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Nonprofit Board Essentials: On-Demand Learning
Deepen your understanding of nonprofit governance and leadership with free, on-demand videos that cover essential topics every board member should know. Perfect for current and aspiring nonprofit board members and executive directors, these practical tools and insights offer guidance to strengthen board effectiveness.
Launched in partnership with and fully funded by The Allstate Foundation, Nonprofit Board Essentials is taught by Kellogg School of Management faculty and nonprofit experts. These online videos are available 24/7, so you can learn at your own pace and on your own schedule.
VIDEO: Nonprofit Board Essentials Overview
This unique offering of The Allstate Foundation Nonprofit Leadership Center is designed to help strengthen nonprofit boards and the organizations they support, increase interest in and capabilities for nonprofit board service and provide nonprofits with a free resource to train board members joining their organization.
Essential Topics in Nonprofit Governance
Each topic features 5-10 concise, actionable videos paired with additional resources and applied thinking questions. Explore the areas that will help you strengthen your impact.
How to Access:
- Create an Account: Sign up in Canvas for Kellogg Executive Education
- Complete a Quick Survey: Share whether you are nonprofit staff, a board member, or a prospective board member.
- Login and Learn: Return anytime to access videos and resources.
For login help and FAQs, please consult our Course Site FAQ.
Designed with You In Mind
Flexible, On-Demand Learning: With over 40 short videos, just 4-8 minutes each, you can choose the content that fits your interests and schedule—making it easy to integrate learning into a busy day.
Expert-Led Content: Delivered by Kellogg School of Management faculty and nonprofit experts, the videos provide university-level guidance created specifically for nonprofit board members and to support executive directors.
Accessible for All: Free to the nonprofit community, these videos support current and aspiring board members and executive directors across organizations of any size or mission.
Who Should Participate
- Current and aspiring U.S.-based nonprofit board members
- Executive directors seeking practical tools to enhance board effectiveness
What to Expect
- Free, short videos on essential topics every nonprofit board member needs to know
- Taught by renowned Kellogg School of Management faculty and leading nonprofit experts
- Applied thinking questions and additional resources
Content
Governance Fundamentals
- Overview of the Nonprofit Sector
- Why Governance is Essential for Nonprofit Organizations
- Differences Between Nonprofit and Corporate Governance
- Tips for Successful Board Service
- Why the Mission Matters
- Fiduciary Duties of Nonprofit Board Members
- Inclusive Board Practices
- A Conversation About the Boards of Community-Based Organizations
Board Roles and Responsibilities
- Identifying the Right Board for You
- Nonprofit Board Member Responsibilities
- Fiduciary Duties of Nonprofit Board Members
- How to Structure Effective Board Meetings
- Three Tactics for Efficient Board Meetings
- Learning from Common Board Member Pitfalls
- Inclusive Board Practices
Board Structure
- Stay in Your Lane: Defining Roles for Board, CEO and Staff
- Working Well Together: The Board/CEO Partnership
- Nonprofit Board Committees: Structure and Responsibilities
- What is the Executive Committee and What do They Do?
- Community-Based Boards: Balancing Strategic Oversight and Doing the Work
The Board’s Role in Fundraising
- Understanding Philanthropy in the Nonprofit Sector
- How Nonprofits Raise Money
- The Board’s Role in Fundraising
- Considering Your Role in Fundraising
- 990: The Tax Form Every Nonprofit Board Member Should Know
Nonprofit Finance
- Exploring the Differences Between Corporate and Nonprofit Finance Statements
- How to Read Nonprofit Financial Statements
- Understanding the Operating Budget
- Cash Budgeting and Variability of Cash Flow
- The Importance of Diverse Revenue Streams
- 990: The Tax Form Every Nonprofit Board Member Should Know
Managing Risk at the Board Level
- What Every Board Member Should Know: Financial Risk
- What Every Board Member Should Know: Branding and Marketing Risk
- What Every Board Member Should Know: Human Resource Risk
- What Every Board Member Should Know: Cyber Risks
Perspectives from Nonprofit Leaders and Board Members
- Board Perspectives: From a Board Member | Rupal Thanawala
- Board Perspectives: From a Board Member | James Lowry
- Board Perspectives: From a CEO | Jose Muñoz
- Board Perspectives: From a CEO | Katie Ray-Jones
- Board Perspectives: From a CEO | Alexandra Sossa
- A Conversation About the Boards of Community-Based Organizations
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you tell me more about the content?
The video series offers foundational insights into essential topics in nonprofit governance. It provides broad coverage (“an inch deep and a mile wide”) to build awareness for current and aspiring board members. Each video includes applied thinking questions and links to additional resources on the topic.
Will I receive a certificate for participating?
No. The Kellogg School Center for Nonprofit Management provides this content as a free resource, but it is not part of a certificate or degree track and cannot be applied for credit at the Kellogg School or Northwestern University.
Can people from outside the U.S. participate?
Yes, the videos are accessible globally. However, the content is designed for and is grounded in U.S.-based nonprofit norms and practices.
Who funds this work?
Nonprofit Board Essentials is fully funded by The Allstate Foundation as part of their longstanding investment in nonprofit leadership development through The Allstate Foundation Nonprofit Leadership Center.
Can you tell me more about The Allstate Foundation Nonprofit Leadership Center?
The Allstate Foundation Nonprofit Leadership Center helps nonprofit professionals and board members accelerate both their professional development and progress in the communities they serve – at no cost to them or their organizations. Because strong nonprofit leaders make our communities stronger.