Today, Philanthropy University announced an initiative to offer free online courses for social sector leaders around the world, starting with seven courses this fall. Philanthropy University, Inc. is a nonprofit organization registered in the U.S., which holds the following vision:

We aim to develop and deliver innovative educational concepts targeting professionals working in NGOs worldwide to achieve impact-driven, scalable and sustainable solutions for the greater good. 

The organization is partnering with universities and organizations to offer important educational content for nonprofit and social sector leaders on topics such as strategy, leadership, organizational capacity, scale, finances, fundraising, etc. The initial list of courses:

• Global Social Entrepreneurship (starts Sep 29, taught by Jessica Jackly, co-founder of Kiva.org)
• Essentials of Nonprofit Strategy (starts Sep 29, taught by Paul Brest of Stanford Law School)
• Organizational Capacity: Assessment to Action (Starts Sep 29, taught by Doug Scott of McKinsey)
• How to Scale Social Impact (Starts Oct 6, taught by Shashi Buluswar of Haas School of Business)
• Leadership: Ten Rules for Impact and Meaning (Starts Oct 6, taught by Amr Al-Dabbagh of Al-Dabbagh Group)
• Financial Modeling for the Social Sector (Starts Oct 13, taught by Erik Simanis, Cornell University)
• Fundraising: How to Connect with Donors (Starts Oct 13, taught by Thomas Wolf of WolfBrown)

The courses will be 5-8 weeks in duration, and are being offered on the NovoEd platform, where participants can engage in group activities and assignments. Though no credit will be offered, participants will receive a statement of accomplishment for each course they complete, and a Certificate of Completion in Social Sector Leadership from Berkeley Haas for completing all seven.

The Philanthropy University initiative, backed by a foundation (the Stars Foundation), is offering all of these courses free of charge, as it hopes to make a major impact on improving the leadership and capabilities of people working in organizations involved in social change. It has recruited high-level instructors (guided by an advisory committee chaired by Berkeley Haas), who are thought leaders at prestigious organizations, and is making a large effort to publicize this set of resources to organizations and resources around the globe.

Philanthropy University offers leaders in the social sector opportunities to strengthen their skills and grow their network of peers and mentors, ultimately increasing collaboration and efficiency and leading to a greater impact in the world.
-Dr. Laura Tyson,
Director, Institute for Business & Social Impact, Berkeley-Haas