Course Syllabus
Gladys Antonio
Office: Online
E-mail: gantonio@iliff.edu
Consultation: Online by appointment
Course Objectives
This course has three main goals. First, it seeks to furnish essential skills for comprehending the basic elements of nonprofit finance. Because the nonprofit world has unique reporting rules, it is incumbent upon all officers of nonprofits to understand these rules. Second, the course equips students with tools to appreciate the pivotal role of capital in providing the capacity that nonprofits need to pursue their mission and vision. The sustainability of nonprofits is premised on how well the tension between mission, capacity and capital is managed. Third, in this course, it will become apparent that financial accountability is not only required by multiple stakeholders; it is vital to the survival of nonprofits.
In this course, the term Nonprofit should be understood comprehensively as encompassing a wide range of entities in terms of size, sector of operation, location, identity, mission, vision and objectives. Thus for purposes of this class a nonprofit references the local, communal, international, faith based, as well as secular organizations. The last two categories are characterized by significant diversity. For instance, faith-based organizations (FBOs) assume Christian, Islamic, Jewish, Catholic and Buddhist identities whose values and beliefs drive mission, vision and objectives. In other parts of the world, nonprofits are best known as Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). However, one common objective of nonprofits or NGOs irrespective of identity is to contribute to positive social change. The essential tenets this course covers apply to finances for all nonprofits, including Parish Finances.
There are several key concepts which are pivotal to comprehending the triad relationship among mission, capacity and capital for nonprofits. Thus the focus of the class will be on distinctive characteristics of nonprofit finance. Furthermore, the class will explore the concept of an accounting system as well as that of financial statements. Intertwined with these two notions, is the concept of accountability which is pivotal to the work of nonprofits. The notion of budgeting and its importance for the survival of an organization will be a prominent topic toward the end of the quarter.
Course Summary:
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