Instructional Leadership, emphasis: K-12 School Leadership (MEd)
An aerial shot of north campus in the winter after a snowstorm.
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  4. Nonprofit center

Nonprofit center

Are you one of over 21,000 nonprofit organizations in Arizona?

Would you like to learn from the best nonprofit leaders in Arizona?

The Northern Arizona Center for Nonprofit Entrepreneurship is equipping aspiring business professionals with the skills, tools, and knowledge necessary to affect a positive change in the nonprofit sector. Through a unique education program, research, community involvement, and philanthropic practices, the Center focuses on empowering nonprofit leaders to go beyond the scope of a traditional course catalog and impact their community in a positive and productive manner.

“Non-profit management curriculum is vital to building strong leaders in the future. Typically, agencies are great at creating compelling missions driving community impact. Where they often struggle is in securing effective managers to lead the agency and maintain the long term health, viability and effectiveness of the agency. This certificate program will develop qualified leaders of the future.”
– Dave Franke, a founding board member

About us

The Northern Arizona Center for Nonprofit Entrepreneurship is equipping both current nonprofit executives, as well as aspiring business, with the skills, tools, and knowledge necessary to affect a positive change in the nonprofit sector. Through a unique education program, research, community involvement, and philanthropic practices, the Center focuses on empowering nonprofit leaders to go beyond the scope of a traditional curriculum and impact their community in a positive and productive manner.

Mission

To advance the philanthropic and nonprofit practices of our community through support, resources, and passionate individuals driven to lead and manage positive initiatives in the social sector.

Vision

A Center that has seen, nurtured, and empowered future change makers to embrace their fullest potential, and lead them to efficiently collaborate on, lead, and manage nonprofit organizations and projects of their choosing.

What we do

The Northern Arizona Center for Nonprofit Entrepreneurship informs, empowers, and assists those involved in any area of a nonprofit organization through research, education, outreach, and community involvement.

Who we serve

  • Individuals who are involved, or hope to become involved, in any element of a nonprofit organization
  • Nonprofit organizations seeking aid and assistance in their development programs

History

In 2016 the Kemper and Ethel Marley Foundation awarded a grant to the NAU W. A. Franke College of Business to create a five-course certificate in Nonprofit Management.  Their desire was to have college students better prepared for the unique business challenges that exist for Nonprofit Organizations.  The five courses were created and each academic year, 150 students attend the classes.

Shortly after starting the program, the director was approached by local nonprofit organizations, asking to participate in the classes.  In the Fall of 2017, the Kemper and Ethel Marley Foundation was approached again and asked to consider funding a center that would help Nonprofit Organization in Northern Arizona.  The center would provide business assistance, mentoring, and opportunities to network, using students in the Nonprofit Management Program.

In 2019, the center kicked off their 1st annual Nonprofit Management conference bringing together local nonprofit organizations, with subject matter experts on marketing, fundraising, management, and planning.  The center located at NACET began offering training, workshops and mentoring in the summer of 2019.