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In response to changes in society and the nonprofit sector, the W. K. Kellogg Foundation developed and funded the Building Bridges between Practice & Knowledge in Nonprofit Management Education initiative (Building Bridges). The work of those involved in Building Bridges and other leaders in nonprofit management education can benefit from the experiences of innovators who developed centers for education in the management of nonprofit organizations. This study was conducted to explore the development of the early centers and the roles of their founders. Researchers interviewed 10 "builders," or academic innovators to find out how the centers with which they are associated emerged and how they were sustained. Findings show that the impetus for development of the center came from faculty, administrators, and external funders, and not from students or practitioners. The centers became more comprehensive over time, more inclusive of activities, topics, and societal demands. The relationships between the centers and their communities tended to focus on information dissemination rather than co-learning. The builders were, to some extent, practitioners. The four factors that emerged as critical in the long-term viability of the centers were: funding, faculty involvement, university leadership support, and the visibility of the field. The builders relied on relationship strategies to navigate the challenges of developing and sustaining their centers. Builders were purposeful about constructing networks and collaboration. (SLD)

This study investigated the student perspective on nonprofit management education. Students in six nonprofit management graduate and certificate programs affiliated with the Building Bridges Initiative were surveyed, and 256 responses were received (50% response rate). This group of students was distinguished by the fact that most were employed full-time, employed in the nonprofit sector. Also, 71% were seeking a program within a 1-hour drive. The race and ethnicity of these students (80% white/Caucasian, 16% students of color) closely matched the employment composition of the nonprofit sector. Students were continuing their education mostly for personal development and skill acquisition than for increased income. About 50% received some type of financial support from their employer and 44% received time off for educational purposes. Course topics that focus on internal operations unique to the nonprofit sector were viewed as being the most important for managing and leading nonprofit organizations. Most students were satisfied with their educational programs, although students did note room for improvement, especially in the development and strengthening of linkages with the nonprofit sector. (Contains 5 tables and 12 references.) (SLD)

This document presents findings about the development and sustainability of academic nonprofit centers. It describes how such centers, which focus on the management and development of the nonprofit sector, work. The findings are based on a literature review, 16 personal interviews with current or former directors of nonprofit management or philanthropy focused academic centers, and program proposals and annual reports submitted by more than 20 academic nonprofit academic centers and programs funded in the past 10 years by the W. K. Kellogg Foundation. Academic centers and academic departments often have similar missions, are staffed by faculty, and influence the culture of higher education, but centers tend to be more task-focused and interdisciplinary than academic departments. Centers tend to be boundary-spanning organizations that connect academic interests with external stakeholders. Centers develop in various ways, but external funders are often catalysts in center formation. The directors of academic nonprofit centers also tend to be boundary spanners, who are academic entrepreneurs with experience many traditional academics may lack. Institutional stability and academic credibility are two major challenge academic nonprofit centers face. To address these and other challenges, some recommendations are made for center directors for funding, involving faculty, building relationships, and networking. Some recommendations are also made for external funders. (Contains 12 references.) (SLD)

Nonprofit management centers, dedicated to teaching the management of nonprofit organizations have become a mechanism through which higher education can become more responsive to the communities it serves and move beyond the boundaries of academic departments. This paper examines how centers can become more permanent or sustainable parts of their institutions while maintaining their positive distinction of flexibility and responsiveness. This paper is based on published literature about academic centers and draws on interviews of center directors and staff from six nonprofit management centers. The focus is on institutional stability and academic credibility. The paper assumes that centers are seeking sustainability and it proposes how centers might become sustainable through attention to funding, organizational fit, and community connections. Not all centers will want to sustain themselves; some may wish to become integrated into other segments of the university. Academic stability is most likely to be achieved when the mission of the center is consistent with that of the university and remains stable over time, with strong faculty connections to the university as a whole. (Contains 10 references.) (SLD)