MPP 6134 - Non-Profit Policy, Governance and Practice

This exciting course provides a detailed review of the thriving area of non-profit organization law, governance and policy, including a comprehensive background and history of non-profit organizations in the United States. It will cover the public policy reasons why non-profit organizations are exempt from federal and state income taxes and why donations are permitted as charitable deductions to the donor. In addition, the social policy, economic, and business distinctions between non-profit organizations and for-profit organizations will be reviewed. This course also covers the broad societal benefit attributed to non-profit organizations, the enormous impact that the non-profit sector has on the United States and global economies, and it will focus on potential drawbacks of differing applicable state laws. In addition to using classroom discussion, case studies, reading assignments, and a wealth of current scholarly articles, offering differing outlooks on the future of non-profit organizations this course also a clinical, experiential component. Students will either be linked up to participating non-profit organizations for which students will provide assistance in specifically designated areas such as streamlining policy statements, conducting budget review, compiling and organizing information and organizational documents, limited, light operational and governance assistance, and networking and outreach or will be provided with non-profit organization scenarios and case studies for which they will have to make a brief presentation to help in their understanding of the practical side of non-profit organizations.

3 Hours Lecture
3