Local Government Management for Sustainable Communities: MS in Nonprofit Management and Leadership

Students in this course are introduced to Walden University and to the requirements for successful participation in an online curriculum. Students work toward building a foundation for academic and professional success as scholar-practitioners and social change agents. They assess the relationship of mission and vision to professional goals and develop a program of study, a Professional Development Plan, and strategies for online success. Students also explore resources used throughout the program, such as the online Walden University Library. Students engage in course assignments focused on the practical application of professional writing, critical-thinking skills, and the promotion of professional and academic excellence and integrity.

Nonprofit (NPO) and non-government (NGO) organizations can serve to affect people and communities through positive social change. NPO and NGO leaders require a fundamental understanding of the nonprofit sector, including related ethical, legal, financial, and global perspectives. Through the lens of the NPO and NGO leadership, students in this course explore social entrepreneurship, marketing, communication, and governance. Gaining practical insight, students also apply theories presented in the course either to build a business plan for a new NPO/NGO or to evaluate an existing one. 

Ethics is a foundational element of leadership. In this course, students examine the philosophy of ethics as well as responsibility and social justice—basic tenets of public service. Students explore the complex social, political, and related ethical challenges leaders face as they seek to meet the needs of diverse constituents. They examine ethics and social justice related to economic disparity, power, and privilege. Students also assess demographic data and current social trends and themes to understand, analyze, and address ethical and social justice issues that impact service delivery in a global community. Applying concepts presented in the course, students engage in an in-depth assessment of an emerging or persistent ethical or social justice issue, through which they demonstrate their ability to make recommendations for improvement or change.

Public and nonprofit leaders in all areas of public administration require a thorough understanding of the expectations of their roles as leaders and managers of diverse and complex organizations. Students use theoretical and applied perspectives from which they study the intricacies of these roles, including the distinction between leadership and management, organizational culture, change management, systems theories, and organizational development. Students gain a practical understanding of these topics through the application of principles and concepts to public, private, and nonprofit organizational settings.

The acquisition, development, and retention of talent are critical elements in the success of any organization. In this course, students examine theories, approaches, and systems related to hiring, managing, training, and retaining employees in government and nonprofit organizations. Through the use of case studies, students explore topics that include legal and ethical considerations, diversity, performance management, the establishment and implementation of policy, technology, and conflict management. Students apply principles and concepts learned in this course to real-world situations encountered in public, private, and nonprofit organizations.

The success of nonprofit organizations (NPOs) is largely dependent on the effective management of program volunteers and board members—individuals who often serve as the lifeblood of NPOs. Students in this course explore the volunteer management process, including volunteer recruitment, orientation, training, supervision, and evaluation. They focus on methods that organizations use to create and maintain an effective Board of Directors to ensure that the board governs and guides the organization toward their mission. Students design a board development or volunteer management plan based on processes presented in the course and fundamental concepts acquired earlier in the program.

In an increasingly complex world, leaders and managers in public and nonprofit organizations plan strategies to fulfill the organizational mission and enhance stakeholder satisfaction. Students in this course explore the role and process of strategic planning, including collaboration, cooperation, and coordination. They also examine the benefits, challenges, and pitfalls of strategic planning, in addition to the impact of globalization. Students apply these concepts to real-life scenarios and develop a strategic plan for a nonprofit or public organization.

Organizational credibility, community trust, and fund-raising are increasingly dependent upon demonstration of program effectiveness and success. Students in this course are introduced to research and evaluation methods in the public and nonprofit sectors. They examine the strengths, limitations, and threats to validity; models, quantitative metrics, and tools used to evaluate programs and policies; and legal and ethical issues associated with research and evaluation methods. Students are asked to critically evaluate sample research, using these parameters.  

All nonprofit organizations require financial resources. Obtaining philanthropic financial support is essential to program delivery and stability. Students in this course explore the concepts of philanthropy and development, identification of funding sources, donor/prospect cultivation and education, and solicitation and appreciation strategies. They focus on processes and strategies for creating an organizational philanthropic culture based on ethics and donor relationships. Using these strategies and other concepts presented in the course, students create a resource development plan for a nonprofit organization.

Creating and maintaining sustainable and livable communities require leaders who understand the connections between the natural, built, and social environments, and those who can address these connections in a holistic and integrated fashion. Students in this course examine concepts of sustainability and livability and explore popular approaches to creating and maintaining communities that are more environmentally sound, economically prosperous, and socially equitable. They also focus on strategies to halt urban sprawl and to promote alternative modes of transportation. Students define and explore these concepts through case studies and examples drawn from local communities.

Effective community leaders must be familiar with a wide range of tools, strategies, and skills to create sustainable communities. In this course, students examine these elements to learn how leaders build capacity for community change; assess community needs and resources; create community visions; promote stakeholder interest and participation; analyze community problems; and carry out practices and interventions to improve sustainability in communities. They also explore sustainability frameworks and models and apply these and other concepts presented in the course to develop a proposal for sustainable community development, focusing on community assessment, stakeholder involvement, and development planning.

Public decision-makers must understand and address a variety of complex and interrelated issues, such as land use and transportation, energy and environment, housing and schools, and regional economic development. In this course, students learn how leaders attend to these issues in light of existing policies and contemporary social, economic, political, demographic, and technological trends. Students explore and discuss planning processes, tools, approaches, strategies, and policies used to create sustainable and livable communities through collaborative processes involving multiple stakeholders. Through the development of a policy-option written assignment, students assess critical issues and identify problem-solving strategies.

In this course, students complete a capstone project using action research that fosters social change in public administration or nonprofit management and leadership. In the project they demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and competencies acquired in their master's degree program. The project employs an action research model. Students reflect on how the project and the program have contributed to their personal, scholarly, and professional growth.