COURSE NUMBER: MBA 292F.11
This
course is cross-listed with EWMBA
COURSE TITLE: FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT OF
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS
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, February 9 and February 23
Please note the unorthodox format of this course,
which meets all day on two Sundays (2/9 & 2/23). 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. Recently,
he co-authored The
Nonprofit Business Plan: A Leaders Guide to Creating a Successful Business
Model. 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.