True or false: The nonprofit sector is the fastest-growing segment of the state’s economy?
True, according to Mark Motte, professor of political science and director of the Alan Shawn Feinstein Institute for Philanthropic Leadership at Rhode Island College.
Since 1996, the number of nonprofit organizations in Rhode Island has increased 15 percent to more than 2,100 at the end of 2004, according to the National Center for Charitable Statistics.
This development bodes well for the new nonprofit studies certificate program at Rhode Island College, a 16 credit course load for undergraduates, graduate students and professionals in the field, under the direction of Motte.
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The program came to fruition last September as the college chose about one-third of 60 applicants to take part in the only nonprofit certificate program in the state.
The idea for the program was introduced at RIC more than a decade ago, said Fran Leazes, professor of political science at RIC.
Employment opportunities in the nonprofit area are increasing, said Leazes, and they vary from accounting to direct service to government lobbying.
“The nonprofit sector has grown exponentially over the last decade,” he said.
The program is ideal for upper-level undergraduates looking to start an entry-level management track in a nonprofit; graduate students wishing to complement advanced studies with a certificate program; and professionals seeking to upgrade their abilities in organizational development and administration, said Motte.
The program explores principles in philanthropy, fund raising and fund making; strategic planning and program implementation; and legal frameworks and ethical practices, he said.
“The certificate program is designed to provide essential skills for careers in the nonprofit sector,” said Motte.
One of the key courses in the curriculum is a philanthropy class that is offered as an intercollegiate course for two students each from Brown University, Providence College, University of Rhode Island, Johnson & Wales University, the Community College of Rhode Island and RIC. It is also offered as part of the regular curriculum at RIC.
The intercollegiate course was developed by Ann Dill, associate professor of sociology and gender studies and the director of the public and private sector organizations concentration at Brown, and Sandra Enos, associate professor of sociology at RIC.
The course takes a broader view of the needs of the community instead of specifically looking at what it takes to run a nonprofit organization, said Enos.
“(The class) focuses on philanthropy as an idea that all people should be involved in,” she said.
Dill served as the faculty advisor to a group independent study project that focused on philanthropy for the last few years.
“Students gain hands-on knowledge of how philanthropy works and how nonprofits get funds through charitable organizations,” said Dill, who has devoted more than 15 years of research to philanthropy and nonprofit work.
The intercollegiate course is also sponsored by the Rhode Island Campus Compact and the Rhode Island Foundation.
The Feinstein Foundation in Cranston provides monetary support, serves in an advisory role and sets an example through the foundation’s own philanthropic efforts, said foundation founder Alan Shawn Feinstein.
The program “develops an understanding of philanthropy and the need for it in the state and also provides a bridge for young men and women who wish to pursue careers in the nonprofit arena,” he said.
Karen Schnabel, a senior history major at RIC, completed the program in June. Originally an education major, she wasn’t quite sure what she wanted to do upon graduation. She discovered the nonprofit studies program last August.
“It satisfied the urge to be out there helping people,” she said.
Schnabel already had 10 years’ experience of owning her own business and received her associate’s degree in business administration from CCRI. She is now hoping to work in development or fund raising at a nonprofit.
Dave Wrenn logged more than 20 years as a marketing professional after he graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. While he enjoyed working in the for-profit sector, he had thoughts of “doing something for people that would make a difference in their lives,” he wrote in an e-mail.
Social consciousness was never far from his mind, he said, as his parents were always active in the community.
A year after enrolling in the program, Wrenn is one course from earning his certificate. His varied background in marketing combined with his new understanding of the nonprofit community will give him the opportunity to help with problem-solving, strategy development and program implementation, he said.
The future appears bright for the program, according to Motte.
The demand will continue to grow as students and professionals recognize the program can “serve as a door-opener to a range of career opportunities,” he said.
