Master of Arts (MA), Nonprofit Leadership & Management

Are you interested in starting or advancing your career as a leader in the nonprofit sector? Whether you plan to establish churches, collaborate with non-governmental organizations (NGOs), or work for a charitable organization, Anchor Christian University’s MA Nonprofit Leadership & Management (MNLM) program will equip you with the skills to manage mission-driven nonprofit organizations effectively.

The MNLM program builds on ACU’s organizational leadership core with real-world skill development in nonprofit board governance, partner development and fundraising, nonprofit accounting, spearheading organizational change, and grant writing. As you delve deeper into your studies, you will be better prepared to pursue new career opportunities and assume greater leadership roles within nonprofit organizations.

Program Outcomes

Upon completion of the MA Nonprofit Leadership & Management program, students will be equipped to exercise effective leadership of a nonprofit organization across an intentional framework of mission-driven leadership skills. Success will be demonstrated in the exercise of the following competencies:

1. Exercise of mission-driven leadership that encourages and facilitates mission-driven growth at all levels of the organization.
2. Leadership of strategic development of nonprofit organization programs and processes for continuous impact.
3. Recruitment, development, and mobilization of staff and volunteers as effective teams.
4. Coordination of board and administrative team activities for effective governance and growth.
5. Leveraging a partner development and fundraising strategy driven by mission-level alignment with major and minor donors.
6. Effective and prudent planning and oversight of all financial aspects of a nonprofit organization.

Total Program Hours: 30 Credit Hours

• Program Check Sheet — MA Nonprofit Leadership & Management (PDF)

Nonprofit Leadership & Management Core (21 credits)

The MA Nonprofit Management & Leadership program is designed with a focused program core that builds essential nonprofit organizational leadership skills. The following are the core courses:

• LDR502 Organizations as Learning Communities. Interact with organizational theory to identify and understand the unique organizational mission and culture within which you function.  Formulate strategies to enhance learning and innovation. 
• LDR503 Strategic Thinking. In a fast-paced environment organizations must be able to respond quickly to emerging challenges. Apply strategic theory, change theory, and implementation disciplines to real challenges within your organization.
• LDR504 Developing Dynamic Teams. Apply group and team theory for recruiting, developing, mobilizing, and mending teams of employees and volunteers for maximum effectiveness.
• LDR505 Governance and Administration of Nonprofit Organizations. Engage theories of governance and administration to interact effectively with all levels of an organization from any position within that organization.   
• LDR506 Financial Management of Nonprofit Organizations. Prudent planning and management of organizational finances is essential to continued success. Interact with all aspects of an organization’s finances to gain proficiency in the competencies of financial oversight.
• LDR556 Fundraising and Development Strategies for Nonprofit Organizations. Your mission needs funding. Survey fundraising methods, build mission-driven alignment with core donors, then select and execute a fundraising strategy that fits.
• LDR557 Grant Writing for Nonprofit Organizations. Learn the full grant writing process, build your organization’s document vault, and discover where and how to find the right grant programs to supplement your funding strategy.

Program Concentration (9 credits)

The MA Nonprofit Leadership & Management program is designed with an elective block that allows a student to sample relevant skills for their specific or select one of the defined concentrations.

Expand your personal leadership capacity. Select 3 of the courses listed below:

• LDR510 Emotional Intelligence
• LDR515 Conflict Resolution in Organizational Environments
• LDR501 Leading in Active Learning Environments
• THE548 An Interpretive Study of Biblical Leadership

Acquire a toolbox to launch a new faith-driven nonprofit organization, or innovate programs and services to expand impact in new ways and locations.

• LDR530 Mission-Driven Innovation
• LDR533 Mission-Driven Entrepreneurship
• LDR558Nonprofit Marketing & Communications

COMING SOON! Acquire a toolbox to launch a new faith-driven nonprofit organization, or innovate programs and services to expand impact in new ways and locations.