Leadership in Action

Nonprofit professionals in executive leadership roles rarely have the time for theory-based approaches to continuing education. Instead, they value learning opportunities that both grow them professionally and are immediately applicable to the organizations they lead. This challenge can be particularly great for new executive directors, who have the passion and vision to lead an organization, yet have not had the opportunity to gain experience in every aspect of managing one.

This certificate program invites you to bring your organization’s unique challenges and opportunities to class. Working with expert practitioners, and using real-life examples from your day-to-day work, explore the principles of effective nonprofit management while creating tools and resources that will improve your programs, strengthen your board and increase your financial sustainability right away.

Fundamentals of College Counseling

Undergraduate Admissions Process

Letters of Recommendation

The Role of the College Access Counselor

Financing College: Navigating the Pathways

College Match

Counseling Aspiring First Generation College Students

Capstone

The college search process can be simultaneously exciting and daunting for students and their families. Effective college counseling requires fundamental and advanced counseling skills, knowledge of adolescent cognitive development, an understanding of the higher education landscape and familiarity with the undergraduate admissions process and financial aid.

This online course explains the factors that go into the "holistic review" process of highly selective colleges and universities in the United States. Course topics include: transcript, strength of curriculum, high school context, standardized test scores, personal essays, letters of recommendation, disciplinary infractions as well as extracurricular variables such as arts and athletics.

The college application process includes many critical steps. Letters of recommendation can sometimes be an overlooked element in a student's college application. This online course offers educators knowledge on how to best advise students, so that they can secure the most effective letters of recommendation.

From advising students and their families through the college search, to explaining the application and admissions process, counselors must implement a robust management system of communication and guidance. This online course also addresses creating a college list, explaining admissibility and working with campus staff and college admissions counselors.

Cover the essentials of financial aid, guiding college access counselors through financial aid applications and financial planning tools. This course will provide an understanding of the nuances of affording college, the types of financial aid available, awareness of differing financial aid award letters, and how to encourage saving for college.

The course provides counselors with an understanding of college match and the dangers of undermatch. Additionally, it guides college access counselors through a “match approach” to the application process including developing strong college lists.

Explore the social, emotional and cultural barriers aspiring first generation college students face and must overcome in order to achieve success in their transition from high school to college.

The capstone is a digital portfolio that contains elements from each course along with additional reflective and strategic elements. The purpose of the digital portfolio is to provide students with the opportunity to integrate their coursework into their counseling practices. The capstone is designed to demonstrate a student’s professional learning and contains assignments from courses, a three-year strategic plan for creating a college-bound campus, and representative personal and professional work.

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Who are you as a leader? How will you manage and lead your staff?

Assessing individual and team strengths
Setting and upholding expectations
Dealing with staffing and management challenges
Engaging resources around management

How do you determine the strengths and challenges of a board?

Assessing engagement and the stages of board development
Setting expectations for communication and work-sharing
Understanding legal and ethical guidelines related to governance
Recruiting new members and planning for transitions

How do you determine the effectiveness of an organization’s programs? How can you evaluate the impact?

Assessing programs, considering total cost and mission alignment
Communicating mission impact with stakeholders
Refining and improving programs

How do you assess the financial health of an organization? How do you fundraise effectively?

Reviewing nonprofit financials and creating relevant financial reports
Understanding how to categorize revenues and expenses accurately
Exploring options for revenue generation
Creating effective fundraising plans

How do you assess the operational health of an organization? How do you know if you are using resources wisely?

Assessing vendors and partners to determine the value of contracts
Assessing and refining the role of volunteers within your organization
Using Managerial Accounting to determine the Return-on-Investment of programs, special events and initiatives

How do you plan for your organization’s future? What role will your board and your funders have in the planning and implementation process?

Creating the conditions for effective strategic planning
Incorporating risk analysis and contingencies
Preparing for your successor

Each nonprofit organization is different and so are their boards of directors. Throughout the program, you will develop and implement an individualized governance plan for your nonprofit organization. Components of the plan could include elements such as creating or updating board materials, establishing committees or creating a board fundraising strategy.

Throughout the program, you will receive customized coaching and feedback from the Leadership in Action instructors and the staff at the Center for Philanthropy & Nonprofit Leadership. This includes one hour each of pre- and post-program coaching, which will be scheduled with the principal instructor.

This program is designed to accelerate the learning of those who have limited experience in the nonprofit executive leadership role, either because they are new to the role or because they have not yet taken on the role. Because it is an applied-learning program, participants must have access to source materials (such as governance protocols, financial reports, and program evaluations) from their home organizations, which is why nomination by a supervisor is required. The program is designed to protect confidentiality of these source materials between each participant and the instructors.

Executive directors and nonprofit CEOs with fewer than five years' experience in the role
Senior staff at organizations of any size who have been nominated by their supervisors in recognition of their potential as executive leaders
Leaders of initiatives/collaborations with well-established programming who are exploring incorporation as independent nonprofit organizations

Top-Tier Learning Institution

Rice is a trusted, comprehensive research university that fosters a diverse intellectual environment and has a track record of producing the next leaders in every field imaginable. We are offering affordable and flexible courses and certificate programs for professionals throughout their career. We are your partner in accomplishing your professional goals.

Tailor Your Experience

With the benefit of a practicum and customized coaching and feedback from Leadership In Action instructors and staff of the Center, this program is designed for you to leverage your unique leadership style and create effective management processes so you can focus on leading. Using real-world examples from your day-to-day work, gain a deep, translatable knowledge of nonprofit financials; develop your board of directors to leverage their expertise and resources and identify the best fundraising and revenue-generation strategies for your organization.

Make Connections

Throughout your certificate program experience, connect with colleagues and senior-level professionals who are experts in the field and can serve as a resource as you move forward in your career.