Program Overview

Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership

The Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership is a comprehensive program designed to increase the capacity for effective entrepreneurial leadership in experienced nonprofit professionals. Through applied theoretical studies, executive skills training, and reflective practices in an interactive learning environment, participants will develop a greater mastery of leadership skills, gain awareness of emerging trends in the nonprofit sector, and enhance their network through an expanded leadership cohort of peers.

Benefits

As a result of their participation, graduates will be better able to:

• Forge high-performing teams driven to achieve the mission of the organization
• Foster within their organizations the proven practices of high-impact nonprofits
• Adopt entrepreneurial competencies of opportunity orientation, innovation, resourcefulness, and adaptive persistence
• Lead strategic change within their organizations
• Work with other leaders across organizations, sectors, and stakeholder groups to capitalize on opportunities for synergy in addressing critical social issues

Curriculum

The program is structured around four themes: Leading Self, Leading Others, Leading as a Social Entrepreneur, and Leading Your Organization. Each theme is explored through a series of sessions, including:

Monday, October 6: Leading Self

• 9:00 AM – 9:15 AM: Opening Session
• 9:15 AM – 10:30 AM: Effective Leadership in the 21st Century
• 10:45 AM – 12:00 PM: Building a Sustainable High-Impact, High-Performance Nonprofit
• 1:00 PM – 2:15 PM: Leadership from the Inside Out!
• 2:30 PM – 3:45 PM: How Mindfulness Can Make You & Your Organization More Productive
• 3:45 PM – 4:45 PM: 2-Min Intros / CEO Confidential Group Discussions
• 4:45 – 5:00 PM: Wrap Up & Reflections

Tuesday, October 7: Leading Others

• 9:00 AM – 9:15 AM: Morning Check-In Session
• 9:15 AM – 10:30 AM: Top 3 Trending Topics in Human Resources
• 10:45 AM – 12:00 PM: Cultural Accelerators Toward Higher Employee Engagement
• 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM: Panel – Preparing the Next Generation of Leaders
• 2:15 PM – 3:30 PM: How to Elevate Your Board Into Community Ambassadors
• 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM: CEO Confidential Group Discussions
• 4:30 – 5:00 PM: Wrap Up & Reflections

Wednesday, October 8: Leading as a Social Entrepreneur

• 9:00 AM – 9:15 AM: Morning Check-In Session
• 9:15 AM – 10:30 AM: Cultivating an Entrepreneurial Nonprofit Culture
• 10:45 AM – 12:00 PM: Innovation: Buzzword or Critical Mandate for Impact Leaders?
• 1:00 PM – 2:15 PM: Social Enterprise: Is Earned Income Right for Your Organization?
• 2:30 PM – 3:30 PM: Panel – The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Social Enterprise
• 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM: CEO Confidential Group Discussions
• 4:30 – 5:00 PM: Wrap Up & Reflections

Thursday, October 9: Leading Your Organization

• 9:00 AM – 9:15 AM: Morning Check-In Session
• 9:15 AM – 10:30 AM: Navigating Legal Issues: A Q &A Discussion
• 10:45 AM – 12:00 PM: Empower Your Mission with AI: Practical Tips for Non-Profit Leaders
• 1:00 PM – 2:15 PM: Collaboration and Mergers as a 21st-Century Trend
• 2:15 PM – 2:30 PM: Break
• 2:30 PM – 3:45 PM: Reflection Time for Capstone Presentation
• 3:45 PM – 5:00 PM: Wrap Up & Reflections

Friday, October 10: Leading Into the Future

• 9:00 AM – 9:15 AM: Morning Check-In Session
• 9:15 AM – 10:30 AM: Scaling Social Impact
• 10:45 AM – 11:45 AM: Panel – Duke Continuing Studies Alums: CEO Confidential
• 11:45 AM – 1:00 PM: Lunch / Capstone Preparation
• 1:00 PM – 2:00 PM: The One Leadership Skill No Nonprofit Can Succeed Without: How to Build Trust
• 2:00 PM – 2:15 PM: Break
• 2:15 PM – 3:30 PM: Capstone & Closing Session

Earning the Certificate

Participants will complete the Executive Certificate in five consecutive days, October 6-10, 2025. The program is a 50-hour program that meets Monday-Friday and will be held as a series of live interactive classes via Zoom. Participants must attend all sessions to earn the Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership.

Application Process

The Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership is designed to deliver high-impact training for seasoned nonprofit professionals whose leadership transforms organizations, communities, and lives.

Eligibility

• The Executive Certificate is open to those who hold the Certificate in Nonprofit Management and have 3 years of nonprofit management experience.
• It is also open to persons not holding the Certificate in Nonprofit Management but who have 5 years of nonprofit leadership experience in a nonprofit setting.
• Prospective participants must apply and be accepted before registering for the Program.

Application

Applications for the 2025 program will be accepted beginning January 13, 2025.

Required Supplemental Materials

In addition to completing the online application, you will need to upload the following documents:

• Current Resume
• Letter of Recommendation
• Statement of Interest/Intent

Instructors

The program features a diverse range of instructors, including:

• Emma Browning, MBA
• Thomas Kelley, JD
• Julie Kosey, MS, MCC, CMT, NBC-HWC, RYT
• Gabriela Norton, SPHR, MBA
• Mary Sherk
• Ashley Smith
• Suzanne Smith, MBA
• Yoram Solomon, Ph.D.
• Erin Worsham, MBA

Schedule & Registration

Schedule

• 2025 Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership: October 6 – 10, 2025
• Application Period: January 13 – September 12, 2025
• Registration Begins: March 3, 2025
• Registration Ends: September 12, 2025 (or until class is full)
• Location: Live Virtual Program via Zoom

Registration

Once accepted in the Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership Program, participants must register to guarantee their seat. Payment is due upon registration.

Tuition & Funding Sources

Tuition

• $4250

Funding Sources

Our Nonprofit Management Programs are non-credit and therefore not eligible for federal loans.

Scholarships

The Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership Program will offer a $800 scholarship to Duke Certificate in Nonprofit Management graduates.

Policies & Procedures

Refund Policy

$200 of your tuition for the Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership is nonrefundable. To receive a refund minus a processing fee for class cancellation, we must receive your written cancellation request by Friday, September 12, 2025.

Testimonials

The work done within this program has been very beneficial emotionally and professionally. I look forward to how this can help me achieve my goals.

The course validated my emotions and equipped me with powerful tools to become a more effective strategist and leader. I now feel more confident in navigating complex challenges with a clearer head and making better decisions.

Amazing motivational speakers, and great insights. I felt the information was practical.