Development of Nonprofit Organizations

UST/USA 456

Maxine Goodman Levine College of Urban Affairs

Cleveland State University

Mondays 6:00 pm to 9:50 pm

UR 107

Instructor: Jennifer Madden

(216) 687-2497 Tel

(216) 687-9277 Fax

jennifer@urban.csuohio.edu

Office Hours: 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm Mondays and by appointment (UR 346)

Required Texts

• Hammack, David C. ed., 1998. Making the Nonprofit Sector in the United States: A Reader. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.

• Wolf, Thomas. 1999. Managing A Nonprofit Organization in the Twenty-First Century. New York: Simon & Schuster.

• On Point Collection. Building the Best Boards. Harvard Business Review, product 6948. Includes Building Better Boards by David Nadler; What Makes Great Boards Great by Jeffrey A. Sonnenfeld. www.hbr.org

• Rangan, Katsuri. Lofty Missions, Down to Earth Plans, Harvard Business Review, March 2004, reprint R0403J. www.hbr.org

Recommended Texts

• Hopkins, Bruce. 2001. Starting and Managing A Nonprofit Organization: A Legal Guide. New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
• Smith, Bucklin & Associates Inc. (editor), Robert H. Wilbur (editor). 2000. The Complete Guide to Nonprofit Management. New York: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
• Collins, Jim. 2001. Good to Great: Why Some Companies Make the Leap… and Others Don’t. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc.
• Ehrenreich, Barbara. 2001. Nickel and Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America. New York: Henry Holt and Company LLC.
• Hallinan, Joseph T. 2003. Going Up the River: Travels in a Prison Nation. New York: Random House Inc.
• Schlosser, Eric. 2002. Fast Food Nation: The Dark Side of the All-American Meal. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.

Course Format Assignments and Grading

Method: This course will include lectures, guest speakers, discussions and an emphasis on adult learning that requires a high level of student involvement. Students are expected to complete readings prior to class and be prepared to discuss and debate readings and other assignments in class.

Assignments

Class Participation (20%): There will be both formal and informal questions and discussions in each class regarding reading and other assignments. Students are expected to complete the readings before class and be prepared to address questions as instructed in the syllabus.

Short Papers on Nonprofit Organization Challenge and Proposed Solution (40%): Four short papers are required and due throughout the semester. The topics include organizational history, marketing, fund development and strategic planning. Short papers should, where appropriate, reference reading assignments. These papers should be no more than 5 pages, double-spaced and typed.

Final Papers (40%): Utilizing tools learned in class, the final paper builds upon the short papers, reference and reading materials, ideas and/or presentations from class. Final paper should be no more than 8 pages, double-spaced and typed and should address the following:

What nonprofit organization are you the most passionate about? What about its mission, history or achievements would make you financially support, volunteer, or recruit others to support the organization? What are some significant challenges facing this organization today or in the near future? What are the major goals or potential conflict over goals among various constituencies of the organization? Outline why this organization is needed within the current economic and social context? What is needed to secure the long-term survival of the organization?

Grading:

A	90 – 100
B	80 – 89
C	70 – 79
D	60 – 69
F	0 – 59

University Policies: Friday, September 10^th is the last day to drop a class and NOT have it appear on the transcript. Friday, November 5^th is the Last day to WITHDRAW from a class (drop and have it appear as 'W' on the transcript).

Physical Challenged/Special Needs: Students with special needs (physical handicaps, learning disabilities, English as a second language) should identify themselves so that appropriate arrangements can be made.

Class Schedule & Readings

Week 1: August 30^th

Topic: Introductions, Course overview

ASSIGNMENT: Begin to identify a nonprofit organization. You will need to secure copies of organizational documents and other key information i.e. bylaws, articles of incorporation, 501(c)(3) IRS determination letter, list of board members, organization history, programs, strategic plan, etc.

Week 2: September 6^th

Topic: Labor Day – No Class

Week 3: September 13^th

Topic: History & Overview

Readings/Assignment: Hammack, Introduction, p. xv – xix, Colonial Theory, p. 3 – 13, Ben Franklin Autobiography, p. 70 – 84, CATO, p. 87 – 96, James Madison, The Federalist 10, p. 103 – 110, Constitution Excerpts, p. 111 – 113. Alexis de Tocqueville, Political Associations in the United States & On the Use Which American’s Make of Associations in Civil Life, P. 142 – 153.

ASSIGNMENT: Be prepared to draw parallels between the statute of charitable uses and the Elizabethan Poor Laws to your own present day notions of public welfare. Be prepared to discuss how the readings inform our understanding of the American political tradition of small government and the role of nonprofit organizations today.

Week 4: September 20^th

Topic: Nonprofit Role in Society

Readings/Assignment: Hammack, Organized Activity Among Slaves, p. 159-162, Robert Baird, The Voluntary Principle, p. 163 – 174. Peter Dobkin Hall, Institutions, Autonomy and National Networks, p. 174 – 187, W.E.B. Du Bois, Economic Cooperation among Negro Americans, 1907, p. 264 – 280. Peonage in the South: The Life Story of a Negro Peon, p. 179 – 186.

ASSIGNMENT: Bring to class two copies of two typed questions pertaining to any of the assigned readings. Be prepared to explain why nonprofit and voluntary association activity has increased dramatically.

Week 5: September 27^th

Topic: Topics in Nonprofit Management – Mission

Readings/Assignment: Wolf, Chapter 1, p. 17 - 41. Lofty Missions, Down to Earth Plans

ASSIGNMENT: Bring to class the mission statement of a nonprofit organization of your choice. Bring to class a set of bylaws and articles of incorporation from a nonprofit organization of your choice.

WRITING ASSIGNMENT: Prepare a short paper on the history of the nonprofit organization of your choice, types of programs offered, and constituencies served.

Week 6: October 4^th

Topic: Topics in Nonprofit Management – Board Development

Readings/Assignment: Wolf, Chapter 2, p. 45 – 80. Building the Best Boards, p. 3 – 31.

ASSIGNMENT: Bring to class the board list from a nonprofit organization of your choice. Attempt to secure some knowledge about the board i.e. local residents, significant fund raising experience, community activist, etc. Bring to class the bylaws and articles of incorporation from your selected nonprofit organization. Be prepared to discuss the pros and cons of the five possible board models, and debate the statement “Good is the enemy of great.”

Week 7: October 11^th

Topic: Columbus Day – No Class

Week 8: October 18^th

Topic: Topics in Nonprofit Management – Marketing

Readings/Assignment: Wolf, Chapter 5, p. 149 – 172.

Be prepared to define what is marketing and how it is different from selling, and debate the benefits of marketing orientation.

WRITING ASSIGNMENT: Prepare a short paper on the nonprofit organization that you are familiar with that answers the following: (1) Identification of your target audience (market) and a description of their need(s). (2) Discussion of problems and opportunities. (3) Suggested list of measurable objectives and strategies. (4) Budgets. (5) Methods of evaluations.

Week 9: October 25^th

Topic: Topics in Nonprofit Management – Staff Development

Readings/Assignment: Wolf, Chapter 3 & 4, p. 85 – 146

Week 10: November 1^st

Topic: Topics in Nonprofit Management – Strategic Planning

Readings/Assignment: Wolf, Chapter 9, p. 277 – 307.

WRITING ASSIGNMENT: Prepare a short paper answering the following questions about a nonprofit organization that you are familiar with: What are the needs of the organization? What are the current strengths of the organization? What are current or potential program opportunities for the organization? What are the potential financial resources available to the organization?

Week 11: November 8^th

Topic: Topics in Nonprofit Management – Financial Management

Readings/Assignment: Wolf, Chapter 6, p. 175 – 206.

Week 12: November 15^th

Topic: Topics in Nonprofit Management – Fund Development

Readings/Assignment: Wolf, Chapter 8, p. 235 – 274.

WRITING ASSIGNMENT: Prepare a short paper outlining a program in need of funding from a nonprofit organization of your choice. Justify the need for said program, outline specific goals and objectives, activities planned to meet goals and objectives, project timeline, qualification of key personnel and methods of evaluation. Prepare a solicitation letter and a cover letter that would accompany a grant application describing the project, and the amount of funds requested.

Week 13: November 22^nd

Topic: Topics in Nonprofit Management – Financial Statements & Fiscal Procedures

Readings/Assignment: Wolf, Chapter 7, p. 209 – 232.

Week 14: November 29^th

Topic: Topics in Nonprofit Management – Legal Requirements

Readings/Assignment: Hopkins, Chapter 2, p. 10 – 26, Chapter 6, p. 72 – 90, Chapter 12, p. 180 – 199.

ASSIGNMENT: Be prepared to discuss the legal framework that nonprofit corporations operate under, qualifying for tax exemption, and unrelated business income. Bring to class the bylaws and articles of incorporation from your selected nonprofit organization.

Week 15: December 6^th

Topic: International Perspectives – Nongovernmental Organizations

Readings/Assignment:

Week 16: December 13^th

Final Paper Due

Students are encouraged to discuss and share their problems and progress of their papers and projects with the class.