Nonprofit Leadership (NPLD)

NPLD 1001 Social Innovation

This is a class focused on understanding the many forms and functions of innovation for the benefit of society. At a time when fresh solutions to public problems are increasingly coming not just from government, the nonprofit and for-profit sectors, but from collaborations across the three, we will focus in this class on understanding how to understand need and design effective interventions. We will explore how world changers find opportunity, cultivate ideas, define intended impact, understand competition, and collaborate with other actors. At the end of the course, students should have mastered a set of conceptual tools and practices that will allow them to be effective, collaborative problem solvers in diverse settings throughout their careers. The course has four main objectives: 1. To introduce students to the concepts and practices of social innovation; 2. To equip students with the tools to be able to accurately identify and assess innovation and impact in social initiatives; 3. To train students to view the world from a perspective of social innovation; and 4. To empower students to develop their own solutions to address societal challenges around the world. **This course is only available to students in the NEEL program.

Fall or Spring

1 Course Unit

NPLD 5490 Leading Not-for-Profit Organizations

Leading Not-for-Profit Organizations is designed for those interested in incorporating, leading, and/or governing a not-for-profit organization. The course is taught through a combination of theory and practice integrating readings, lectures, discussions into a mock not-for-profit simulation and field assignment (pairing students with a nonprofit organization and leader). Upon completion of the course, students, through the combination of theory and practical tools, will have the essential competencies and tools to design, lead and govern, and conduct in-depth analysis of not-for-profit organizations. This course also provides students with an initial view into not-for-profit partnerships and collaborations and the role not-for-profits play within social and public policy.

Spring

1 Course Unit

NPLD 5610 Nonprofit Branding

This half credit course will provide the tools and framework for helping to understand the role that marketing and brand building can play in the non-profit sector. As such, we will create a shared understanding of the key concepts that help define branding and the classic elements of marketing that will serve as a foundation for discussion and analysis throughout the semester. We will identify the fundamental differences that non-profit organizations face in building their brands and how those challenges differ from traditional/for profit brand building. We will identify tools and frameworks that brands/organizations can use to help design and implement marketing strategy. We will utilize current and relevant case studies that help demonstrate the core concepts of this course.

Fall

0.5 Course Units

NPLD 5630 Raising Philanthropic Capital

Americans gave more than $350 billion to nonprofit organizations last year, the highest total ever recorded. Now, more than ever, it is crucial that nonprofit leaders master the art and science of raising philanthropic capital. Participants in this innovative class will: 1) acquire an understanding of the nonprofit funding landscape; 2) learn proven and creative strategies to secure investments; 3) gain the experience of giving and motivating charitable commitments; and 4) receive peer evaluation and professional consulting feedback. This experiential and interactive learning course will provide students an opportunity to evaluate a nonprofit organization endeavoring to attract voluntary support, and coach students to think through and develop the ideas, skills, and tools required to participate personally in today's philanthropic market.

Spring

0.5 Course Units

NPLD 5640 Social Impact and International Development

This class will offer students a grounding in and overview of the field of international development and practice. We will explore the evolution of goals, models, and assessment of development across history. We will explore the key debates in economic, political, and human development, the challenges of responsible intervention. Students will be challenged to explore impact creation in resource-constrained settings, especially outside of one’s home community. We will study ways to adapt solutions as a way of generating ideas and social entrepreneurship as a development model including challenges of participation, deliverability and distribution, revenue generation, uncertainty, and risk. Students will produce written and verbal reflections on the tensions of working in a developing context; insider-outsider identities and tradeoffs; and ethics, tensions, and opportunities of working in and out of one’s home community.

Spring

0.5 Course Units

NPLD 5650 Financial Management of Nonprofits

The half credit class will provide students with the ability to use the financial tools of cash flow, budgeting and forecasting models to assist in strategic thinking as it relates to a nonprofit organization. In addition, the class will provide tools that can be used to follow implementation of such strategies including: personal cash flow; basic financial statements; supplemental schedules; and cash flow, budgeting, and forecasting.

Spring

0.5 Course Units

NPLD 5660 Social Media Strategies

This course is intended as an introduction to strategic use of social media for social ventures. Many of you already use social media platforms in your personal lives, and have developed an intuitive understanding of how they work, and use them reflexively. If you're unfamiliar with various social media venues, that's ok! Many social media platforms will be described briefly in the lectures, but the course is not intended as a how-to for using them. We suggest that if you're new to the various social media platforms mentioned, that you jump in and try them out! These platforms are designed for individuals with all levels of technical proficiency, and they're designed to be inviting. You might find that with only a bit of effort that you become comfortable with them quickly. We expect that, regardless of your skill level, comfort, and current personal use of social media, you will gain real value from this course. Much of this value relates to conveying an understanding of how to use these tools strategically, and on behalf of a social venture or a social cause you care about. This sort of use of social media is significantly different than the way you would use it in your personal life. We hope, as you move through this course, you will wonder: 1) What does it mean to craft the voice of an institution? 2) What is it like to speak in the voice of an institution instead of my own? 3) How could one possibly develop a strategic plan to organically and authentically engage a community? 4) How do you define, find, and build community? 5) More than retweets and likes, what is engagement, how do you measure it, and how do you create engagement to spark social change?

Fall

0.5 Course Units

NPLD 5670 Unleashing Large Scale Social Movements

Countless impactful ideas and interventions hold the potential to improve the world; but, few gain the traction to spread. Aspiring leaders driving transformative social change often struggle to engage others in a meaningful, comprehensive way, reaching hundreds when millions could benefit. This course delves in the mechanics of successful large-scale social movements, exploring how initiatives evolve from ideas to transformative forces. The course will address three questions: (1) How do we secure a genuine collective commitment? (2) How can we set a strategy with leverage and reach, making the most of finite resources? (3) How do we take actions in a way that achieves our goals for growth and impact, and optimizing rapid learning and improvement? Drawing on examples of social movement and collective activism in the United States and around the world, the course provides students with a blueprint to raise awareness, build will, and inspire behavior change among large groups of people to address shared social issues.

Spring

0.5 Course Units

NPLD 5690 Beyond Nonprofit: Alternative Forms of Social Economy

Three institutional forms—the for-profit, the nonprofit, and the governmental—are typically presented as the three organizational forms of economic organization. This conventional schema renders invisible all of the many alternative forms of social economy in which more than a billion people throughout the world participate—as workers and consumers, as producers and protectors, and as stewards, trustees, and beneficiaries. In this course, we will consider the theory (secular and religious), the history, and the contemporary practice of social economy organizations, including cooperatives, community land trusts, resource trusts, kibbutzim, employee stock ownership, social housing, open source, local currencies, alternative financial institutions, and a broad range of other commons organizations variously utilizing shared ownership and democratic governance while advancing a host of social objectives from economic democracy to racial and gender justice, from indigenous sovereignty to ecological sustainability.

Spring

0.5 Course Units

NPLD 5700 Understanding Philanthropy and its Intersection with Power, Politics, and Social Change

The United States has a vast nonprofit sector that features 1.3 million organizations. (And that doesn't include 250,000 religious institutions!) Approximately $1.5 trillion of earned and contributed revenue flows through the so-called third sector. In 2023, Giving USA reported that $499.33 billion of those funds came from philanthropy – given by a mix of individuals, foundations, and corporations. The use of philanthropic dollars is as diverse as the donors who give those dollars. But what is the best use of those dollars? Sustaining high performing nonprofits? Supporting catalytic action? Nurturing individual excellence in the arts or sciences? This course will explore the field of Philanthropy – what it is; how it works; who participates; its intersection with market forces, public policy, and government; and how it drives social change, sometimes in opposing directions.

Summer Term

0.5 Course Units

NPLD 5710 Major Gifts: Strategies in Practice

There has never been a more important time for nonprofits to contribute to the common good. But nonprofits face a major challenge: With 1% of donors accounting for 49% of donations, in a $420 billion market, the philanthropic pyramid is looking more like the Eiffel Tower. The answers lie in major gift strategy and tactics. This course will provide a framework for conceptualizing a major gift strategy as well as tools for designing and making a major gift solicitation. This course's goal is to ensure that each student has a case for support and a pitch for use in the immediate future.

Summer Term

0.5 Course Units

NPLD 5730 Private Resources for the Public Good: Advanced Topics in Philanthropy

Philanthropy plays a unique role in advancing social change. Unlike for-profits, there is no requirement to generate a benefit to (private or public) shareholders, and unlike government (in a democracy), individual donors and institutional funders cannot be voted out. Given philanthropy’s role, what tactics and strategies can philanthropy use for positive social change? This class will examine key issues in contemporary philanthropy organized around three pillars: 1) Giving techniques and theories, 2) Internal infrastructure and tools, and 3) Global contexts and public policy environment Each class will explore a different topic and include readings to promote classroom discussions and debate. In several classes, outside speakers who are experts in their field will present and there will be a facilitated discussion. Topics may include: philosophies of philanthropy; legal and regulatory issues; philanthropic vehicles and infrastructure needed to support those entities; understanding the broad meaning of social capital; philanthropy changes across the globe; and the public policy pressures that govern the field.

Fall

0.5 Course Units

NPLD 5800 Nonprofit Governance

Effective governance relies upon consistent and ethical board leadership, yet nonprofit organizations that exemplify truly model governance are few and far between. This course introduces students to broad frameworks of governance but will focus most deeply on the human dimensions of board leadership. In particular, we will examine real examples and cases of moral and ethical dilemmas faced by nonprofit boards and executive leaders, and the nuanced practices required to achieve effective board governance, with the goal of providing a practical grounding for students who expect to contribute to nonprofit leadership in their careers – either as executive staff or as board members.

Spring

0.5 Course Units

NPLD 5820 NGOs and International Development

The first part of the course will offer a broad perspective on development, aid, and the role of NGOs. The latter half of the course will focus on issues in NGO management: problem analysis, solution design, fundraising, staffing (expatriate and local), monitoring and evaluation (including randomized controlled trials). The course is aimed at students with none to moderate experience in international development, but students with extensive work experience with NGOs or development work are encouraged to join.

Fall

1 Course Unit

NPLD 5830 Social Impact Measurement

The twofold purpose of social impact measurement is to assess and improve the impact of nonprofit programs and to offer actionable information for ongoing improvement. Social impact measurement is an essential learning opportunity for grantmaker and grantee. Developing an evaluation plan, instruments, and processes that are culturally responsive and equity informed will lead to actionable results and learning that will drive continuous improvement. This course offers an overview of leading social impact measurement methodologies and tools in a format that includes asynchronous recorded video lectures, synchronous discussion lectures, readings, and practical assignments designed to teach the design and implementation of a social impact measurement plan.

Fall or Spring

0.5 Course Units

NPLD 5840 Transforming Evaluation: Empowering Stakeholders in Sense-making

The twofold purpose of social impact measurement is to assess and improve the impact of nonprofit programs and to offer actionable information for ongoing improvement. Social impact measurement is an essential learning opportunity for grant maker and grantee. However, developing an evaluation plan, instruments, and process that is culturally responsive with an equity lens and also aligned with nonprofit’s capacity is crucial. This course will offer an overview of leading social impact measurement methodologies and tools and field exercise experience. During the field exercise, student teams will develop an evaluation plan and associated instruments for a local nonprofit using one or more of the methodologies. Teams will present their evaluation plans and offer recommendations for implementation. Lectures will be complemented by class time devoted to field exercise team meetings and off-site field work.

Fall

Mutually Exclusive: SWRK 5840

1 Course Unit

NPLD 5850 Penn Social Impact Lab

Students will learn how innovation and entrepreneurship play a central role in public problem solving. The course will explore how social entrepreneurs co-develop new ideas with key stakeholders, articulate problems and solutions, define intended impact, understand competition, and collaborate with other actors. At the end of the course, students will have mastered a set of conceptual tools and strategies that will allow them to be effective problem solvers in diverse settings throughout their careers and personal lives. The course has five core objectives: To introduce students to the concepts and practices of social entrepreneurship; To introduce students to the components of a successful social enterprise; To train students to view the world from a perspective of social innovation; To encourage and empower students to develop their own innovative solutions to different social problems around the world. To introduce students to real social issues and social innovations in a real-world setting.

Fall

1 Course Unit

NPLD 5870 Empowering Nonprofit Leaders to Thrive

NPLD 5870 is designed for interdisciplinary students interested in cultivating flourishing organizations, engaged stakeholders, and inspiring leaders across sectors and especially within nonprofits. NPLD 5870 focuses on both theoretical and practical insights that can be gained from cutting-edge research on how and when people thrive at work. This research can be applied to help practitioners enrich people’s experiences at work, in collaboration with various stakeholders, and beyond. Additionally, NPLD 5870 is built upon a foundation of experiential learning, such that students can expect to experiment and apply course concepts in their own lives throughout the semester. Indeed, we intentionally start with ourselves as the first site of learning and development to promote greater authenticity and psychological safety. The experiential learning community is enhanced throughout the course with highly interactive, live class sessions, in-depth feedback from the Teaching Team, and intentional practice with constructive peer coaching. At the end of the course, students will feel a strong grounding in their own strengths and values, their own authentic leadership, their ability to connect with others in meaningful, supportive ways, and their capacity to surface opportunities that inspire constructive change at any level of interaction or organizing. The learning objectives of the course provide students with: 1. Techniques and real-world experience in using positive leadership concepts to enrich one’s own career, relationships, and life; 2. Ability to identify opportunities to use positive leadership practices in the workplace to enhance stakeholder engagement, individual and organizational performance, and collective impact; 3. Tools for applying positive leadership concepts in nonprofits, as well as all other organizational domains (e.g., business, government, communities, the family, etc.); 4. In-depth experience in peer coaching and developing practical experiments to innovate and improve on a daily basis.

Spring

1 Course Unit

NPLD 5890 Ethics and The Pursuit of Social Impact

Leaders of organizations must often make difficult decisions that balance the rights of one set of stakeholders against another. Having multiple stakeholders or bottom-lines presents challenges when conflicts arise, with the perennial question of whose rights or benefits prevail. What trade-offs need to be made between multiple bottom lines? Does the mission of the organization prevail over the interests of employees or clients? To what extent can large donors influence the mission of the organization? What constitutes an appropriate social return on investment? This course will introduce the factors that influence moral conduct, the ethical issues that arise when pursuing social goals, and explore the best ways to promote ethical conduct within such organizations. The course will use specific case studies, both real and hypothetical, to analyze a variety of ethical issues that arise, including those related to finance, governance, accountability, fundraising, labor (paid and unpaid), client groups, and service provision while balancing multiple stakeholders and bottom-lines. This course is offered in the fall semester and will conclude by discussing ways that organizations can prevent and correct misconduct, develop a spirit of ethical behavior, and institutionalize ethical values in the organization’s culture.

Fall or Spring

1 Course Unit

NPLD 5900 Social Finance

Economic analysis and financial accounting are like languages: fluency comes with practice. In-class review of case studies (including in-person discussions with the representatives of diverse agencies and organizations featured in the case studies) will enable students to test and develop their capacity for applying conceptual tools and analytical methods to sometimes messy and always complicated, real-life situations. The course objective is to develop theoretical understanding, critical judgment, and practical skills for sensitive and effective engagement with financial and economic matters of significance. Students will learn: Different ways of thinking about the economic foundations of social policy, The basic terminology, tools, and methods for analyzing the financial statements of a wide range of organizations, and Accounting procedures for evaluating business, government, and organizational operations, policies, and practices. This course is at once macro and micro in its orientation. It provides a conceptual basis—derived from mainstream and alternative perspectives—for thinking about the economic dimensions of human development and social policy, and it introduces a set of core competencies for leadership and financial management of organizations, including conventional enterprises, consulting firms, research institutions, governmental agencies, philanthropies, cooperatives, and other third-sector organizations.

Fall

1 Course Unit

NPLD 5920 Innovations in Public-Private Collaboration

This course considers the origins, motivations for, and recent advances in public-private collaborations and contracting arrangements for achieving public and social program goals. The course begins with an examination of the origins and trends in public-private sector partnerships and the influence of important reforms such as New Public Management on the nature of collaborative arrangements. The course takes a deeper look at the newest innovations–social impacts bonds or pay for success arrangements–and the evidence on their implementation and effectiveness to date. Case examples and studies are used to illustrate challenges encountered in implementing public-private partnerships and performance-based contracts and in achieving accountability for outcomes and impacts. The course includes asynchronous recorded video lectures, synchronous discussions, readings, and applied assignments designed to provide an opportunity to implement learnings from the course.

Spring

1 Course Unit

NPLD 5930 Design Thinking for Social Impact

Design thinking is quickly becoming a fundamental tool for innovation. It is a creative problem-solving methodology that can help people find new, creative solutions to increasingly complex global challenges. The skill set is particularly useful for social innovators working in ambiguous and rapidly changing environments. Design Thinking for Social Innovation teaches students to develop empathy for stakeholders, generate innovative ideas, and prototype and refine those ideas so they can be successfully implemented. The course introduces a deeply human process that taps into abilities we all have but get overlooked by more conventional problem-solving practices. Design thinking is something you can learn only by doing, so we’ll get out into the world and tackle a design challenge of our own together. Students will develop product/business/service/experience concepts using techniques such as empathy, problem definition, ideation, concept refinement and prototyping. You will learn design tools and techniques to generate and communicate innovative solutions. At the end of this class you’ll have a new set of skills to apply to any challenge you face and the tools and techniques to infuse your day-to-day work with creativity.

Spring

1 Course Unit

NPLD 5950 Philanthropy and the City

This spring semester course will focus on how urban communities are shaped and influenced by the nonprofit sector and the billions of philanthropic dollars that fuel their work. By bridging theory and practice and utilizing the City of Philadelphia as a place to explore these ideas, the course delves into what dynamics are at play to deliver vital services or programs in health care, education, the arts, community development, and other issues. The course will also focus on these important questions: • Whose responsibility is the public good? How is that responsibility shared by the public, private, and nonprofit sectors? How do different actors within these sectors define the public good? • Given the responsibility for the public good, which individuals and groups make the decisions about how to serve the public good? • How are philanthropic dollars best utilized to generate results or impact via investment in nonprofit organizations? • How is philanthropy responding to some of the key crosscurrents affecting society today? Students will consider these questions in an interdisciplinary context that will bring a historical and philosophical perspective to the examination of the values and institutions that characterize contemporary philanthropy and the nonprofit sector. And thanks to the generosity of donors and alumni, students in the course will work in teams to devise a real-world evaluation process and distribute funds to well-deserving nonprofits – providing an experiential (and unique) opportunity to experience first-hand what it takes to execute effective charitable giving.

Spring

Also Offered As: SWRK 5950

1 Course Unit

NPLD 5980 Building Inclusive, Poverty-Informed Communities

Poverty is fundamentally about scarcity—a lack of life’s basic human needs, which is not limited to what we may think such as food, water, and shelter. We often reduce poverty to simplistic terms: however, its profound impact affects people’s overall well-being and opportunities. This leaves impacted individuals, families, and communities experiencing a persistent threat to safety security, a lack of belonging, and learned helplessness. This course addresses both the immediate needs of individuals experiencing poverty and alternatives to creating sustainable, systemic changes to promote equity, inclusion, and belonging. This community-engaged/service-learning course examines Philadelphia place-based poverty, with variations in intensity and manifestation. Students will embrace a participatory and culturally humble approach to understanding root causes of poverty through a combination of lectures, immersive classroom experiences, site visits to local nonprofits, and service-learning placement assignments. Several classes will be held off-campus at various nonprofit sites in Philadelphia. Students will gain a deep understanding of the complex and multifaceted realities of poverty, underscoring the laws and policies that create and maintain widespread in the US. This course counts towards the Certificate in Global Human Rights as it places US Human Rights issues in the context of global human rights principles and treaties. This transformative and impactful service-learning course is designed for students who are passionate about inclusivity and reducing barriers. It aims to explore how nonprofits empower economically vulnerable individuals, families, and communities to achieve an improved quality of life. The Netter Center for Community Partnerships has designated this course as an Academically Based Community Service (ABCS) course because it integrates practical engagement with the community alongside traditional teaching methods.

Fall

1 Course Unit

NPLD 5990 Independent Study

Independent studies provide a flexible opportunity for students and NPL faculty or part-time instructors to work together in pursuing a topic of special interest that is not sufficiently covered by other courses in the curriculum. The content of independent studies is highly specialized and, as such, requires a plan of study developed jointly by the student(s) and the supervising professor. Independent studies require the academic advisor's approval.

Fall or Spring

1 Course Unit

NPLD 7010 Leadership Practicum

The Leadership Practicum is an integral part of your NPL experience. Through a structured mentorship or mentorship and placement at an organization, you will have the opportunity to apply your classroom learning to your work. The goal is to deepen your learning while making it practical. During the two-semester Practicum, you will enhance your understanding of the definitions and requirements of leadership and management; gain a better sense of your career goals; gain insight into the social impact sector locally, nationally, and/or globally; contribute to you organization through project work (if in a placement); and achieve learning objectives mutually agreed upon with your mentor/organization. Your cohort will meet monthly to discuss your practicum, career development, and applying what you learn in the program to your work. Meeting dates and times will be communicated at the beginning of each semester and will be posted on Canvas.

Two Term Class, Student may enter either term; credit given for either

0 Course Units

NPLD 7030 Impacting Government: Policy Analysis & Coalition Building

This course focuses on developing a theoretical foundation for actionable skills in policy analysis and coalition building across a wide-range of constituencies. The material begins with a structured focus on the ideological underpinnings of social welfare in the United States and the ways in which these perspectives shape our conception of equity, equality, and allocation of resources along the lines of race, class, gender, immigration status, and other identities. We will then utilize this basis for developing analysis frameworks, policy briefs, and media messaging that students will utilize when working with legislative bodies to advocate for and with the populations they serve. Distinct emphasis is placed on becoming conversant across differential systems, ideas, values, and assumptions while remaining grounded in relevant research and empirical approaches.

Mutually Exclusive: SWRK 7030

1 Course Unit

NPLD 7200 Introduction to Data Analysis for Social Impact

In today’s fast-paced world, practitioners, leaders, and researchers must stay connected with the latest cutting-edge research in their fields. This course is your gateway to understanding the quantitative methods that drive social impact research. Through hands-on, lab-based activities, you’ll gain both the theoretical knowledge and practical skills needed to analyze real-world data. We’ll explore the dynamics of individual participation in the nonprofit sector, focusing on activities like charitable giving and volunteering. This course is all about getting you comfortable with the nuts and bolts of handling and analyzing quantitative survey data. We’ll start with the basics—understanding statistical principles and using descriptive and exploratory methods to make sense of data. Then, we’ll dive into more advanced techniques like OLS regression and logistic regression, all within the user-friendly environment of STATA. Along the way, you’ll also tackle big-picture topics like theory testing, the philosophy of science, and the importance of replication in research. Whether you’re looking to engage with existing social impact research or make your own original contributions, this course has something for you. And don’t worry—no prior experience with statistics or programming is required. Just bring your curiosity, and by the end of the course, you’ll be equipped to make data-driven decisions that can truly make a difference.

Spring

1 Course Unit

NPLD 7500 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Partnerships and Practices

NPLD 7500 explores the relationship between business and society through the lens of corporate social responsibility (CSR), with a particular emphasis on corporate philanthropy. The central question we investigate is: What is the responsibility of business to society, if any? We examine how CSR is conceptualized, how it is practiced, the nature of partnerships formed with society, and its broader impact. This is a travel course to the Netherlands, where we examine CSR in the European context and compare it with practices in the United States and India. The course includes site visits and lectures by Dutch academics at Erasmus University, as well as insights from local corporate and nonprofit practitioners. Businesses engaging in philanthropic activities often leverage their CSR platforms to interact with society, either directly, through corporate foundations, or in collaboration with nonprofit organizations. While these activities may not be directly tied to profit-making ventures, they can enhance corporate reputation, serve as marketing tools, aid in talent recruitment, and improve employee engagement and commitment, ultimately contributing to profitability in indirect ways.

Spring

1 Course Unit

NPLD 7520 Energy, Innovation, and Impact in the Global South

Over the past decade, a new type of social enterprise has emerged, which aims to deliver goods and services to the huge market of off-grid, low-income households in developing countries. These social enterprises, known as ‘Base of the Pyramid’ (BoP) ventures, seek to simultaneously achieve profits, scale, and social impact. This course will focus on a sector that has been radically transformed by BoP ventures over the last decade – clean energy. Not only has this sector been catalytic to delivering energy access across the developing world, it also directly aims to combat climate change, the existential issue of our age. This is a course for those who are interested in becoming social entrepreneurs, particularly in developing countries. It will reveal the nuances of operationalizing these ventures and provide a business toolkit for designing and launching a social venture. The course will equally be topical for those who are simply interested in better understanding the inner-workings and implications of this fast-growing and alluring model of alleviating poverty and disease.

1 Course Unit

NPLD 7620 Nonprofit Law

Nonprofit organizations are subject to specific state and federal laws designed to protect their charitable or other societal purpose and to oversee the solicitation and use of public funds. This course will introduce students to state laws and federal tax laws governing nonprofit (tax-exempt) organizations. This course will provide practical guidance to nonprofit professionals seeking to understand these important rules and to guide their nonprofits to compliance.

Spring

1 Course Unit

NPLD 7810 Understanding and Managing Volunteers for Impact

In chemistry, an atom is the smallest unit of matter that has the properties of an element. In the same vein, volunteers are the atoms of voluntary action. Volunteers are the backbone of many human service organizations, environmental organizations, and other nonprofit organizations. Volunteers serve almost every function from stuffing envelopes to sitting on boards of nonprofit organizations. They make many programs such as education, and environmental protection possible and fill the void created by the fiscally retreating governments as well as newly arising social problems and human needs. Without volunteer participation, the services that are offered by many nonprofit organizations would be unavailable or provided at a higher cost to government, clients, and donors. The literature as to what constitutes volunteering and what produces committed and effective volunteers is confusing and full of contradictions. Furthermore, only few organizations know how to face the challenges of managing unpaid staff and how to motivate volunteers without offering material benefits. Volunteers are simultaneously non-remunerated employees and independent support with a different agency than paid employees. This course will combine presentations, group work, discussions, case studies, video clips, and readings to delve into the challenges of volunteering.

Spring

1 Course Unit

NPLD 7820 Group Dynamics

"Today, everything we do in life is influenced by • The interpersonal relationships we develop • The partnerships we create in work, friendship, and family groups • Our capacities to understand, embrace, and manage conflicts • The ways we affirm both our differences and our commonness NPLD 7820 is a half credit course designed for U Penn grad students who want to enhance their skills at everything from managing work groups through to engaging in discovery-learning and co-educating each other about how to make best use of your time, energies and resources. All of our lives have been altered by the pandemic in ways that are obvious and in ways that are hidden and hard to recognize. People of all ages and walks of life are trying to re-envision the paths we are on, and the contributions we can offer to the world. We are also discovering new things about our identities, the roles we are asked to take up, our sense of belonging in a range of settings, plus things like global economic disparities, the pernicious -isms (race, gender, class, etc.), and humanity’s relationship with nature. 7820 is experientially based. This means knowledge and insights are acquired through the direct experience of relational engagement. As we generate new forms of relatedness, our understanding of ourselves deepens, and in turn leads us to take actions that enrich both others and ourselves."

Fall or Spring

0.5 Course Units

NPLD 7840 The Nonprofit Sector: Concepts and Theories

This is the course that provides a theoretical understanding of the nonprofit sector, its organizations, individual prosocial behaviors, and key actors. Nonprofit organizations are ubiquitous. They impact almost every area of society. From health care to homeless shelters, from education to the environment, nonprofits provide services, promote legislation, protect rights, and produce public and private goods. This class will survey the entire nonprofit sector, to gauge its vast scope and multiplicity. The course will also cover various concepts and theories related to the nonprofit sector. These concepts and theories come from a variety of academic fields, including economics, sociology, political science, psychology, law, and public administration. We will cover the basic voluntary behaviors associated with nonprofit organizations, such as volunteering and charitable giving. We will also cover the basic concepts associated with nonprofit management, like board governance and fiduciary duties.

Fall

1 Course Unit

NPLD 7850 Group Dynamics and Organizational Politics

This course is also known as “The Power Lab at Penn.” This intensely experiential course is designed for those providing group and institutional leadership at any level of a human enterprise, managing work groups, chairing committees, serving on special task forces, conducting support groups, offering legal services, teaching in classrooms, facilitating groups in clinical settings, etc. Participants will focus on two topics: (1) an in-depth understanding of group dynamics while they are in action, and (2) the organizational relationships between groups that are in a powerful position, groups locked in a powerless state and those caught in the middle between the powerful and the powerless. Prerequisite: NPLD 7910 or by permission of instructor. Course Structure: NPLD 7850 is 1 CU, 72 hours intensive and partially live-in power laboratory which runs from Friday morning to Sunday evening. The lab is an experiential event designed to enable participants to explore how they hands the dynamics of different types of “power” and “powerlessness”. People in positions of power rarely have the opportunity to live through what it is like to be powerless or to see clearly what impact their exercise of power has on other. Moreover, those who are classically powerless do not usually get to experience what it is like to be in a position of power. This event is designed to bring into our fields of vision the organizational dynamics that are all pervasive but which usually fall into our collective “blind spots”. NPLD 7850 offers you the opportunity to learn about power as you enact and create it and can give you insights into these inter-group dynamics that can reframe and invigorate your understanding of organizations and your life within them.

Fall or Spring

Prerequisite: NPLD 7820 OR NPLD 7910

1 Course Unit

NPLD 7860 Strategic Management and Leadership of Nonprofits

This course is designed to introduce students to the fundamental issues in strategic management and leadership of nonprofit organizations, with an emphasis on acquiring operational skills grounded in research and critical thinking. The course is designed for those who may have had years of experience managing other people and programs in the nonprofit sector but who want to develop a more systematic mastery of this challenge, as well as students from other sectors who aspire to a nonprofit leadership role. Most class periods will consist of a combination of discussion and lecture. Lectures will introduce new concepts; class discussion and group exercises will allow us to explore and apply those concepts. Guest speakers will share their insights and experiences. You should feel free to ask questions during lectures and are encouraged to engage in discussions. The course contains a team consulting project in which students will work together to tackle a specific strategic problem or address an opportunity to improve the work of a partner agency.

Fall or Spring

1 Course Unit

NPLD 7870 Leadership Theory and Practice

This course will present the evolution of leadership theory beginning with classical trait theories and ultimately focusing on more modern perspectives such as adaptive, authentic, and shared leadership models that engage more critical understandings of traditional leadership theory. Ultimately, we frame leadership as socially constructed, collective experience that is generated by complex group dynamics. We will examine leadership in nonprofit organizations, government, and social movements. Readings will include a formal overview of leadership theory as well as contemporary feminist and futurist perspectives. The practice focus in on developing new relational capabilities that include deep listening, self-reflection, and adaptive problem solving. “There is nothing so practical as good theory” – Kurt Lewin, Organizational Psychologist “All models are wrong, but some are useful” – George Box, Statistician “To learn which questions are unanswerable, and not to answer them, this skill is most needful in times of stress and darkness.” – Ursala K. Le Guin

Fall or Spring

1 Course Unit

NPLD 7880 Social Impact Entrepreneurship Meets Mass Incarceration

This course is an integral part of the Penn Restorative Entrepreneurship Program (PREP )https://www.sp2.upenn.edu/research/special-projects/prep/ and will offer a group of previously incarcerated people intensive training on developing a new business. Students from SP2, Wharton, and Penn Law, and others will work with returning citizens on teams throughout the semester which will learn to craft a viable business plan while also engaging in critical analysis of the limits of social impact entrepreneurship in addressing longstanding social problems such as mass incarceration. In the final meeting, the teams will make pitches to a panel of angel investors who are recruited to provide additional supports to the most promising proposals. This ABCS (Academically-Based Community Service) course aims to not only play an important role in reducing recidivism but to also enable Penn students the opportunity to connect with members of our broader community and engage in meaningful social change in a cross-disciplinary setting where the expectation is that all of us has something to learn from and to teach to everyone else.

Spring

1 Course Unit

NPLD 7890 Nonprofit Leadership: Topics

Philanthropy plays a unique role in advancing social change. Unlike business, there is no requirement to generate a financial return to owners, and unlike government (in a democracy), individual donors and institutional funders cannot be voted out. Given philanthropy’s role, what tactics and strategies can philanthropy use for social change? This class will examine key issues in contemporary philanthropy, exploring the sector from a variety of vantage points. Several classes will feature philanthropic leaders who will be invited to introduce and discuss philanthropic innovations, methodologies, and strategic shifts. Potential topics include philanthropy in history; philanthropic networks and coalitions; leveraging capital for systemic change in staffed foundations; non-profits and the law; lobbying and sector independence; aligning investments and mission; the growth of DAFs, LLCs, and other structures for giving; the possibilities and pitfalls of long-term grants. The course also highlights the structural aspects of managing a mission-driven organization, including regulatory, legal, structural vehicles, impact investments, and policy matters.

0-1 Course Unit

NPLD 7900 Social Finance

Economic analysis and financial accounting are like languages: fluency comes with practice. In-class review of case studies (including in-person discussions with the representatives of diverse agencies and organizations featured in the case studies) will enable students to test and develop their capacity for applying conceptual tools and analytical methods to sometimes messy and always complicated, real-life situations. The course objective is to develop theoretical understanding, critical judgment, and practical skills for sensitive and effective engagement with financial and economic matters of significance. Students will learn: *Different ways of thinking about the economic foundations of social policy, *The basic terminology, tools, and methods for analyzing the financial statements of a wide range of organizations, and *Accounting procedures for evaluating business, government, and organizational operations, policies, and practices. This course is at once macro and micro in its orientation. It provides a conceptual basis—derived from mainstream and alternative perspectives—for thinking about the economic dimensions of human development and social policy, and it introduces a set of core competencies for leadership and financial management of organizations, including conventional enterprises, consulting firms, research institutions, governmental agencies, philanthropies, cooperatives, and other third-sector organizations.

Fall

1 Course Unit

NPLD 7910 Leadership: Designing the Future

This course is an invitation to discover and co-create ways to shape the world anew. This experiential, discovery-based course is designed for this generation’s emergent leaders, the interdisciplinary graduate students of the University of Pennsylvania. Sponsored and housed by the M.S. in Nonprofit Leadership at the School of Social Policy and Practice, NPLD 7910 provides opportunities for participants to create new insights that help them to reimagine their relationships with themselves, others, and the natural, man-made, and technological environments. This is the moment to advance the human condition by co-creating knowledge and perspective while also preserving the wisdom passed on to us from our collective ancestors. During the course, we will co-create a human and organizational ecosystem while exploring the group and system dynamics that shape our experience and, often, our choices. NPLD 7910 is a 1.0 credit unit, in-person, experiential course that operates on the principles of discovery learning. Simply put, there is little that is conventional about this class. There are no power-point slides. There are no universal takeaways. There are no final exams. Instead, we offer the chance to immerse, explore, and discover together. NPLD 7910 has three major components. Module 1 creates the learning community and establishes the intellectual architecture of the course through a set of directed readings and group discussions. Module 2 features a simulation that asks students to take on the identities, interests, and motivations of different groups at a time set in the future while also creating structured reflections focused on the dynamics at play within and across groups. Module 3 consists of system and group level processing of the decisions, relationships, and perceptions that shaped the choices made by the students throughout the simulation.

Fall or Spring

1 Course Unit

NPLD 7920 Social Entrepreneurship

Social entrepreneurs are individuals with innovative vision seeking to accomplish important public purposes through the creative and aggressive mobilization of people and resources. Using academic theory and research on social entrepreneurship as a framework, student innovators learn to design, develop, and lead social change organizations of their own invention. Students turn their passion for changing the world into concrete plans for launching a venture. Over the course of the semester, we will cover a broad array of topics associated with social innovation and entrepreneurship, including defining the problem/opportunity, refining the mission/vision, developing market research and industry analysis, defining a financial and operating structure, assessing results and progress, and scaling an enterprise. This course is neutral on sector. Graduate students in any of Penn’s graduate and professional schools who want to create social value through either nonprofit or for-profit ventures are invited to take the class and develop their ideas. The class will expose students to the process of getting an organization – regardless of sector – off the ground and running. While this is a class on innovation and entrepreneurship, students do not need to be committed to starting a venture upon graduation. The skills and tools contained in the course have wide applicability in the workplace. Being able to develop a coherent venture plan is great training for anyone who wants to work in government, philanthropy, or the business sector funding or managing existing organizations. The course attempts to convey a picture of what a well-considered and well-executed venture plan looks like with the goal of developing in students an appreciation for clear thinking in the pursuit of the creation of public value. Students will work throughout the term on a plan for an organization that they devise, with assignments spread out throughout the term. Elements of a venture plan will be drafted through multiple class assignments, and students present formally and informally several times throughout the semester, receiving feedback from faculty, peers, social entrepreneurs and invited guests. At the end of the term, students will assemble all the pieces they have worked on in the class, revise and hone these elements, and then put them into a coherent venture plan for their organization.

Fall or Spring

1 Course Unit

NPLD 7940 Fundraising and Philanthropy: The Donor Journey

In 2024, total charitable giving represented more than $592 billion! This tremendous sum represents the continued strength, resiliency, and responsiveness of American philanthropy. As charitable giving continues to play a greater role in society, nonprofit leaders and their teams must be prepared with the knowledge and tools to secure significant philanthropic commitments to advance their mission, whether they represent small grassroots organizations or large national institutions. Fundraising & Philanthropy: The Donor Journey will prepare students with the knowledge and practical skills to raise private philanthropic dollars to support their fundraising programs. The course will begin with an overview of today’s ever-evolving philanthropic landscape to frame the role of fundraising, with a strong focus on giving from individuals. Each module will explore key elements of successful fundraising programs, including the annual campaign, the case for support, prospect research, major gifts and capital campaigns, board fundraising, next gen giving, and innovations in philanthropy. The course also dedicates significant time to preparing students to make and manage “the ask” for philanthropic support, a critical skill for fundraisers to command with confidence. Modules, readings, and class discussions are structured to offer diverse theory and perspectives to enhance students’ critical analysis of philanthropy and develop the practical skills needed to effectively engage in the donor journey. By the conclusion of the course, students will have gained the knowledge, strategies, and tools to elevate their fundraising programs and have the greatest benefit to the communities they serve.

Spring

1 Course Unit

NPLD 7950 Philanthropy and the City

Spring

1 Course Unit

NPLD 7960 Philanthropy and Fundraising Tools: A Survey Course

This course reviews the tools and best practices that nonprofit executives and development officers need to raise funds from individuals and understand the scope of US private philanthropy. Recently, Americans gave over $550 billion to charitable organizations and over 64% was from individuals. giving. The fundraising/philanthropy profession has created a body of knowledge in the past thirty years that guides effective fundraising programs to support their organization’s mission. The class will review the theory and practices that development professionals use daily in large and small organizations, including annual giving, major gifts, planned giving, cultivation of donors, making your case for support, the Seven Faces of Philanthropy, CRMS, and prospect research. Class will also highlight philanthropic trends, current giving patterns, and provide resources to expand knowledge beyond the classroom. For those who hope to lead nonprofit organizations and/or be positions of influence, these are critical tools to understand.

Fall

1 Course Unit

NPLD 7990 Independent Study

Independent studies provide a flexible opportunity for faculty and students to work together in pursuing a topic of special interest that is not sufficiently covered by other courses in the curriculum. The content of independent studies is highly specialized and, as such, requires a plan of study developed jointly by the student(s) and the supervising faculty member. Plans for independent study should include: a statement of the issues(s) to be studied; a rationale for why the identified issue(s) should be pursued via an independent study; a statement of how the independent study fits into the student’s overall educational plan; a summary of the independent study’s major learning objectives; the methods to be used in carrying out the study; a workable plan; the educational “products” that will result from the study (normally a written report or paper); and the expected date by which the independent study will be completed. Independent Study Course Approval Form The process for arranging an independent study requires approval of both the student’s academic advisor and a faculty member who has agreed to conduct the independent study. The procedures to be followed are: The student discusses interest in doing an independent study with the academic advisor. If the advisor concurs with the student’s submission, the advisor and student will discuss potential faculty sponsors. If a faculty sponsor can be located, the student and faculty sponsor craft the specific plan, including learning objectives, content, and structure for the course. The academic advisor informs the registrar that an independent study for the student has been approved. On the rare occasions that a student is unable to schedule a regular School course, the educational advisor makes a recommendation to the NPL Faculty Director who will try to identify a standing or adjunct faculty member able to supervise the course delivered as an independent study.

Fall, Spring, and Summer Terms

0-1 Course Unit

NPLD 9000 Dissertation Seminar

The purpose of this course is to introduce doctoral-level students to data collection and qualitative data analysis. The course will cover the foundational concepts of qualitative research, including different qualitative research designs like ethnography, phenomenology, and grounded theory, detailed techniques for data collection like interviewing, document analysis, and observation, data analysis methods, ethical considerations, and the application of qualitative findings in research writing. Students will become acquainted with the epistemology of qualitative approaches and with developing skills in all areas of qualitative methodology, through first-hand experience of using these methods to collect and analyze data on an appropriate topic of their choice. This course offers a hands-on opportunity for doctoral students to experience the practice of qualitative research in organizational, policy, and other social sciences.

1 Course Unit

NPLD 9001 Theory and Concepts of the Nonprofit Sector I

Theory and Concepts of the Nonprofit Sector Part I: including theories of the nonprofit sector, history of the sector, key concepts, and sub-sectors The first semester presents the general characteristics of the nonprofit sector, a description of the sub-sectors or industries within the sector, theories of why nonprofit organizations are created related to the general characteristics of different societies and theories of market and government failures, its history before the Twentieth Century including religious and moral foundations and its relationship to early social service organizations, its history in the Twentieth Century including its relationship to tax law and the way the War on Poverty stimulated an explosion in the number of nonprofits, the concept of civil society, concepts of the ways nonprofit organizations relate to government policy making (the idea of political pluralism), relationships of nonprofit organizations to communities, how nonprofits are created and how they evolve as organizations, how nonprofits relate to social justice values and how social movement organizations are similar and different from formally structured nonprofits, how nonprofits vary internationally including ways international NGOs differ from U.S. nonprofits and ways the UN defines and relates to nonprofits within its system. Throughout the semester, there will be a discussion of what it means to theorize, how one can identify and critique the theoretical elements of research papers, and what different types or kinds of theories are used for different research purposes. Students will be asked to write several short (5 pp.) theoretical critiques of research papers related to the topical areas covered in the course. The purpose of these assignments is for students to examine how theories are presented in papers, how the theories relate to and motivate empirical data in the papers, to identify the main assertions and findings of the papers, and for students to imagine how the analyses in the papers might be extended to new research undertakings related to the content of the paper. Core goals here are for students to learn how to decode the technical and arcane language of research papers and then to think creatively about how research investigations could lead to new projects and investigations. These skills are important for students to learn how to develop dissertation projects.

Fall

1 Course Unit

NPLD 9002 Theory and Concepts of the Nonprofit Sector II

Organizational dynamics and its implications for understanding and managing nonprofit organizations. This course examines organizational dynamics within nonprofit organizations, with a focus on how structures, cultures, and power relations shape behavior and performance. Students analyze how nonprofits adapt to complex environments involving multiple stakeholders, resource constraints, and mission-driven goals. The course explores formal and informal organizational processes, including governance, leadership, decision-making, and internal politics. Attention is given to collaboration, conflict, and accountability within and across organizations. Students engage with theories from organizational sociology, management, and public administration, applying them to nonprofit contexts. Empirical cases and applied exercises are used to assess organizational change, effectiveness, and resilience. The course emphasizes analytical frameworks that support strategic diagnosis and organizational design in mission-oriented settings.

Spring

1 Course Unit

NPLD 9003 Methods of Inquiry: Quantitative Research Methods

This course is designed to teach the basics of social and behavioral science research, with relevance to planning for and assessing program outcomes of non-profit organizations. A particular focus will be placed on understanding evidence-based practice and how to use it in one’s own organizational management. The course will address building conceptual frameworks, research ethics, source credibility, formulating research questions and hypotheses, measurement and scale construction, surveys and interviews, sampling procedures, and research designs. Importance will be placed on the development of designing ethical, feasible, and practical research studies to answer questions of importance to non-profit leaders, including evaluating programs and the use of randomized designs. The course will demonstrate the significance and the means to construct conceptual frameworks for purposes of developing programs, curriculum, research proposal writing, and ultimately for publications. The course assignments build to the development to the final assignment that culminates in the submission of a well-crafted research proposal that is ethical and practical that can be feasibly implemented, possibly as the student’s dissertation research study.

Fall

1 Course Unit

NPLD 9004 Methods of Inquiry: Qualitative Research Methods

Summer Term

1 Course Unit

NPLD 9005 Philanthropy and Fundraising

The purpose of this course is to enhance your understanding of the rich and diverse economic activity within the nonprofit sector. It will also cover the similarities, differences and interactions across the four main sectors of society: households, capitalistic firms, governments, and nonprofit charities. Upon completing the course, you should be equipped with knowledge of several main economic theories explaining the how and why of nonprofit organizations. You should also have a general understanding of the regulatory and tax environment faced by nonprofit organizations, as well as some key operational considerations for nonprofits from an economic perspective. Other topics include the role of individual giving (during life and at death), corporate giving, foundation grant-making, and the impact of taxes on each of them. We close the semester with an assessment of theories of social justice and the roles of philanthropy with respect to social justice, discrimination, diversity, inclusion, and advocacy.

Summer Term

1 Course Unit

NPLD 9006 Applied Social Statistics

This course is designed to provide students with a range of statistical methods and applications used for research in organizational analysis, management, and human behavior. Topics covered include types and measurements of variables, basic concepts, and techniques for exploring and categorizing data, for generalizing data from sample to population, and tests of significance. An emphasis will be placed on the practical applications of data to address nonprofit administration issues.

Fall

1 Course Unit

NPLD 9007 Advanced Nonprofit Finance, Investment Policy & Audit Oversight

Budgets are not merely an accounting tool; they define organizational priorities and the primary mechanism by which strategy becomes action. This course covers multi-year budget construction, revenue forecasting, reserve and endowment policy, investment oversight, and audit committee governance. Students develop the financial leadership skills necessary to manage volatility and resource constraints while maintaining board confidence and institutional credibility.

Fall

1 Course Unit

NPLD 9008 Internal Governance: Legal Structures & Board Leadership

Effective governance is both a legal requirement and also can be a key asset for mission-driven organizations. This course examines board roles and responsibilities, fiduciary duty, conflict-of-interest management, and the legal frameworks governing nonprofit operations. Students develop practical skills in working with legal counsel, managing the board-executive relationship, and building governance systems that remain durable under both ordinary and crisis conditions. Committee structures, balancing the roles between management and board, and strategies to resolve conflict will be addressed.

Fall

1 Course Unit

NPLD 9009 Advanced Nonprofit Finance, Investment Policy & Audit Oversight

Spring

1 Course Unit

NPLD 9010 Regulatory Strategy, Government Relations & Public Policy Engagement

Senior nonprofit leaders must navigate both the policy environment and understand how to shape it. This course provides students with the tools to engage government at all levels through strategic advocacy, coalition building, and public-private collaboration. Students examine how regulatory frameworks are developed and challenged, and how to position their organizations as credible, influential voices in legislative and administrative processes. Examples of public policy affecting mission-driven organizations that have both succeeded in gaining support and failed will be examined.

Summer Term

1 Course Unit

NPLD 9011 Strategic Talent Systems & Human Capital Leadership

Mission-driven organizations can succeed or fail based on their people. This course examines how senior leaders design and sustain the human capital systems needed to attract, develop, and retain high-performing, mission-aligned talent. Topics include workforce planning, performance management, leadership development, and building organizational culture. Students also will learn about the interpersonal competencies required to manage conflict and under-performance in environments where mission commitment is deeply personal. Legal frameworks, practical knowledge and case examples will be used to support management skills and decision-making.

Summer Term

1 Course Unit

NPLD 9012 Leading and Driving Change in Nonprofit Organizations

How do mission-driven organizations change, adapt, and thrive in a rapidly changing world? This graduate seminar examines the dynamics of organizational change, with particular emphasis on nonprofit and mission-driven contexts. The course integrates foundational theories and models of change with practical strategies for leading transformation in complex environments. Students will develop the analytical and leadership skills needed to design, plan, and implement effective change initiatives across nonprofit teams, organizations, and ecosystems. Through lectures, case discussions, and simulations, participants will: 1) Understand key theories and models of organizational change and innovation. 2) Analyze the structural, cultural, and contextual factors influencing change processes; 3) Develop strategies for leading and managing change effectively; 4) Examine the roles of organizational culture, leadership, and communication in successful transformation; 5) Apply theoretical frameworks to real-world nonprofit case studies and change scenarios. By the end of the course, students will be able to integrate theory and practice to design and lead sustainable change efforts that strengthen nonprofit performance and social impact.

Fall

1 Course Unit

NPLD 9900 DNPA Dissertation

All students on dissertation status are registered for year-long dissertation status courses. These courses will receive a temporary mark of PR in the fall to indicate the course is in progress and a permanent mark of S (satisfactory progress) or U (unsatisfactory) at the end of the spring semester (or fall semester if that is the student’s last enrolled term). The mark will be a reflection of the evaluation of the student’s progress based, in part, on the student’s Annual Progress Report.

Fall, Spring, and Summer Terms

0 Course Units

Nonprofit Leadership (NPLD)

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