Fundamentals of Nonprofits

Catalog description

When individuals possess a passion for engaging in some creative or humanitarian work in the world, they sometimes assume that “starting a nonprofit” is the means to that end. And so they launch into the start-up process before first taking time to understand just what a nonprofit is. This course is intended to guide such individuals in learning about the nature, purpose, and structure of nonprofit and voluntary organizations within the American economic and legal context. After briefly reviewing the three basic purposes of nonprofit organizations recognized by the United States legal system (discussed in MNM-5150), it will examine the four essential functions inherent to the nonprofit structure and assist potential founders in developing an outline of a start-up plan.