Nonprofit Management Institute

Advancing Your Mission Through Individual and Organizational Growth

Today’s nonprofit leader is challenged like never before. Nebraska’s Nonprofit Management Institute developed a rigorous series of executive education programs designed to refine the skills nonprofit leaders need to make a larger and lasting impact on the people and communities they serve. These non-degree executive certificate programs present best practices in nonprofit management, finance and fundraising that can advance the success of your organization, whatever its size or mission.

Register for One of the Executive Certificate Programs
$650/Program
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Cost assistance opportunities are available. Email emre@unl.edu for more information.

Free Opportunity for Nonprofit Professionals

The Nebraska Nonprofit Management Institute offers regular virtual gatherings to continue conversations and connections through online discussion of trends, challenges and issues unique to the nonprofit sector. These meetings, called “meetups,” are offered at no charge to you or your organization. Dr. Jim Croft, lead facilitator of the Institute and UNL MBA faculty member, moderates the Zoom meetings.

Join us for the Next Free Virtual Meetup
Friday, December 20, 10:30 a.m. - 12 p.m.

At this meeting, we will gather your ideas about topics you would like to see discussed in future meetups. Each gathering will focus on a particular topic and may feature guest presenters, article discussions and more. Bring your ideas, expand your network and leave with new insights!
Join Via Zoom

Executive Certificate Offerings

Strategic Leadership for Nonprofit Organizations

September 10-11, 2024
In-person at the College of Business

Examine the structure of a nonprofit organization and discuss how it works best to accomplish its mission. Learn about long- and short-term planning, the role of the governing board, the importance of marketing and communications, how to obtain financial resources, and how to best manage those resources to achieve the organization’s goals and objectives.

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Financial Management for Nonprofit Organizations

Choice #1: Mornings of Mar. 5, 6, 12 and 13, 2024
Virtual format

Choice #2: Mornings of Oct. 22, 23, 29 and 30, 2024
Virtual format

This program’s goal is to understand the crucial role good financial management plays in a nonprofit’s accomplishment of its stated mission. Through hands-on, applied study, participants will explore key elements of nonprofit financial management.

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Strategic Communication and Resource Development

Choice #1: Mornings of May 14, 15, 21 and 22, 2024
Virtual format

Choice #2: Mornings of Dec. 3, 4, 10 and 11, 2024
Virtual format

Nonprofits must communicate with a variety of groups, such as donors, trustees, regulators, the media, and the general public—and good communication is crucial to obtaining and keeping new donors. This program will focus on the groups and market segments a nonprofit must attend to, and will explore in depth how a nonprofit’s communication and brand strategies involve fundraising and long-term resource development needed to safeguard the organization’s future.

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Program Benefits

UNL faculty and nationally recognized facilitators share cutting-edge practices you can immediately implement in your organization

Networking opportunities with other nonprofit professionals

Program designed as an interactive and immersive learning experience

State-of-the-art facilities and hospitality at Hawks Hall on the university's City Campus

Speakers

Rudy Anderson, CAE

Rudy is a fundraising executive with experience in nonprofits related to healthcare industry. Currently, he is the Vice President of Development and Revenue at the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD). Prior to AAD, Rudy had worked at the American College of Chest Physicians, American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Academy of Otolaryngology. Rudy is a Certified Association Executive and an alumnus of the College of Holy Cross.

Aakriti Agrawal, MBA

Aakriti Agrawal is cofounder of Girls Code Lincoln, a grassroots nonprofit dedicated to bridging the gender gap in technology by teaching computer programing to middle school girls. With firsthand experience leading and growing nonprofits, she has applied her expertise to numerous 501(c)(3) organizations. In addition to her nonprofit work, Aakriti is also a manager of data governance at American Express. She has won the Inspire Founders Award and the Lincoln Young Leader Award, has given a talk for TEDx, and has been nominated to the Forbes Under 30 List. Her areas of expertise are nonprofit foundership/social entrepreneurship, diversity and inclusion, volunteer recruitment and retention, data management, change management, process improvement, and fundraising.

Bela Barner, MBA

Bela Barner has helped lead executive teams through complex, high stakes decisions for more than 15 years. Much of his work has been in higher education, where he assisted universities in decisions to relocate campus facilities to more favorable markets, create new branding, marketing and enrollment strategies, develop new academic offerings and prioritize budgets.

In addition to his experience in strategic planning in higher education, Barner has held a variety of consulting roles with professional services firms. He developed a broad tool kit of quantitative methods to support collaborative decision-making in data-challenged environments. This expertise includes capital budgeting and project portfolio optimization, business planning and modeling, market research and opportunity assessment, and financial literacy for non-financial executives.

Barner is also the founder and president of a 501(c)(3) organization. He is a member of the Society of Decision Professionals and holds a certification as a financial modeling and valuation expert. Barner earned his MBA from the University of Chicago Booth Graduate School of Business. He also holds a BA in Economics and French from Northwestern University.

Jeri Bingham, EdS

Jeri is a marketing communications executive, adjunct instructor for Northwestern University, and consultant with more than 20 years of experience working in higher education, non-profits, mission driven organizations, government, and advertising. She is expert at bringing emotion into the soul of brands, as well as creating content and messaging that resonates with targeted audiences and compels them to act. Jeri has a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Public Relations, a Master of Science (MS) in Integrated Marketing Communications, an Education Specialist (EdS) postgraduate degree, and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Education (EdD).

Matthew W. Charlton, Ph.D.

Matthew Charlton is an experienced nonprofit leader and fundraiser with an interest in creating and supporting vibrant organizations oriented around trust and excellence.

Charlton teaches at Belmont University in Nashville, and works as a regional philanthropy officer for the American Red Cross. Previously, he served as a major gift officer for a capital campaign, and has consulted with many organizations on administrative issues, strategy and priority setting, and organizational storytelling to reach donors and supporters.

He is an ordained clergyperson in the United Methodist Church, serving both in local churches and as an executive supporting higher education-related programs around the world. This work has resulted in leading the Oxford Institute Foundation, a new global fund supporting the work of emerging scholars.

Charlton holds a Ph.D. in theological studies from Garrett Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Ilinois, and master’s degrees in both divinity and arts in religion from Vanderbilt University. Currently completing a master’s degree in strategic communication and leadership at Belmont University, he is a research fellow at Stellenbosch University in South Africa, and was previously appointed as a research associate at Wesley House in Cambridge.

Jim Croft, Ph.D.

Jim Croft is a principal with JW Croft Consulting Group (JWCCG) in Chicago. JWCCG brings leadership and financial management experience to the nonprofit community and is positioned to help organizations meet strategic objectives and achieve their mission.

In addition to his work at JWCCG, Croft is a member of the MBA faculty at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, where he teaches nonprofit management, nonprofit financial management and fundraising. He also teaches nonprofit financial management at the Kellogg School of Management Center for Nonprofit Management at Northwestern University.

From 1984 to 2015, he served as executive vice president and chief financial officer for the Field Museum in Chicago. In addition to leading the institution’s financial operations, he was responsible for facilities management and several other operating units. For several years he served concurrently as the museum’s chief development officer, managing the annual giving, major gifts, planned giving, and corporate and foundation giving programs. He was also responsible for a major capital campaign that successfully concluded in 2008.

Croft also held several positions in The Salvation Army where he served as a community center executive director, finance officer and chief business officer. He has also served on several nonprofit governing boards.

In 2016, he received a four-year appointment to the Financial Accounting Standards Board's (FASB) Nonprofit Advisory Committee (NAC). NAC members serve as advisors to FASB staff as they consider accounting standards that are used by U.S. nonprofit organizations.

He received a Ph.D. from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, where his doctoral work was in higher education leadership with research focused on nonprofit financial management. He also studied business administration and management at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, Roosevelt University and National Louis University.

James Honan, Ed.D.

James P. Honan has served on the faculty at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (HGSE) since 1991. He is also a faculty member at the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), an affiliate faculty member with the Center for Public Leadership (CPL) at HKS, and co-chair and senior associate director of the Advanced Leadership Initiative (ALI) at Harvard University. He is educational co-chair of the Institute for Educational Management (IEM) at HGSE and faculty chair of Emirates Leadership Initiative Executive Education Program and Nonprofit Financial Stewardship (NFS) at HKS, a fully online executive education program.

He has also been a faculty member in a number of Harvard's other executive education programs and professional development institutes for educational leaders and non-profit administrators. He has served as faculty co-chair of the Performance Measurement for Effective Management of Nonprofit Organizations program, an institute developed by the Initiative on Social Enterprise at HBS and the Hauser Center for Nonprofit Organizations at Harvard University and served previously as educational chair of HGSE's Management Development Program. He has also taught in executive education programs and professional development institutes in Aruba, Barbados, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Colombia, Guatemala, Ireland, Jamaica, Japan, Mexico, Panama, Thailand, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa, United Arab Emirates, and Venezuela. He has served as a consultant on strategic planning, resource allocation, and performance measurement and management to numerous colleges, universities, schools, foundations, and nonprofit organizations both nationally and internationally. He holds a BA from Marist College, an MA and EdS in higher education from George Washington University, and an EdM and EdD in administration, planning, and social policy from Harvard University.

Leticia Meitzen

Leticia Meitzen is the Training & Public Relations Coordinator for Community Action of Nebraska. Leticia attended the University of Nebraska–Lincoln, where she double-majored in broadcasting and journalism and performing arts. She has been a part of the nonprofit world for over twenty years, and has had the privilege of working in communities such as Omaha, East LA, South Chicago, San Antonio, Washington DC, New York City, and many more. In the mid-2000s, she worked as a lobbyist and vice president of DC Action for Children, Washington DC’s top child advocacy agency. In addition to her over fifteen years of training experience and certifications in effective communication, active listening, body language, DEI, and racial healing facilitation, Leticia is currently working to become a certified Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) practitioner.

Greg Petersen

Since 1995, Greg Petersen has been a proud member of the Illinois nonprofit community. With a strong foundation in finance from the University of Wisconsin–Madison, Greg joined Illinois Facilities Fund (IFF) before transitioning in 2004 to the Intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) provider community. Greg's strategic vision was honed by working on the founding team of Keystone Alliance, where he served as chief administrative officer until 2017. In July of that year, he was appointed CEO of Glenkirk, after which he returned to Keystone Alliance as its CEO in 2020.

Throughout his career, Greg has sought innovative strategies to strengthen and sustain mission-driven organizations across Chicago and its suburbs. This has included developing mission-aligned social ventures to drive employment and financial value via market-facing enterprises. Most recently, these strategies have been applied to Keystone Alliance's 2022 acquisition of Mission + Strategy. A significant milestone for both organizations, the acquisition has led to the expansion of their capacity and the creation of a comprehensive range of collaborative solutions for nonprofits.

Ashley Ramchandani, MPP

Ashley Ramchandani, MPP, assists organizations in reimagining their operations by coupling change leadership with comprehensive communication strategies. She also helps organizations understand their cultures, developing strategies to incorporate cultural change alongside implementation of strategic plans; operational effectiveness measures; performance improvement; financial management; and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) action plans. Her work in the nonprofit and educational sectors includes evaluating the governance structures, operations, financial management, and performance of 501(c)(3)s and cultural institutions. With expertise in strategic planning, organizational design, and business process redesign, she advises clients on management and governance, DEI initiatives, stakeholder engagement, and risk management. Ashley has a master’s in public policy studies from the University of Chicago and a BA in criminal behavior studies from Transylvania University.

Katy Scrogin, Ph.D.

Katy Scrogin is a nonprofit practitioner and educator dedicated to the importance of financial literacy. Having taught at both the undergraduate and graduate levels, she also conducts prospect research and works with development teams to craft fundraising appeals and communications.

Before moving into independent consulting, Dr. Scrogin served as the vice president for programming at the Chicago Sunday Evening Club (CSEC). In addition to producing and contributing to daily and weekly podcasts at CSEC, she planned, constructed and monitored the organization’s operating budget, and also prepared financial reports for management and the board of directors.

Dr. Scrogin holds a Ph.D. in religion from Claremont Graduate University, a master of theological studies from Vanderbilt University, and a BA in German and Spanish from the University of Texas at Austin. She also serves as a writer, editor and translator, and holds an editing certificate from the Graham School at the University of Chicago.

Scott Steffens, CPA

During Scott’s 30+ year career within public accounting, he has provided audit and specialized services to not-for-profit, health care, government, and corporate clients. Scott has served in multiple diversity, recruiting and resource roles for the last 20 years. Scott has also served on multiple advisory boards at DePaul University including athletics and the college of commerce. Scott’s specialties are not-for-profit, health care, professional services, investment management and corporate clients.

Patti Tuomey, EdD

Dr. Patti Tuomey currently serves as both advisor to and past president and CEO of Josephinum Academy of the Sacred Heart in Chicago. Prior to joining Josephinum Academy, she served as president and CEO of the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation.

With more than 25 years of management experience in nonprofit and philanthropic organizations, she is skilled in strategic planning, program management, financial planning, marketing, and fundraising. She has held leadership positions at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, and the Field Museum. She has also spent several years teaching management and marketing courses at both the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and Northwestern University.

Dr. Tuomey is a graduate of Marquette University, where she received a BA in political science and education. She also holds an MA in arts administration from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and an EdD in higher education administration and organizational change from Benedictine University.

More Professional Development Opportunities

Take charge of your success by engaging in professional and executive education programs designed to help you conquer business challenges with tools you can begin using immediately. Whether you need a quick solution to get ahead or a customized program for your entire team, the road to building a better business starts with the College of Business.

Center for Executive and Professional Development

Contact

Center for Executive and Professional Development
HLH 201
execed@unl.edu
402-472-2353