Capstone - Managing Board Change for Higher Levels of Leadership and Governance Effectiveness from Coursera

The Capstone Project is a service learning experience designed to apply the knowledge and skills developed in the three Specialization courses to a real world leadership and governance situation. It is also intended to develop the participant's capability to act as an agent for positive change in nonprofit organizations. To this end, you will analyze the leadership and governance effectiveness of a real board of directors in an organization of your own choosing (or, if that is not possible, data gathered from a real board provided by the course instructors). By the end of the Capstone Project, you will have produced a professional consulting report detailing your analysis and recommendations to improve board leadership and governance effectiveness. You will then present it to the board and advise them on implementing change.

To learn more about this course, please watch the overview video by copying and pasting the following link into your web browser: https://goo.gl/GTWrN2

Keywords: Nonprofit; Nonprofit Sector; Voluntary Sector; Nonprofit Organizations, Non-Governmental Organizations, Volunteer Organizations, Leadership, Management, Governance, Board, Board of Directors, Performance, Effectiveness

Capstone Project Overview:

Weeks 1-3: This period will be spent choosing a board of a nonprofit organization and gathering information using two specially designed tools and resources: The SUNY Open textbook (to download the book copy and paste the following link into your browser: http://tinyurl.com/peolnjb), "Guidelines for Improving the Effectiveness of Boards of Directors of Nonprofit Organizations", and The Board Check-Up, online board performance self-assessment tool that can be accessed by copying and pasting this link into your browser: https://www.boardcheckup.com.

Weeks 4-5: In this phase, the information gathered will be analyzed leading to an evaluation of the board's effectiveness in the different dimensions of board effectiveness examined in the Specialization courses.

Weeks 6-8: In the final phase of the Project, the results of the analysis and recommendations for positive change will be brought together a specially prepared consulting report intended for the use of the board of the client organization.

What's inside

Syllabus

Capstone Overview

Welcome to the fourth and final course in the new Coursera Specialization: Developing Leadership and Improving Governance in Nonprofit Organizations.The Capstone is designed to help you apply the knowledge and skills developed in the three Specialization courses to a real world leadership and governance situation a nonprofit organization board of directors is experiencing. As a service learning experience, you will act as an agent for positive change by working with a board of a nonprofit organization that you serve on, work for, or know through the Capstone Project.

Traffic lights

Read about what's good

what should give you pause

and possible dealbreakers

Provides hands-on, practical experience through a consulting report, building skills used by working professionals

Applies knowledge and skills from other courses in the Specialization, reinforcing learning and promoting retention

Examines leadership and governance effectiveness of real-world nonprofit organizations, providing valuable insights and practical applications

Taught by experienced instructors with expertise in nonprofit leadership and governance, ensuring high-quality instruction and guidance

Requires extensive background knowledge and experience in nonprofit leadership and governance, making it suitable for experienced professionals

Involves collaboration with a real-world nonprofit organization, which may require time and effort to establish and maintain a successful partnership

Reviews summary

Capstone: applied governance and leadership

According to learners, this capstone project offers a highly practical experience by applying concepts from the specialization to a real nonprofit board. Students appreciate the opportunity to conduct a comprehensive analysis and produce a valuable professional consulting report. The use of tools like the Board Check-Up is seen as useful for gathering data. However, a significant challenge highlighted by some is the difficulty in securing a board to work with, which can impede progress. The quality of peer review feedback also appears to be inconsistent for some.

Tool is useful for data collection.

"The Board Check-Up tool gave good data points."

"The Board Check-Up was useful."

Produce a valuable professional report.

"The process of using the Board Check-Up tool and developing a full consulting report provided practical skills I can use immediately."

"The framework for analyzing a board and creating a professional consulting report is top-notch."

"The steps outlined for gathering data and writing the report were clear."

Apply learning to a live board setting.

"This capstone was an invaluable experience! Applying the concepts from the specialization to a real nonprofit board was challenging but incredibly rewarding."

"The opportunity to work with a live board was the key takeaway."

"Working with a real organization made all the theory from the previous courses click into place."

Quality of peer feedback varies.

"Peer reviews were mostly helpful."

"The peer review process was inconsistent; some feedback was excellent, others minimal."

"Peer feedback quality varied quite a bit."

Securing a participating board can be hard.

"Finding a board was tricky, but the guidance helped."

"Finding a suitable board willing to participate was a major hurdle."

"Struggled significantly with this course. Was unable to secure a board to work with despite trying."

"The course relies too heavily on external factors like board access."

Activities

Be better prepared before your course. Deepen your understanding during and after it. Supplement your coursework and achieve mastery of the topics covered in Capstone - Managing Board Change for Higher Levels of Leadership and Governance Effectiveness with these activities:

Complete online exercises on nonprofit governance and leadership

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Reinforce your understanding of key concepts through interactive exercises and quizzes.

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Search for online quizzes or exercises on nonprofit governance and leadership.
Complete the exercises and review your results to identify areas for improvement.
Join an online community or platform that offers regular exercises and challenges.

Review nonprofit governance principles

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Strengthen your existing knowledge of nonprofit governance principles to prepare for the course content.

Browse courses on Nonprofit Governance

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Read articles or blog posts on nonprofit governance.
Review resources from reputable organizations like BoardSource or the National Council of Nonprofits.

Volunteer with a nonprofit organization

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Gain practical experience and insights by volunteering with a nonprofit in an area related to your interests.

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Identify nonprofit organizations that align with your interests and goals.
Reach out to the organizations and inquire about volunteer opportunities.
Commit to a regular volunteer schedule and fulfill your responsibilities.
Seek opportunities to take on leadership roles or special projects.

Nine other activities

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Attend a Board Governance Workshop

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Learn about best practices in board governance and network with other professionals in the field.

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Identify a workshop that aligns with your interests and learning goals.
Register for the workshop.
Attend the workshop and participate in the discussions.
Follow up with other participants after the workshop.

Conduct Board Skill Assessment

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Improve your ability to assess the effectiveness of a board of directors.

Browse courses on Board Effectiveness

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Familiarize yourself with the SUNY Open textbook on board effectiveness.
Use the Board Check-up tool to evaluate a board's performance.
Identify areas where the board can improve its effectiveness.
Develop recommendations for improvement.

Connect with nonprofit professionals

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Identify and reach out to professionals in the nonprofit sector to gain insights and build a network.

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Attend industry events or webinars to network with potential mentors.
Reach out to your existing professional network for referrals.
Attend a workshop or conference on nonprofit leadership.

Explore online resources on board effectiveness

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Supplement your understanding of board effectiveness through guided tutorials and online materials.

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Enroll in free or paid online courses on nonprofit board governance.
Watch videos or webinars from experts in the field.
Use online tools like the Board Check-Up to self-assess board performance.

Join a study group or discussion forum

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Engage with peers to discuss course concepts, share insights, and provide mutual support.

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Form a study group with classmates or connect with other learners online.
Participate in online discussion forums or message boards dedicated to nonprofit leadership.
Attend virtual or in-person meetups or networking events for nonprofit professionals.

Write a Consulting Report

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Demonstrate your understanding of board leadership and governance by writing a consulting report that provides an analysis of a board's effectiveness and recommendations for improvement.

Browse courses on Board Effectiveness

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Gather data on the board's performance.
Develop an evaluation framework.
Analyze the data and identify areas for improvement.
Develop recommendations for improvement.
Write the consulting report.

Read 'Governance as Leadership: Reframing the Work of Nonprofit Boards' by Richard Chait, William Ryan, and Barbara Taylor

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Gain a deeper understanding of the role of boards in nonprofit governance and leadership.

View Governance as Leadership: Reframing the Work of... on Amazon

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Purchase or borrow a copy of the book.
Read the book thoroughly, taking notes or highlighting key concepts.
Participate in a book club or discussion group to share insights.

Write a blog post or article on nonprofit governance

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Synthesize your knowledge and understanding by creating written content on a topic covered in the course.

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Choose a specific aspect of nonprofit governance to focus on.
Research and gather information from reliable sources.
Write a well-organized and informative blog post or article.
Share your content with your network or submit it to relevant publications.

Contribute to an open-source project related to nonprofit management

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Apply your skills and knowledge by contributing to real-world nonprofit management projects.

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Identify open-source projects related to nonprofit management on platforms like GitHub.
Review the project documentation and identify areas where you can contribute.
Reach out to the project maintainers to express interest in contributing.
Complete a specific task or feature and submit a pull request.

Career center

Learners who complete Capstone - Managing Board Change for Higher Levels of Leadership and Governance Effectiveness will develop knowledge and skills that may be useful to these careers:

Board Member

Board Members are responsible for overseeing the governance of an organization. They set policies, approve budgets, and hire and fire the CEO. This course may be useful for Board Members who want to learn how to improve their leadership and governance skills. It can help them develop the knowledge and skills needed to assess the effectiveness of a board of directors and make recommendations for improvement.

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Nonprofit Manager

Nonprofit Managers oversee the operations of nonprofit organizations. They are responsible for developing and implementing budgets, managing staff, and fundraising. This course may be useful for Nonprofit Managers who want to learn how to improve their leadership and governance skills. It can help them develop the knowledge and skills needed to assess the effectiveness of a board of directors and make recommendations for improvement.

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Executive Director

Executive Directors are responsible for the day-to-day operations of an organization. They report to the board of directors and are responsible for implementing the organization's mission and vision. This course may be useful for Executive Directors who want to learn how to improve their leadership and governance skills. It can help them develop the knowledge and skills needed to assess the effectiveness of a board of directors and make recommendations for improvement.

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Program Manager

Program Managers are responsible for planning, implementing, and evaluating programs. They work with staff and volunteers to ensure that programs are meeting their goals. This course may be useful for Program Managers who want to learn how to improve their leadership and governance skills. It can help them develop the knowledge and skills needed to assess the effectiveness of a board of directors and make recommendations for improvement.

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Development Director

Development Directors are responsible for fundraising for an organization. They work with donors and foundations to secure grants and donations. This course may be useful for Development Directors who want to learn how to improve their leadership and governance skills. It can help them develop the knowledge and skills needed to assess the effectiveness of a board of directors and make recommendations for improvement.

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Communications Director

Communications Directors are responsible for managing an organization's communications. They work with the media, public relations, and marketing to ensure that the organization's message is being communicated effectively. This course may be useful for Communications Directors who want to learn how to improve their leadership and governance skills. It can help them develop the knowledge and skills needed to assess the effectiveness of a board of directors and make recommendations for improvement.

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Human Resources Director

Human Resources Directors are responsible for managing an organization's human resources. They work with staff to recruit, hire, train, and develop employees. This course may be useful for Human Resources Directors who want to learn how to improve their leadership and governance skills. It can help them develop the knowledge and skills needed to assess the effectiveness of a board of directors and make recommendations for improvement.

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Finance Director

Finance Directors are responsible for managing an organization's finances. They work with the board of directors to develop and implement budgets, and they oversee the organization's financial operations. This course may be useful for Finance Directors who want to learn how to improve their leadership and governance skills. It can help them develop the knowledge and skills needed to assess the effectiveness of a board of directors and make recommendations for improvement.

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Chief Operating Officer

Chief Operating Officers are responsible for the day-to-day operations of an organization. They report to the CEO and are responsible for implementing the organization's strategic plan. This course may be useful for Chief Operating Officers who want to learn how to improve their leadership and governance skills. It can help them develop the knowledge and skills needed to assess the effectiveness of a board of directors and make recommendations for improvement.

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Chief Executive Officer

Chief Executive Officers are responsible for the overall leadership of an organization. They set the strategic direction of the organization and are responsible for its financial performance. This course may be useful for Chief Executive Officers who want to learn how to improve their leadership and governance skills. It can help them develop the knowledge and skills needed to assess the effectiveness of a board of directors and make recommendations for improvement.

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Consultant

Consultants provide advice to organizations on how to improve their performance. They may specialize in a particular area, such as strategic planning, financial management, or human resources. This course may be useful for Consultants who want to learn how to improve their leadership and governance skills. It can help them develop the knowledge and skills needed to assess the effectiveness of a board of directors and make recommendations for improvement.

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Professor

Professors teach and conduct research at colleges and universities. They are experts in their field and are responsible for educating students. This course may be useful for Professors who want to learn how to improve their leadership and governance skills. It can help them develop the knowledge and skills needed to assess the effectiveness of a board of directors and make recommendations for improvement.

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Researcher

Researchers conduct research in a variety of fields, including science, social science, and business. They design and conduct studies, analyze data, and publish their findings. This course may be useful for Researchers who want to learn how to improve their leadership and governance skills. It can help them develop the knowledge and skills needed to assess the effectiveness of a board of directors and make recommendations for improvement.

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Policy Analyst

Policy Analysts research and analyze public policy issues. They make recommendations to policymakers on how to improve public policy. This course may be useful for Policy Analysts who want to learn how to improve their leadership and governance skills. It can help them develop the knowledge and skills needed to assess the effectiveness of a board of directors and make recommendations for improvement.

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Lobbyist

Lobbyists represent the interests of organizations before government officials. They work to influence public policy decisions. This course may be useful for Lobbyists who want to learn how to improve their leadership and governance skills. It can help them develop the knowledge and skills needed to assess the effectiveness of a board of directors and make recommendations for improvement.

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