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.