Leadership in the Nonprofit Sector

SW300, Section 001

This course will introduce students to the role of nonprofit organizations in the U.S., as well as in countries around the world. It will use an interdisciplinary approach to present material on leadership of nonprofits, with a hands-on project in strategic planning at a local area nonprofit. The course is organized into three parts: (1) Background: this part will focus on the history of nonprofit and voluntary action in the U.S., relative to other nations, and offer a primer on the current size, scope and character of the sector; (2) Leading and Managing in the Sector: This section will look at unique issues related to the managing and leading of nonprofits, including problems faced on nonprofit leaders; (3) Strategic planning: the final part of the course will consist of a hands-on strategic planning project, done in student groups, in collaboration with an area agency. Through these exercises, students will gain a foundational understanding of what it means to be a leader in the nonprofit sector today.

Course Codes