I've been looking into programs aimed at managing nonprofits, and I've come across only one that's particularly interesting:
http://www.snhu.edu/427.asp
It's an MBA in "community economic development" at the Southern New Hampshire University.

Ever heard of it? Or other programs like it?

Anybody?

the terminology in this space is kind of diverse. Some have nonprofit mgmt centers or specialties while other schools call it "social entrepreneurship" now. Not sure what the technical differences are, but i think there is some overlap. Among the standout schools here are:

- Brandeis' NonProfit Management MBA program
- Duke's Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship (CASE)
- Stanford GSB Center for Social Innovation
- UC Berkeley Haas Center for Nonprofit and Public Management
- Michigan Ross Nonprofit and Public Management Centre
- Oxford Said Skoll Centre

I see - "Social innovation."

Thank you for that list of schools. I have also been doing a bit of research on my own and have discovered this US News ranking of nonprofit-focused schools:

http://grad-schools.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools/nonprofit

Good list for this topic, if anybody is interested.

Yale is generally known for nonprofits. But be sure to take a look at George Washington University. GW has a revised program, built a brand new state of the art Business School Building, and has an amazing career development department. Many come from and go into nonprofit, but has a lot to offer in entrepreneurship and finance as well.

Take a look here:
http://business.gwu.edu/grad/mba/

GW is a program to watch and will move up in the rankings fast.

Thanks for the input. Do you have personal experience with GWU, panicon3? Sounds like you know a lot about the program.

the difference between non-profit and social entrepreneurship is that you con't have to be a non-profit to be a social entrepreneur. in fact, that term is just a buzzword... means you're doing good while still making a profit. it's kind of like how "sustainability" is being thrown around so much right now. for example, in one seminar i went to I was told an electric company in mexico is practicing "social entrepreneurship" because it's selling elecriticity to poor people. But they're very much a for-profit company... So.. it sounds like you definitely want to find a "non-profit management" program.

A friend of mine is studying at the Mandel Center for Non Profit Management at Case Western Reserve University and really recommend's it. The school offers a Masters in Non-Profit management. Or, if you want a broader MBA degree, you can do a dual program through the Weatherhead School of Management at Case. Just one option.. I don't know that much about it except that I went to an open day for the MBA and a lot of the other students taking part in the event were in the non-profit sector. (I live in Cleveland). You can find more about Mandel and Case here:

http://www.case.edu/mandelcenter/grad/faq/#I3

Just one option; i'm sure there are a ton of other good programs. Good luck!

Thanks, sally. I will look into that. The more I research these programs, the more I think I'm going to apply to a broad array of programs - not only programs that specialize in this kind of thing, but also solid MBA programs.

Here's a nice article about social entrepreneurship and non-profit management MBA programs:
http://www.find-mba.com/article/191/more-mba-programs-focusing-on-socially-responsible-business

If you definitely want to go into the non-profit sector I think it probably helps to at least have some level of specialization, especially if you're thinking of doing something entreprenurial. My friend who is in the Case program has learned a lot about working with foundations, grant writing, how the tax structure works, and has done a lot of networking within the non-profit realm. He actuallly has already started his own 501c3, as have some of his classmates!
But I wouldn't get the MNO degree, for example, if you weren't completely set at working in non-profit, because it is kind of a narrow focus. I think a broad MBA with a non-profit specialization; or at least taking a few classes, would be the way to go if its just an idea you're exploring.

LaVoz --

That is a good article that explains social entrepreneurship pretty well. But I do still think it's mostly just a buzzword. There are no doubt some business folk out there earnestly trying to serve the public good while still using a for-profit business model. (Yunus might be an example.) But, for the most part, I think companies use the phrase social entrepreneurship to evoke the idea that the company has some altruistic motive.. while really its more important motivation is still profit. Calling yourself a social entrepreneur or a sustainable company is PR move.. it creates a more positive image for the company that helps the company make more money. I don't really understand why b-school professors are giving companies so much credit for selling things to poor people, for giving them good customer service, for not abusing their workers, or for not polluting the environment as much as they could be... I mean, they're doing it because it's in the best interest of the company, duh! I guess these business school trends are just a reaction to increasing global awareness of the social and environmental problems we have here on earth...

sally, I have to disagree with you. While the ideas of sustainability and social entrepreneurship may seem like, and ultimately may even be, examples of PR, I have to believe that they can be more than just that, and perhaps even motivated by something other than selfish concerns. I think one thing that social sciences have shown us over the past half century is that not everything in culture and economics can be explained by Wealth of Nations.

hmm, well you have not convinced me in this post; maybe if you explained what makes you think this way..