March 17, 2014
Managing nonprofits is a tough role these days as organizations face funding challenges, new costs and regulations. Managers must lead their organizations to success by determining how to do more with less. Across the country, some educational programs are popping up to help nonprofit leaders better guide their organizations during trying times.
According to the Red Bluff Daily News, the area's Shasta College campus will be offering a series of seven classes educating participants on a number of different aspects of nonprofit management such as writing grants, understanding effective fundraising tactics, and how to work with a board of directors.
A similar program is offered at Rutgers University. The mini-MPA program is a 30-hour class designed for working professionals who want to learn more about public administration, according to The Alternative Press. The program is designed for those with a current college degree or significant experience in managing a private, public or nonprofit company.
It takes a business mindset to run any organization
However, according to the Colorado Springs Business Journal, successful nonprofit leaders also need to harness skills generally thought of as keys to for-profit business success. The paper explains how a local nonprofit became more viable after running like a traditional business. This included analyzing the numbers – determining revenue, profit, and return on investments. Understanding how new staff, capital costs or possible funding disruptions will change operations is essential.
They are so essential, that it would actually be more accurate to say that nonprofits set the bar for running a lean, efficient operation higher than that of for-profits. In many ways, the private business sector could benefit from operation more like a successful nonprofit does. While passion and motivation go a long way for a nonprofit leader, business skills are still a must.
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