One of the most important advantages that helps a business to succeed and thrive is strong, well-informed leadership. This is as true of nonprofit businesses as it is of for-profit businesses. However, the process of actually managing a nonprofit business can be surprisingly different from managing a for-profit business.
Since nonprofits are run differently and gauge success with different goals, nonprofit managers typically focus their efforts more on fundraising and service programs instead of generating revenue. Strong business and finance acumen is still necessary, but it must be applied very differently to bring about a nonprofit's success. Earning a degree in nonprofit management can help aspiring managers develop the skills necessary to lead organizations, manage teams, and advance their careers.
Students can use our rankings of online colleges for nonprofit management to learn more about the leading online bachelor's and online master's programs in nonprofit management from U.S. colleges and universities. We used data provided by the National Center for Education Statistics to generate this list -- learn more about the methodology used to create these rankings at the bottom of this page.
Regis University has four campus locations in Colorado, including its flagship campus in northwest Denver. Founded in 1877, the university is rooted in Jesuit and Catholic traditions, although it accepts students from all religious backgrounds. The university offers a Master in Nonprofit Management (MNM) program that can be completed either on-campus or online. This program requires 36 total credits to complete, including nine credits of core coursework and 24 credits of required courses. The degree path culminates with a three-credit capstone course, which can either be service-oriented fieldwork or a professional project.
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3333 Regis Blvd.,A member of the Minnesota State system of higher education, Metropolitan State University serves students far beyond the state's borders through distance education classes. MSU offers a Master of Public and Nonprofit Administration (MPNA) degree program that is available either on-campus, online or in a hybrid format. There are three start dates each year (spring, summer and fall terms). New students may transfer up to 16 credits into the MPNA program, and it requires 40 total credits to complete. All MPNA students at MSU must complete a four-credit capstone course in community-oriented management.
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700 7th St. E.,The University of Central Florida was founded in Orlando in 1963 and has regional campus locations across central Florida, as well as its UCF Online e-campus. UCF offers an extensive array of online degree paths, including a fully online MNM that requires 36 total credits to complete. 27 of these credit hours are dedicated to core courses, and a three-credit capstone course finishes off the degree path. The MNM can also be completed alongside a Master of Public Administration as a dual degree program -- giving students a chance to learn about both the public and nonprofit spheres simultaneously.
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4000 Central Florida Blvd.,Online programs at the University of Maryland University College are taking online education to the next level. Most courses at this university have replaced expensive paper textbooks with digital textbooks that can be downloaded for no additional cost. Courses also usually have weekly or bi-weekly assignment dates that allow for more flexible scheduling.
UMUC offers an online Master of Science in management with a specialization in nonprofit and association management. The program's capstone course is three credits, and it focuses on corporate and business unit strategies and management procedures. Students can transfer up to six units into this 36-credit program, which is taught with an eye to the Certified Associate Executive (CAE) certification exam.
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1616 McCormick Dr.,Established in 1897, Bay Path University is named after the Native American footpath that connected early towns and settlements in Massachusetts and Connecticut. The university's undergraduate programs are available only to women, but the graduate programs are open to men as well.
Bay Path offers an online M.S. in nonprofit management and philanthropy, as well as an online M.S. in strategic fundraising and philanthropy. Both programs require 36 credits to complete; both have start dates in February, June or October; and both can be delivered 100-percent online or in a hybrid format, with on-campus classes at Bay Path University's Longmeadow campus. Certificate programs are also available, in nonprofit governance, nonprofit management or strategic fundraising.
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588 Longmeadow St.,A cornerstone of higher education in the country's fourth-largest city, the University of Houston-Downtown offers an online Master of Arts in nonprofit management that was designed collaboratively, with insight from prominent Houston-area nonprofits. The degree program requires 18 core courses and 12 electives to complete, although students can transfer up to six credits into the 36-credit program. Interaction and team-building are important focuses for the program, and a six-credit internship is part of the curriculum.
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1 N. Main St.,Central Michigan University was founded in 1892 as a teacher's college; since then, the university has grown to encompass more than 30 locations in North America, as well as online studies. CMU's Global Campus offers a variety of 100-percent online degree programs, including a Bachelor of Science in public and nonprofit management.
Students must complete 124 credits to satisfy requirements for this online bachelor's degree program. The program major requires 33 credit hours, and students lacking documented public sector work experience in the field are also required to complete an internship in government and politics.
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1200 S. Franklin St.,North Park University bills itself as Chicago's city-centered Christian university. The school's flagship campus on Chicago's north side was founded in 1891 by the Evangelical Covenant Church, though it accepts students from a variety of faith backgrounds.
NPU offers an online Bachelor of Arts in nonprofit management that touches on several related disciplines, including business administration, management information systems and organizational management and leadership. The program requires 40 hours of study in the program major, as well as 28 hours of related electives and eight credit hours of study in professional core courses.
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3225 W. Foster Ave.,Southern New Hampshire University is a private nonprofit institution headquartered at Hooksett. The university has a large online presence -- as of 2018, distance learners outnumbered on-campus students roughly 30:1.
One of the many degree programs available to online learners at SNHU is an online Bachelor of Science in business administration with a concentration in nonprofit management, developed with insight from regional business leaders. Students can transfer up to 90 credits into the program. Meanwhile, grad students looking to learn about nonprofit management may be interested by SNHU's online certificate in leadership of nonprofit organizations. This program includes study of marketing, leadership, management and human relations, and is 18 credits to complete.
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2500 N. River Road,The University of Memphis is a research institution located in a residential section of Tennessee's second-largest city. UofM Global, the university's online portal for distance education, offers dozens of fully online degree programs, including a graduate certificate program in philanthropy and nonprofit leadership. The 15-credit hour program seeks to educate students on the theory and practice of nonprofit management, presenting a curriculum that is designed for employees, volunteers and philanthropists alike.
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3720 Alumni Ave.,Management is a competitive position that asks a lot of its candidates, and this is no different in the nonprofit sphere. Students can earn critical skills and knowledge from an online nonprofit management degree program, benefiting them whether they wish to pursue entry-level work or upper-level management at a nonprofit organization.
Generally speaking, there are two ways to pursue an education in nonprofit management. Students can enroll in a nonprofit management degree program -- often at the associate, bachelor's or master's level -- or they can opt for a business management degree program with a specialization in nonprofit management. A nonprofit management program typically targets information specifically regarding nonprofit organizations, while a business management program may offer a better grounding in broad business concepts but tackle nonprofit-specific issues only through electives.
Regardless of how you're approaching the subject, there are courses you can expect to see at the various different degree levels. At the associate degree level, students are likely to encounter courses in finance, governance of fundraising efforts, and program development.
In contrast, students who are taking nonprofit management at the bachelor's degree level may encounter courses such as:
A master's degree program in nonprofit management is designed to delve even further into the field. This requires the administration of upper-division courses, in order to explore business concepts and their relation to nonprofit organizations in detail. Such courses may include:
You may also want to consider applying for an MBA. Visit our MBA page to see if this is the right choice for you.
Many individuals already possess skills that could make them well-suited for a position in the nonprofit field. However, the coursework in a nonprofit management degree program can help to hone these skills, as well as introducing other important skills that students may need after graduation. Here are a few examples of skills that are worth learning as you progress through your degree program.
There are many people who work behind the scenes of the world's best and biggest nonprofit organizations, as well as those who keep smaller nonprofits running on a shoestring budget as though by magic. Regardless of whether a person works for a big or small organization, the following positions allow them to make a significant difference in the lives of others.
These professionals work for companies or for individuals, planning, creating and implementing material to enhance the image their employer wants to present to the world. This might include preparing press releases and other media information, organizing and supervising interviews, identifying audiences for the client and determining the best way to reach them, helping clients interact positively with the public, supervising staff for the public relations campaigns and more.
This job typically requires a master's degree. Certification is available through the Public Relations Society of America, though it is not required.
Sometimes known as social services managers, a community services director works closely with the public to determine the need for certain services and programs. They oversee said programs, gather data to determine how effective the programs are, and take suggestions into account, then use their findings to suggest potential improvements. They may also work to secure funding for the public services they are supporting.
Those who have completed bachelor's degree programs in social work, public health, business administration or a related field are likely candidates for this position, though some employers prefer a master's degree. Several years of experience is often required to enter the role of community services director.
Operations managers, sometimes known as general managers, can wear many hats. They can be found in the public or private sectors, where they may work to create policies, manage day-to-day operations, plan the use of materials and oversee human resources, among many other duties. They might work within a company, overseeing management, personnel, purchasing, manufacturing and more. Depending on the area in which they work, they might handle anything from financial matters to staff scheduling to ordering and stocking supplies.
The general rule of thumb is that operations managers should have a bachelor's degree, but given the wide range of potential duties, they might have more or less than a four-year degree. Most candidates need several years experience in related jobs to qualify for a position.
Found in almost every industry, chief executives -- also known as top executives -- are at the helm of planning, directing and coordinating the operations of their companies and organizations. Their work includes overseeing finances and budgeting, planning out goals, policies and procedures, managing general activities, negotiating contracts, appointing managers and department heads, analyzing sales reports and performance, and identifying ways to improve in all areas. Many who work in larger companies or organizations work with a board of directors, shareholders and other executives in order to keep their business running smoothly.
It is quite common for chief executives to complete master's degree programs in business administration, public administration, liberal arts or law. They also tend to have many years of experience before moving into the executive chair.