Leadership
Development

Certificate for Nonprofit Leadership Development

We partner with Propel Nonprofits of the Twin Cities to bring a new training, designed with LACF, to nonprofit board members in the La Crosse Area. Some of the 6 courses in this workshop are regularly available to community members for a fee, totaling ~$400, and we are proud to offer it to La Crosse area community members free of charge.

Who should attend?

  • Nonprofit staff and administrators (most appropriate for those with 1-5 years of service)
  • People interested in volunteering for nonprofit board service
  • Newer board members looking to develop a broader understanding of board functions and responsibilities
  • Church board members, staff, and administrators
  • Experienced board members looking to sharpen their skills, recharge their commitment to board service, and connect with like-minded individuals who face common issues

Learning Outcomes

Participants who complete the full Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership Development program will be armed with the knowledge they need to make well-reasoned decisions, comfortably navigate ever-complex legal and regulatory issues, and effectively carry out the duties of a fiduciary or trustee. Those who complete the program will be better suited for leadership roles. Click here to review the learning outcomes for each individual session.

Logistics

The CNLD is comprised of nine workshops and meets on the second Thursday of each month, September through May, from 8:00 am-12:00 pm on the Viterbo University Campus.  Light refreshments are served from 8:00-8:30 am.

Curriculum & Facilitators

Sessions are led by nonprofit community experts and Viterbo faculty members. Each participant is also matched with a local nonprofit expert mentor who they will meet with periodically throughout the program to assist them with completion of a self-guided capstone project.

  • Session 1: Legal Issues, Ethics, and Values in the NPO Sector (September 12, 2024)
  • Session 2: Leadership is Who You Are (October 10, 2024)
  • Session 3: NPO Boards and Governance (November 14, 2024)
  • Session 4: Financial Management (December 12, 2024)
  • Session 5: Fundraising and Revenue Development (January 09, 2025)
  • Session 6: Inclusion Strategies for NPOs (February 13, 2025)
  • Session 7: Organizational Development, Program Performance Measurement, and Evaluation (March 13, 2025)
  • Session 8: Human Resources (April 10, 2025)
  • Session 9: Capstone Presentations & Celebration Banquet (May 2025)

In order to receive a Certificate of Completion, participants need to attend no less than seven of the first eight sessions, participate in a pre-program self-assessment exercise, and select and complete a self-guided capstone project under the guidance of a mentor.

Cost & Scholarships

Total cost for the full Certificate is $1,400, and can be paid one session at a time at $155/each. Some of the sessions will be available a la carte for $175/each. Recognizing nonprofit budgets and volunteers often don’t have room to support the costs of professional development, we are happy to announce partial to full scholarships will be available.

Scholarship applications are released each Spring. Recipients are notified of awards by the end of July. Preference for awards is given to people seeking the full Certificate who serve or are interested in serving nonprofit organizations serving historically excluded communities and can demonstrate financial need. To apply for a scholarship, CLICK HERE

Registration

Registration for the 2024/2025 cohort is open. Cohort participation is limited to 25 individuals; there is no limit for individual session registrations.

You can also find more information about the program on the Viterbo University website, including how to register.

Questions? Contact Alycia Larson at Viterbo at aclarson@viterbo.edu or by calling 608-796-3029.