Course curriculum

    1. Lesson Overview

    2. Reflection: Select Your Non-Profit Organization

    3. Assessing the Mission Statement

    4. Application: The Mission Statement

    1. Lesson Overview

    2. Three Ways to Measure Success

    3. Application: The Mission Statement

    1. Lesson Overview

    2. Alumni

    3. Application: Use of Alumni

    1. Lesson Overview

    2. Volunteers

    3. Application: Use of Volunteers

    1. Lesson Overview

    2. Board of Directors

    3. Application: Board of Directors

    1. Lesson Overview

    2. Reflection: Your Set of Questions

    3. Recommended Resources

    4. Course Evaluation

About this course

  • $24.99
  • 20 lessons
  • 0.5 hours of video content
Understand the foundations of non-profit organizations.

This course provides an introduction to selected principles of business strategies applied to the non-profit sector. The goal is for you to be able to finish the course with a set of questions that you can use to examine the effectiveness of a non-profit organization in particular areas. The videos feature the teaching of Professor Les Harman from Biola University’s Crowell School of Business.

This course is designed for anyone leading, managing, or starting a non-profit organization (including a church), or anyone who interacts with the leaders of a non-profit organization.

To get the most out of this course, select a particular non-profit organization that you interact with, and keep that organization in mind as you go through the lessons. It can be any non-profit organization, such as a foundation, a church (or church group), or a social organization.

Each lesson features:

• Videos that introduce the key ideas of each lesson
• A reflection question to help you dig deeper into the lesson’s topic
• An application exercise to help you connect what you learned with the non-profit organization you selected

Frequently Asked Questions

  • How long will it take for me to complete this course?

    Each lesson is designed to take approximately an hour depending on how deeply you engage the reflection and discussion questions. Since this is a self-paced course, the time it will take you to complete it will depend on the speed with which you want to progress through the course.

  • Will I be able to interact with the professor(s) during the course?

    Since this course is designed as a self-paced experience, you will not have any interaction with the professor during the course.

  • Will I need to purchase any additional materials?

    No. The course contains everything you need to successfully complete the course. There are resources recommended at the end of the course that you’re free to purchase if you wish to pursue further study on the course topics.

Course Author

Associate Professor of Marketing Les Harman III

Professor Harman’s teaching philosophy is to have students engage the local community and learn relational and marketing strategies through real world projects with local clients. For the last 15 years, Harman has run a small business IMG (Integrity Marketing Research Services) that specializes in conducting in-depth interviews, focus groups and comprehensive survey projects for non-profit organizations like Urban Strategies, Evangelical Credit Union, Ron Blue and many more. Harman is on the board of Joy Squared, a local non-profit organization that helps facilitate involvement to come alongside hurting people, bringing transforming joy to both those who are helped and those who help. Harman has been married for 20 years to Rachelle, and they have three children.

About the Provider

Crowell School of Business |
Biola University

Founded in 1993, the Crowell School of Business is a leader among Christ-centered business schools, offering several programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP). Biola University is consistently ranked among the nation’s foremost Christian universities — including a ranking in the first tier of national universities by U.S. News and World Report. At the Crowell School of Business, we welcome the resolute: kingdom-minded professionals who are driven to make a difference in and through their work. Through our innovative graduate and undergraduate programs, we prepare students of all levels and backgrounds to thrive in business while serving Christ.
Learn more about Crowell School of Business!
Dr. Michael Arena talks to Crowell Business students in the lobby of the school's building.

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