Nonprofit Management

Earn an O'Neill MPA with a Nonprofit Management concentration

The Nonprofit Management concentration prepares students with the ideas and technical skills needed to address the challenges and opportunities found in and surrounding nonprofit organizations.

The Nonprofit Management concentration leverages the expertise of O’Neill IUPUI’s faculty in combination with the vibrant nonprofit community in and around Indianapolis to provide students with applied learning experiences. Students will understand the roles nonprofit organizations play in society while learning about different management practices such as financial management or human resource management.

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The critical role of nonprofit organizations

A nonprofit recruiter speaks with a SPEA student at a job fair.

There are about 1.8 million nonprofit organizations recognized by the IRS providing a wide range of services ranging from education and research, arts and culture, human services, and the environment.

The nonprofit sector contributes about 5% of annual GDP to the U.S. economy. Nonprofit organizations, thus, are major actors in the economy.

Required courses (15 credit hours)

The theory, size, scope, and functions of the nonprofit and voluntary sector are covered from multiple disciplinary perspectives including historical, political, economic, and social.

This course provides an overview of the human resource management areas necessary for the productive functioning of nonprofit organizations. Theories of motivation applicable to the management of staff and volunteers and personnel topics of recruitment, selection, board-staff relations, compensation, training, and development are covered.

An examination of nonprofit organizations and their role in society. Management issues and public policy affecting these organizations are discussed. Primary emphasis is on U.S. organizations, but attention is given to the global nature of the sector.

This course emphasizes a thorough understanding of the language and key concepts of nonprofit financial management. A working knowledge of the basic analytical tools used in financial decision making for nonprofit organizations will be examined through the use of computer software.

Important aspects of the fundraising process in nonprofit organizations are covered, including techniques and strategies for assessing potential sources of support, effective use of human resources, process management, theory to underlay practice, analysis of current practice, practice standards, and discussion of ethical problems.

Nonprofit Management students will also take three 3-credit-hour electives to complete the degree requirements.

Solve problems at the crossroads of policy, management, and science.