America’s nonprofit sector represents the third largest workforce in the country, employing more than 12.3 million people and outpacing for-profit job growth three to one.*
As community needs continue to exceed nonprofit capacity, The University of Tampa partners with the Conn Memorial Foundation and the Nonprofit Leadership Center to provide emerging nonprofit executives with a graduate-level education to lead our communities forward.
New research from the first 15 years of graduates from the Certificate in Nonprofit Management shows the program increases participants’ knowledge, confidence, professional relationships and career advancement while also contributing to nonprofit effectiveness.
"The graduate Certificate in Nonprofit Management offers nonprofit professionals the opportunity to work and network alongside peers, graduate business faculty, and leading nonprofit practitioners on real-world strategies in an intellectually rigorous environment. It equips participants with the skills and strategic insights needed to thrive in C-suite roles and drive impactful, sustainable change within their organizations."
Key Findings
Findings from graduate interviews and an online survey administered to all graduates from 2009 through 2023 show that the Certificate in Nonprofit Management is having a positive impact on graduates in four key areas: knowledge, confidence, professional relationships and career advancement.
The Program increases knowledge
- Program graduates report an increase in nonprofit-specific knowledge as a primary benefit of the program, citing the largest knowledge increases in marketing and finance.
- 96% of graduates say participating in the program has helped them be more effective in their jobs.
- 94% of graduates have applied concepts learned to achieve fundraising goals, while 70% have applied learnings to achieve mission goals.
THE PROGRAM builds CONFIDENCE
- 94% of graduates feel more confident in their leadership skills because of the program.
- 78% of graduates believe their peers are more confident in their leadership skills.
- 76% agree their supervisors trust their expertise more after graduating.
THE PROGRAM BROADENS PROFESSIONAL NETWORKS
- 88% of graduates say the program helped them grow their professional network.
- 88% of graduates believe the program has helped them collaborate more effectively with others.
The program Advances Careers
- 92% of graduates agree their careers benefited from the program.
- 68% of graduates report increased job responsibilities since graduating.
- 60% report a pay increase since graduating.
- 55% report a job promotion since graduating.
improving nonprofit effectiveness
In addition to the personal benefits gained from participating in the Certificate in Nonprofit Management, graduates also believe the program has benefitted their nonprofit organizations.
- 85% of graduates agree their organization has benefitted from their participation in the program.
- In addition to becoming more strategic and effective leaders for their organizations, graduates said the most significant benefits to their organizations were 1) organizational growth, 2) application of project learnings at their nonprofit, and 3) process or policy improvements.
It is a privilege to work with the Nonprofit Leadership Center and Conn Memorial Foundation to design and deliver a high-quality program to develop the next generation of nonprofit leaders in the Tampa Bay community. I truly admire the hard work and dedication of our program graduates to make a difference and improve lives of those they serve as well as their persistence in pursuing the education and skills needed to make a positive, meaningful impact.
Graduate Snapshot
Methodology
To understand the impact the Certificate in Nonprofit Management program has had on its first 15 years of graduates, The University of Tampa and the Nonprofit Leadership Center conducted interviews with a diverse sub-set of alumni and administered an online survey to all graduates:
- Qualitative Interviews: 18 one-on-one interviews were completed between December 4, 2023, and April 12, 2024, for 45 to 60 minutes each via Zoom. Interviewees represented a diverse mix of graduates across gender, race and ethnicity, graduation year, and current job title.
- Online Survey: An online survey was sent via Qualtrics to all graduates with a known and working email address in April 2024. Data was captured from April 26 through May 16, 2024. There were 76 partial or fully completed survey responses (46% response rate).
"I am delighted by the quality of this program and its impact on our nonprofit leaders of today and tomorrow. It has been a joy to follow our graduates' journeys and to hear so many wonderful stories about how they are impacting our local community and sector. These findings demonstrate that we are delivering on our vision to nurture the nonprofit heart, develop a business mind and cultivate a leader’s spirit.
* Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics: Johns Hopkins Center for Civil Society Studies
A Winning Partnership
