Free Online Learning on Your Terms

This program was developed for emerging nonprofit leaders and those new to the sector. The content is designed to broaden awareness across a breadth of management topics in a flexible, online offering. Learn from faculty and practitioners and apply these nonprofit management essentials to your position.

Nonprofit Management Essentials is fully funded by The Allstate Foundation and powered by content from the Kellogg School Center for Nonprofit Management.

Nonprofit Management Essentials is offered in 3 formats

On-Demand

Independent 24/7/365 online learning. Choose any module, start any time, proceed at your own pace.

Online Connection

Our 8-week facilitated program is paced with assignments each week, and no live sessions for maximum flexibility.

Our next cohort begins February 25. Registration deadline is February 17.


Choose Your Learning Experience

On-Demand – Independent online learning at your own pace, available 24/7/365. Each module includes two to four short video segments and exercises that you can access at your convenience. Experience all or just some of the ten topics below. Log onto each topic separately.

Online Connection – A fully asynchronous, eight-week facilitated online learning experience and interaction with peers. Content and exercises are released on a weekly basis. Time commitment is approximately three hours per week. Registration is required.


Facilitate Your Own Cohort

DIY Facilitation – Do-It-Yourself Facilitation content consists of two modules teaching you to structure and facilitate a cohort learning experience of your own.

  • Module 1: Consists of four video segments that will teach you the skills needed to structure and facilitate your own cohort learning experience using On-Demand video content.
  • Module 2: Contains a DIY Facilitation manual that includes activities, worksheets and discussion questions for your group.

DIY Facilitation

Video segments & facilitation manual. Learn to facilitate a cohort learning experience for your organization.

Who Should Participate

On-Demand & Online Connection

  • Emerging nonprofit leaders (3-5 years of experience)
  • Anyone new to the nonprofit sector
  • Nonprofit board members
  • Nonprofit professionals looking for team professional development resources

DIY Facilitation

  • Nonprofit leaders & staff looking to create or customize a shared learning experience
  • For example, professional development or on-boarding for staff and board members

What to Expect

On-Demand - Access what you want, when you want it.

Online Connection

  • This is a fully asynchronous, 8-week facilitated online learning experience. Content and exercises are released on a weekly basis. Content consists of videos by Kellogg faculty and field practitioners, assignments for feedback from facilitators and peers, applied thinking questions, deeper dive activities and additional resources.
  • Time commitment is approximately three hours per week, and you can choose when to spend your time on it – there are no synchronous sessions; instead there are discussion boards and assignments due throughout.

DIY Facilitation - Access at your convenience. A combination of video content and a facilitation manual teaching you to facilitate a group learning experience. The power is in your hands.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can you tell me more about the content of the program?

This program is a survey of essential topics in nonprofit management. We like to say that the content is “an inch deep and a mile wide” and is designed to help build foundational awareness across a range of topics for emerging leaders and those new to the nonprofit sector.

Will I receive a certificate for participating?

No. The Kellogg School Center for Nonprofit Management provides the content for Nonprofit Management Essentials, but this program is not part of a certificate or degree program and cannot be applied for credit at the Kellogg School or Northwestern University.

That said, at the end of the 8-week Online Connection program, individuals who participate fully through assignments and discussions will receive instructions from The Allstate Foundation Nonprofit Leadership Center for updating their LinkedIn profile to identify their accomplishment.

Can people from outside the U.S. participate?

The content has been designed for emerging nonprofit leaders in the United States, so some content is grounded in the societal norms and standards of the nonprofit sector in the United States, but enrollment is open to all.

Who sponsors this program?

This program is fully sponsored by the Allstate Foundation.

How to Access

On-Demand - To access video content, you must create an account in Canvas, Northwestern’s online learning management system. You only need to create an account to access Nonprofit Management Essentials once. Once you are registered, simply click on “Returning User” to log into your account and access the video module of your choice. Each module contains approximately 30 minutes of video content with paired exercises.

Online Connection - To access Online Connection, complete the program application. You will receive confirmation that you are registered within 24 hours. One week prior to the program start date, you will receive an invitation to join the Canvas course site.

DIY Facilitation - First, register for On-Demand. Come back to this page and click through to Canvas to access DIY Facilitation content. Login using your existing Canvas login information. The next time you log into Canvas, you will see both the On-Demand and DIY Facilitation pages on your Canvas dashboard.

Leadership

Leadership in the Nonprofit Sector

Mission-Driven Strategy

Board Governance

Resilience and Personal Growth

Building Your Resilient Mindset

Perspectives on Resilience

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Minya Nance

DEI Foundations

William Towns

Strategies to Advance DEI

Management

Nonprofit Finance

Marketing and Communications

Stakeholder Engagement

Interpersonal Communication

Influence and Adaptability

Organizational Relationships

Analytics and Impact

Data Analytics Foundation

Data Analytics Foundation

Data-Driven Decisions

Data-Driven Decisions

Impact Measurement

Impact Measurement

Data and Ethics

Data and Ethics



For login help and FAQs, please consult our Course Site FAQ.


Kellogg School of Management

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847.467.6018