Needs assessment and curriculum mapping: Enhancing management skills of the nonprofit workforce

Abstract

This article documents the needs assessment and curriculum mapping of a nonprofit management certificate program in the United States. Based on a survey of nonprofit leaders, we identify management skill sets critical to the nonprofit sector in a challenging economic environment. In addition, a survey of alumni and students assesses participants' view of skills and knowledge they need in their daily jobs or for career advancement. Results of the study not only help to inform the curriculum revamping of the selected program but also serve to inform the content of other education programs within the nonprofit professional development education arena.

Training in Portuguese non‐profit organizations: the quest towards professionalization

“…On the whole, the sector primarily targets technical and behavioural skills, aims to improve organizational performance and to address skills shortages of mainly operational and administrative staff. Important skills for the development and sustainability of non‐profit organizations, such as planning and fundraising (Dolan, ; Wang & Ashcraft, ), and goals involving organizational change (Akingbola, ; Neirotti & Paolucci, ), appear as secondary in this sample. Leadership, in the form of the executive committee, is seldom targeted by training efforts.…”

“…Non‐profit organizations must, therefore, become highly efficient while developing capacity and improving knowledge and skills (Austin et al ., ; Birdi et al ., ; Clark et al ., ; Eisinger, ). In parallel, a shortage of important skills has been identified in non‐profit organizations (Clark & Wilding, ; Clark et al ., ; Wang & Ashcraft, ). Training is, therefore, considered a central tool in overcoming the challenges of non‐profit professionalization and bringing about much needed change (Akingbola, ; Birdi et al ., ; Cornforth & Mordaunt, ).…”

Think-Value-Communicate-Lead (TVCL): A Framework For Developing Family Professionals

“…Indeed, community agency directors identified interpersonal skills along with oral and written communication skills, flexibility, teamwork skills, ethical decision-making, and problem solving skills as all vital to success . Finally, fundraising and grant writing, general leadership skills, and program evaluation were all skills identified as needed for work in nonprofit administration (Wang & Ashcraft, 2012), an area in which many of our graduates find themselves.…”

“…Ongoing needs assessment and curricular review are imperative to providing quality and cutting edge programs that meet the needs of stakeholders, including families and employers as well as students (Wang & Ashcraft, 2012). The FCS program underwent significant curricular revisions in the early and mid-2000s in which required core courses were designed based on the skill expectations and needs for family professionals in non-profit and state agencies and organizations, as determined through informal communication with community partners and intern supervisor evaluations.…”

“…These professionals should also be equipped with knowledge and skill in the ten CFLE content areas (see http://www.ncfr.org/sites/default/files/downloads/news/FLE_Content_Areas_2011.pdf for a description of the 10 CFLE content areas) as well as skills in program development and evaluation, fundraising and grant writing, and leadership (Darling et al,, 2009;Myers-Wall et al, 2011;Taylor & Ballard, 2012;Wang & Ashcraft, 2012). The question then is how to ensure that we are preparing family professionals with the desired knowledge, skills, and experience?…”