Frequently Asked Questions

Nonprofit Skills® offers 2 main areas of focus and 3 certificates.

Nonprofit Skills® for Board Members: Board Fundamentals Certificate includes 7 courses, and offers current and future board members training to increase their understanding of the responsibilities associated with their role. The courses should help them in their ability to have a positive impact on the nonprofit’s governance and operations.

Nonprofit Skills® for Leaders includes two certificates: the Strategic Planning Certificate and the Nonprofit Communications Certificate.

The Nonprofit Skills® for Leaders: Strategic Planning certificate includes 5 courses and is a comprehensive approach to creating and communicating the elements of a strategic plan.

The courses in the Nonprofit Skills® for Leaders: Nonprofit Communications certificate help learners develop the skills that are most needed in each facet of the nonprofit communication landscape, allowing them to communicate confidently with both internal and external audiences.

While these two certificates fall under the heading of Nonprofit Skills® for Leaders, they are valuable and appropriate for all staff members currently working for a nonprofit and those that are interested in pursuing a career in nonprofits.

No – there are no prerequisites or requirements.

The Nonprofit Skills®: Board Fundamentals certificate includes 7 courses that should take approximately 3 hours each, for a total of 21 hours to complete the entire certificate.

Nonprofit Skills®: Strategic Planning and Nonprofit Skills: Nonprofit Communications certificate include 5 courses each. Each course should take approximately 3 hours to complete, for a total of 15 course hours to complete each certificate.

There is no recommended order in which to take the courses in each certificate, so learners can take them in the order in which they choose.

All of the Nonprofit Skills® courses are available as individual courses, so you do not need to enroll in the entire certificate.

Absolutely. Providing the same training to all board members, leadership and staff helps to establish expectations, ensures everyone is on the same page, and creates unity within the organization.

Yes, they are, especially if you are new to the field, planning to serve on a nonprofit board, or hope to work at a nonprofit organization.

While the courses are geared towards those that are currently serving on a nonprofit board or planning to in the future, the content is also appropriate for anyone that is interested in learning more about the nonprofit sector and the role the board members play in the overall success of the organization.

The Strategic Planning and Nonprofit Communications certificates both focus on topics that are absolutely vital to the success of any nonprofit, and the skills taught in the courses are important and appropriate for all staff members working in the nonprofit field.

The Nonprofit Skills® courses are all administered online. However, for groups of a certain size, a hybrid learning option with both online courses and in-person instruction may be available through the Acuity Institute. For more information on this option, contact Jennifer Adams (jadams@mindedge.com).

In order to be awarded a certificate, all courses associated with the particular certificate must be completed. A course will be considered complete when the learner has done all assignments, exercises, review checkpoints and has received at least a 70% on the course final exam.

Everything is included in the course(s), so you do not need to purchase additional materials. Each course has templates, examples, and study materials that you can print and refer back to when needed.

You have 12 months to complete the courses associated with the specific certificate. The courses are self-paced and can be completed in less time.

No, the Nonprofit Skills® certificates do not expire.

MindEdge Learning is committed to providing accessible opportunities for nonprofits interested in obtaining organizational training. We currently offer scholarships structured to help reduce the cost of our Nonprofit Skills® certificates to ensure that all nonprofits, regardless of size or budget, can offer their board members and leaders vital skills development.

Please fill out the scholarship application to be considered, or contact Jennifer Adams with questions at jadams@mindedge.com.

Yes, all Nonprofit Skills® courses carry recertification credits for IACET, ATD, HRCI® and SHRM® credentials. Additionally, several of the courses carry CFRE points. See each course description for the specific number of credits.