowledge and Skill Gained from 

Coursework 

Difference in Means 

Fund‐raising and Development  6.22  6.70  ‐0.48 

Program Development and Management  8.25  6.67  1.58 

Staff Supervision and Professional Development  7.33  6.10  1.24 

Board Development  6.06  6.00  0.06 

Nonprofit‐Government Relations  4.74  4.37  0.37 

Strategic Planning  6.69  6.19  0.50 

Budgeting   7.00  6.24  0.76 

Accounting  4.26  5.42  ‐1.16 

Nonprofit Legal Structure   4.56  7.31  ‐2.75 

Ethics and Values  6.61  6.09  0.52 

Proposal Writing  6.29  5.00  1.29 

Marketing  7.38  5.63  1.75 

Media and Public Relations  6.75  4.56  2.19 

Volunteer Management  6.00  5.93  0.07 

Organizational Development  6.95  6.79  0.16 

Public Policy Advocacy  5.24  4.35  0.88 

Program Evaluation  7.09  6.36  0.73 Information Systems Development and Management  5.62  4.00  1.62 

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Appendix B Table B 4

Pearson’s Correlations   Importance of Knowledge and Skill to Work  vs. Knowledge and Skill Gained from Coursework (Among  Alumni Working in Nonprofit Organizations)  

r Value 

Fund‐raising and Development  0.26Program Development and Management  0.02Staff Supervision and Professional Development  0.15Board Development  0.20

Nonprofit‐Government Relations  0.56

Strategic Planning  ‐0.03

Budgeting   0.25Accounting  0.61

Nonprofit Legal Structure   ‐0.07

Ethics and Values  0.56

Proposal Writing  ‐0.17

Marketing  0.46

Media and Public Relations  0.47

Volunteer Management  0.19

Organizational Development  0.41

Public Policy Advocacy  0.58

Program Evaluation  0.36Information Systems Development and Management  0.28

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Appendix C Cross Tabulation 1 Level of Responsibility vs. Satisfaction with Career Benefit

Cross Tabulation 2 Satisfaction with Career Benefit vs. Nonprofit Employment

Cross Tabulation 3 Nonprofit Employment and Level of Responsibility vs. Satisfaction with Career Benefit

Cross Tabulation 4 Nonprofit Employment vs. Satisfaction with Career Path

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Appendix D Table D 1  

When you were enrolled in the UNC Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Program, overall, how satisfied were you with the following? 

#   Min Value 

Max Value 

Average Value 

Standard Deviation 

Responses 

1 Connection of Coursework to Practice 

1  10  7.07  1.96  43 

2 Involvement of Practitioners in the Program 

1  9  6.00  2.07  43 

3  Consistency of Course Content  2  10  6.21  2.09  43 

4  Quality of Instruction  3  10  7.19  1.88  43 

5  Scheduling of   Class Times  1  10  7.40  1.95  43 

6  Relationships With Other Students  1  9  6.45  2.12  42 

7  Relationships With Faculty  2  10  6.86  2.03  43 

8  Academic Rigor of the Program  1  10  6.45  2.28  42 

Appendix D Table D 2 How has the Nonprofit Leadership Certificate Program affected your career?  

#  Answer    % 

1  I became more aware of career options.     

24%2  I became clearer about my career direction.     

38%

3 I became more likely to assume, or have already assumed, a leadership role in a nonprofit organization. 

   

51%

4 I became more likely to be, or have already been, promoted within my organization. 

   

20%

5 I became well‐prepared for a management position in nonprofit organization. 

   

40%

6  It has not affected my career plans.     

18%

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Appendix D Table D 3  What was the most helpful part of the program? Management skills 

Professors, mainly Mat Despard. He has been such a great help to me as I moved forward with my career. 

The quality of faculty and course offerings was most helpful. 

The breadth of the material 

Learning about a wide variety of aspects related to nonprofits. 

Connecting with other students and faculty who had experience working in the field 

Diversity of courses and diversity of programs involved in the certificate.  I never would have taken a class in the law school otherwise. 

Financial and legal 

The ability to take classes in different disciplines (ie. law school, social work, public administration) 

The law class & fiscal management class...It needs an option for a strategic internship to help with graduation employment. 

Completing the classes with fellow students 

The class at the law school was great and I have used that information in my work. 

Courses in financial management 

The cross‐disciplinary nature of the program exposed me to a variety of students and topics which I have encountered in my career. 

The two things most helpful to me were learning how nonprofits raise funds and some basic accounting practice. 

The fundraising and marketing course has been most applicable to my career path. 

Introduction of coursework and concepts that are cross functional and multi‐disciplinary 

Ensuring that I took coursework in marketing & fundraising. 

The course work and the connection to professionals already working in the nonprofit sector. 

Hands on projects, guest speakers. 

Nonprofit Law, Nonprofit Mgmt (in PUBA), and Financial Mgmt (in SSW) ‐ great profs, practical information, useful content 

Practical skills 

Mat Despard is an excellent instructor. Financial management for nonprofits was a very strong course, with an excellent practical component. Also, Executive Leadership in Nonprofits was helpful, particularly through use of case studies and a hands‐on project with a local NPO. 

Every course taught by Mat Despard.  He is a gifted educator! 

Leadership and financial mgt courses 

The practical, group projects.  Made it very real for me. 

Learning about how to set up a nonprofit, basic nonprofit law, intro to budgeting 

The work on finances and working with a board 

The strategic planning and organizational development was crucial, followed closely by fundraising and accounting/budgeting. 

Practical approach to running an organization 

Being able to take cross‐disciplinary courses. 

Learning about planning and program improvement in nonprofits. 

Budgeting, management and program development classes were most helpful. Any practical application or exercises were helpful. 

The most helpful part of the program as I recall was the leadership training aspect of it, a reframing and beginning to see oneself as an executive leader. 

The overall course information; the support and advise of the instructors and advisor 

Access to Margaret Henderson and Gordon Whitaker, ability to take one‐on‐one courses with instructors of other schools 

Appendix E Table E 1 If there was one topic related to nonprofit leadership that you would add to the curriculum, what would it be?  

Stewardship of funds 

Development, it was only covered in combination with marketing. I think it should be a separate course.

More fundraising, more program/project management 

More emphasis on grant and proposal writing, also closer link to "real" non‐profit sector, maybe projects for actual non‐profits in the community 

Performance measures for nonprofits on how to measure success.  Also the role of technology in data management. 

Grant writing 

Conflict management 

Staff supervision; program design; use of social media. 

How to become employed again in a nonprofit after graduation would be great...

Sustainability for the Nonprofit Organization (examine fundraising, strategic planning, board development, executive leadership development) 

Outreach, media relations, technology 

More courses on leadership and assertiveness 

Grant proposal writing. 

Grant writing 

Specific coursework focused directly on writing grants.

More about crisis management and working with the media

Program management and evaluation 

A class on social business/entrepreneurship. 

Prioritization and delegation techniques. 

More on planning 

I would have more information on Board Development.

More emphasis on grant/proposal writing 

Organizational approach to self‐care for all staff 

Leading Organizational Change and Launching successful nonprofit partnerships

I think the curriculum has changed since I got the certificate so I don't have anything to add here. 

Building collaboration with other nonprofit organizations. 

Organizational strategic planning 

Information Technology 

I think we already covered it but I would place additional emphasis on the importance of professional relationships, especially the importance of the development of a political savvy in one's development as an executive leader. 

Advertising/Marketing (think that's been added since I was involved) 

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Appendix E Table E 2 If there was one thing you would change about the program, what would it be? It would probably involve some practicum training or shadowing of a leader.  Also, it would be helpful to have more executive leaders come and talk to the class and share their wisdom. 

offer additional courses in this area to complete a master's degree 

A greater focus on practice‐ more linkages or projects in the field. 

More camaraderie between program participants.  As an MBA student, I had very little interaction with others outside my program. 

Many of the courses were night courses; the timing was sometimes hard to accommodate in my personal life, but on the positive side it meant that I never had trouble scheduling the classes because they did not interfere with my other courses.  

Greater emphasis on what constitutes success in a measurable way. 

More class options for grant writing, more practical experience fund‐raising 

Marketing and a few other classes need to be more rigorous.  Less talk and more doing ‐ grounded in research. 

Add alumni networking 

Make the classes more practical. Relate the theory to practice more often. 

It needs a strategic internship for employment after graduation. 

Quality of faculty and their preparedness for teaching some courses ‐ quality varied widely 

Better coordinate the program across disciplines. To me interacting with other students from other programs was a very attractive aspect of the Certificate. It would be nice to maybe have a get‐together 1 or 2 times a year and network together and make it feel more like a program than a list of classes. 

Addition of coursework in grant proposal writing since this skill is integral to all positions within the nonprofit sector. 

Drop the marketing/fundraising course for non‐profits 

That it include more than just classes I had to take, if there was a networking or social component where I could meet and talk with others interested in the work and already doing the work. 

More offerings and a more structured way to collaborate with students and faculty in the program 

Eliminate some redundancy in the curriculum of the various courses. 

Eliminate Mktg/Fundraising class and sub it with electives in the J‐School or B‐School. 

The fundraising/marketing course was awful, which is a shame since it is such an important topic 

More case studies of current problems for NPOs. This would help tie the class concepts in with real‐world examples as much as possible.  Also, more crossovers with the business school would be helpful for Certificate students to obtain more business savvy and to gain the perspective of MBA students. 

More classes.  More opportunity to network with nonprofit executives. 

Add content on information systems and technology 

Better marketing of the program so that others can take advantage of it. 

Add more interaction with current nonprofit leaders in the classroom setting. 

Ensure that qualified professors or professionals are available to teach the course content. 

Re‐evaluate the Marketing and Fundraising course to ensure all of the topics covered are relevant and worthwhile. 

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