COURSE NUMBER: MBA 292F.11

 

This course is cross-listed with EWMBA

 

COURSE TITLE: FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT OF NONPROFITS

 

UNITS OF CREDIT: 1 Unit

 

INSTRUCTOR: Brent Copen

 

E-MAIL ADDRESS: copen@lapiana.org

 

CLASS WEB PAGE LOCATION: bSpace

 

MEETING DAY(S)/TIME: Sundays 9:00AM – 5:00PM

 

Please note the unorthodox format of this course, which meets all day on two Sundays (February 10 and February 24). You must attend both sessions in their entirety in order to earn a passing grade

 

PREREQUISITE(S): 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 AND OBJECTIVES:
An effective nonprofit leader 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 core 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, forecasting and overall business model sustainability.  The course will address current regulations and issues that impact nonprofit financial management.  The development and use 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 key financial management skills including: 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 effectively communicate financial data.  We will address the real challenges, problems and opportunities of financial management in nonprofit organizations.

 

 

BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH:

Brent Copen, MPA, is dedicated 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 currently holds three graduate level teaching positions at UC Berkeley and is a popular guest lecturer at other colleges and universities. He previously served as faculty at Teachers College, Columbia University.

 

Brent has more than 15 years of experience in the field of nonprofit financial management.  Brent currently holds the position of Chief Financial Officer at Asian Americans for Community Involvement (AACI).  Previously, he was a Senior Manager at La Piana Consulting and prior to that he was the Director of the Western Region at Nonprofit Finance Fund. 

 

Brent received a Master of Public Administration degree from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs.