COURSE NUMBER:  MBA 292F-11

 

This course is cross-listed with EWMBA

 

COURSE TITLE:  FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT OF NONPROFITS

 

UNITS OF CREDIT:  One Unit

 

INSTRUCTOR:  Brent Copen

 

E-MAIL ADDRESS:  copen@lapiana.org

 

MEETING DAYS/TIMES: The class will meet on two Sundays: February 6 and February 27 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM

 

PREREQUISITS:

A course in finance or finance experience is required.  If you have a question, please check with the instructor.

 

CLASS FORMAT:

This one unit course will employ a seminar format combining lecture, discussion, group and individual exercises, and case studies.  Students should be prepared to actively join in class discussion and to bring to class their own issues and experience in nonprofit management.  Students should also bring a pocket calculator to class.

 

REQUIRED READINGS:  Course Reader

 

BASIS FOR FINAL GRADE:

The final grade will be based on class participation and either a final exam or a final project.

 

ABSTRACT OF COURSE’S CONTENT:

 

In order to be an effective leader in the nonprofit field, one must be able to analyze and act upon financial information as part of an overall approach to strategic decision making.  This course will focus on the financial management issues faced by board members and by senior and executive managers in nonprofit organizations.

 

Students will learn the tools and techniques for effective financial management, including pricing, program analyses, budgeting and overall business model sustainability.  The course will address current regulations and issues that impact nonprofit financial management.  The use and development of internal and external financial reports will be studied with an emphasis on using financial information in decision-making.  Tools and techniques of financial statement analysis, interpretation and presentation will be discussed and practiced.

 

The course is designed to develop the core financial management skills needed by board members and senior managers in large and small organizations.  These include the practice of critical and analytical thinking, the ability to synthesize and plan, the knowledge of how to evaluate and respond quickly, and the skills to communicate effectively.  We will address the real challenges, opportunities, and problems of financial management in nonprofit organizations.

 

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH:

 

Brent Copen, MPA, brings more than 15 years of nonprofit experience to his role as Senior Manager at La Piana Consulting.   Brent is devoted to strengthening the sector by helping nonprofit organizations develop more robust financial management practices.  He has presented hundreds of workshops and trainings nationally to executive directors, board members, funders and future leaders; he has also consulted extensively to a wide variety of nonprofits across sub-sectors.  Brent is a frequent guest lecturer at colleges and universities, including UC Berkeley Haas School of Business and UC Davis Graduate School of Management.  He served as faculty at Teachers College, Columbia University, where he taught courses in resource allocation for nonprofit organizations.

Prior to joining the firm, Brent was the Director of the Western Region at Nonprofit Finance Fund (NFF), where he was responsible for business development, product innovation and management of NFF’s consulting practice in the Western Region.  Before this, Brent was Projects Manager for Youth Treatment and Education Court, a San Francisco-based juvenile drug treatment and education program; he was also a Senior Fellow of the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial.

Brent has served on the executive committee of the board of directors for American Jewish World Service and Avodah: The Jewish Service Corps. He is currently a board member of Catalogue Choice, a Berkeley-based nonprofit that works to reduce the number of repeat and unwanted catalog mailings, and to promote the adoption of sustainable industry best practices. He received a Master of Public Administration degree from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.