Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations Certificate Program
The program is designed for those seeking to advance their careers in fundraising and nonprofit administration through a combination of hands-on skills and theoretical knowledge, taught by practitioners in the field from major nonprofit institutions, research universities and consulting firms.
Students may choose any four courses for a customized certificate in "Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations." Those seeking a more targeted learning experience may choose to complete the "Fundraising Professional" or "Nonprofit Professional" certificate track.
Like many people who work with nonprofit organizations, Paul Winters has a passion for helping people. On top of his law practice, he teaches the Legal Issues in Philanthropy course at Northwestern University School of Professional Studies (SPS). The course “gives students an introductory set of legal tools to help them navigate regulatory compliance issues, so they can get back to the things that drew them into serving in the nonprofit community in the first place.”
He continued, “People in nonprofits have a passion to affect positive change in the world, and so they dive in, but then what happens is they begin to bump into some of the regulatory compliance legal issues they didn’t anticipate. No one enters the nonprofit sector thinking ‘I really want to get embroiled in a legal dispute.’”
Tracks for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations
Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organization Track
A customized course of study where students pick any four courses from the list below, with substitutions allowed from the Fundamentals of Leadership Program.
Audience: Those with multiple roles within a nonprofit or those looking for a customized learning experience, blending fundraising, leadership and management.
Fundraising Professional Track
Hands-on skills program to teach students how to effectively raise money through major gifts, planned gifts, and capital campaigns. In addition, students will learn about the psychology of donors and what makes people give.
Audience: Frontline fundraising personnel such as major gift officers, annual fund directors, capital campaign managers, development associates
Nonprofit Professional Track
Understand financial and legal structures of nonprofits as well as how to write mission statements, strategic plans and work with boards
Audience: Managers and directors in nonprofits and those that want to start a nonprofit
Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations Program Courses
Certificate Requirements for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations
To be awarded a certificate of completion, students must complete four courses. Required courses for each certificate are listed below.
Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations Certificate Track
Take any four (4) courses from the list below (Core or Elective).
Students may substitute Leadership courses as well
There is no need to get pre-approval as long as students follow the above guidelines
Questions on other potential courses can be addressed to profdev@northwestern.edu
Fundraising Professional Certificate Track
PHIL_NP 315-0 Donor Psychology and The Ask
PHIL_NP 378-0 Major Gift Fundraising
PHIL_NP 381-0 Grantsmanship and Program Development
One course from the Leadership certificate program or Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations certificate program
Nonprofit Professional Certificate Track
LEAD_ART 200-0 Leading, Acting, and Thinking Strategically
PHIL_NP 320-0 Financial Management of Nonprofits
PHIL_NP 325-0 Nonprofit Governance, Mission and Strategic Planning
PHIL_NP 330-0 Legal Issues in Philanthropy
Grantsmanship for the Research Professional
Grantsmanship for the Research Professional (PHIL_NP 380-0)
While this is not a separate track, this course is a powerful resource for both researchers at all stages and research administrators working in any research-intensive environments or discipline who are pursuing grant opportunities from government, corporate, and foundation sectors.
Tuition and Financial Aid for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations
Tuition for Philanthropy and Nonprofit courses varies depending on the course between $625 and $1,025. To complete the program, you can expect to spend between $3,800 to $4,000, not including books. Complete details can be found on the Tuition and Financial Aid for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations page.
Find out more about Northwestern's Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations
Contact Professional Development Team
The Professional Development Team at Northwestern University School of Professional Studies can be a resource to you for inquiries regarding our certificate programs.
Core Courses Philanthropy and Nonprofit Organizations
Core Courses:
Course Detail
Leading, Acting, and Thinking Strategically <> LEAD_ART 200-0
Strategic Thinking and Acting always appears in the list of
highly desired skills for leaders, managers, and key individual
contributors. This highly interactive class will use simulations
and real life examples to teach you practical strategic thinking
practices that you can immediately put to use. In addition, you
gain insight into the strengths and development areas of your
leadership style, and how your style can help you think and act
strategically.
This course uses an adult learning approach. You will be
actively involved and apply course concepts to actual situations
and case studies in class. This enables you to practice skills and
use tools that can be immediately applied when you go back to your
work environment. We will apply strategic thinking tools including:
Scenario Planning, Systems thinking, SWOT analysis, and Mind
Mapping. We will use the DiSC Work of Leaders Assessment to
understand your Leadership Strengths, Development areas, and how
those relate to Strategy and Leading People. Instructor will use a
combination of lecture, facilitation, and in-class coaching. You
will also create a Personal Strategic Plan to help you with your
next steps in your professional development.
Required Course Preparation:
Students will be provided with a link to take a DiSC assessment
prior to the first day of class; learning activities will be
tailored to each course based on assessment results.
Registered students can access their online course site
here. An activated NetID and password is required for login.
*Please note: It may take up to 24-hours for registered students to
be added to the online course platform.
This course explores what makes people want to give money and
time to support nonprofits. Students will gain both a historical
perspective, as well as opportunities for simulation and role-play
for the “big ask.” Students will also explore the key fundraising
questions driving organizational success, sustainability, and
strategy, while also focusing on what drives donors to give, from
tax strategy to intergenerational planning to career trajectory to
family wealth dynamics.
Registered students can access their online course site
here. An activated NetID and password is required for login.
*Please note: It may take up to 24-hours for registered students to
be added to the online course platform.
Financial Management of Nonprofits <> PHIL_NP 320-0
This course is designed to provide specific and relevant
information about the various aspects of financial management and
reporting for a nonprofit organization. Participants will be
exposed to the complexities of nonprofit organization financial
statements, including the impacts of fund accounting, donor
restrictions and other unique reporting issues. The internal
control environment and its role in financial management and
reporting will also be discussed, along with specific tax and audit
issues affecting nonprofit organizations.
Registered students can access their online course site
here. An activated NetID and password is required for login.
*Please note: It may take up to 24-hours for registered students to
be added to the online course platform.
Want to help a nonprofit you care about be more strategic in a
changing world? Do you desire to unleash the full potential of your
nonprofit board and leaders? This course will help by providing an
opportunity to learn and apply skills needed to lead and govern a
nonprofit organization. Using a case study, interactive exercises
let you practice crafting a mission statement and develop an
organization’s strategy. You’ll also explore how to best recruit
boards, structure committees, and run meetings to ensure effective
leadership and oversight. Finally, you’ll have an opportunity to
meet with proven leaders in the field to ask about their role in
achieving successes and overcoming challenges while leading and
governing their nonprofits.
Registered students can access their online course site
here. An activated NetID and password is required for login.
*Please note: It may take up to 24-hours for registered students to
be added to the online course platform.
This course on the law of not-for-profit corporations will take
a detailed look at the organizational and operational aspects of a
tax-exempt charitable organization in Illinois. Students will
engage in the legal analysis of a hypothetical nonprofit
corporation. State and federal tax laws and reporting requirements,
revenue generating strategies (that will not jeopardize tax-exempt
status), and management of human resources will be explored.
Registered students can access their online course site
here. An activated NetID and password is required for login.
*Please note: It may take up to 24-hours for registered students to
be added to the online course platform.
This course emphasizes applied fundraising. It will focus on all
aspects of the major gift program. Students will explore the role
of the major gift program in the development process, and all
aspects of its implementation from systems and strategies to the
execution of the on-going program and the capital campaign.
Specific course objectives include, among others:
• Understand the major and planned gift practice within the
comprehensive development program
• Better understand the historic models of fundraising and today’s
donor-centered best practice
• Develop a compelling case for private support
• Learn how to implement a relationship management system
• Understand how private foundations and corporations give to
nonprofit organizations
Registered students can access their online course site
here. An activated NetID and password is required for login.
*Please note: It may take up to 24-hours for registered students to
be added to the online course platform.
Grantsmanship and Program Development <> PHIL_NP 381-0
This course will provide students an opportunity to learn and
apply skills needed to develop effective programs and winning grant
proposals that support a nonprofit’s strategic priorities. The
course assists students in utilizing tools, frameworks, and
concepts introduced in class and from readings to plan a program
based on a case study. Interactive exercises let students practice
crafting common elements found in corporate, foundation and
government grant proposals, including a work plan, evaluation
components, and a budget to fund the program developed for their
case. By the end of the course, students are expected to have
acquired the knowledge and skills in program planning, proposal
writing, and evaluation to be confident in contributing to the
development and funding of programs that advance their
organization’s mission.
Registered students can access their online course site
here. An activated NetID and password is required for login.
*Please note: It may take up to 24-hours for registered students to
be added to the online course platform.
Grantsmanship for the Research Professional PHIL_NP 380-0
This executive education-style workshop course teaches and
enhances skills associated with effective grant opportunity
identification, preparation, writing, and submission to Researchers
engaged in research as well as Research Administrators responsible
for pursuing grant opportunities. Strategies for developing grant
proposals that support both hypothesis-driven and need-based
empirical research activities will be presented, with a focus on
opportunities from government, corporate, and foundation sectors.
The course is appropriate for Researchers at all levels (trainees
through early/mid-career faculty) and Research Administrators
conducting or supporting research in the biological, clinical, life
sciences, medical and natural sciences; physical sciences and
mathematics; social and behavioral sciences; engineering; law; and
education. Topics covered in this two-day workshop course include:
Grant Resources; Funding Agencies; Funding Opportunity
Identification; Research Program Development; Pre- and Post-Award
Compliance Primer; Proposal Planning; Proposal Components; Writing
the Specific Aims and Narrative Sections; Budget Development;
Review Process; Proposal Submission; and, Team Science.
Registered students can access their online course site
here. An activated NetID and password is required for login.
*Please note: It may take up to 24-hours for registered students to
be added to the online course platform.
