Course Overview
As nonprofit leaders, we find ourselves involved in the work because we feel called to implement the mission of our organizations. We seek to achieve the vision of the change we feel is needed in our community, and we are driven by values that we hope guide the way we do our work. Much of effective leadership involves creating a productive culture in an organization.
Culture creates alignment. Nonprofit organizations gain momentum when their employees and board members are aligned -- moving in the same direction toward the same goal. Organizational culture also connects an employee's work to a purpose and helps employees professional growth.
This course is not meant to be formulaic or prescriptive, but rather interactive and driven by who you are as a leader and what you bring to the table in order to enhance your leadership journey and the culture of your organization. The course also aims to create a cohort of nonprofit leaders that motivate and support each other.
Key points of the course will address:
- Leadership styles and growth plans
- Organizational culture and staff development
- Equity and inclusion goals in every day practice.
- Board/staff partnerships.
- The interplay of Operational Policies, Procedures and Cultural Norms.
- Marketing, Fundraising and Partnerships alignment.
- Public and internal expression of the mission, vision and core values.
- Financial documents as a numerical expression of an organization's values.
Leadership and Organizational Culture is one of nine offerings in the Nonprofit Credential Program.
Leadership and Organizational Culture will be held on November 4 and 6, 2025.*
Each of the nine UNA Credential courses is offered online, once in a calendar year.
Please check the UNA Event Calendar for all upcoming courses.
Cost:
UNA Member Rate: $180 for the first person/$40 for each additional participant
Not-Yet-Member Rate: $360 for the first person/$80 for each additional participant
*Dates are subject to change up to 30 days prior to the first session.
Leadership and Organizational Culture Badge Requirements
Please note: This course is aimed at current Executive Directors and those who aspire to serve as an Executive Director.
In order to receive the UNA Leadership and Organizational Culture Badge, the organization must submit the following items to UNA for review:
Please follow specific guidelines in the participant folder, as they are always going to be the most current. The participant folder will be emailed to participants during the training session.
Executive Evaluation and Growth Plan
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Choose an executive evaluation process that would be best fitting for your organization and leadership plan.
Staff Retention and Satisfaction
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Develop a mechanism for continual improvement and measurement on how you recruit, onboard and continually support and coach your team members, including ongoing education enrichment for staff.
Articulate How Your Organization Updates Operational Policies, Cultural Norms, and Procedures
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Create an annual process and measurement tool for these updates.
Establish DEIB purposes and goals that are part of regular organizational processes.
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Articulate weekly and monthly activities that help the organization achieve these goals.
Create a plan for how you grow board and staff cohesion.
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Write a schedule of monthly board/staff activities.
Develop a narrative on how the Vision and Core Values help your organization deliver on its mission.
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Create a document (words and images) that can serve as part of a case statement, development pitch, marketing document and/or staff recruitment document.
Write a narrative explanation of your financial statements.
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Create a one page document that explains the strengths and challenges of the organization’s financial standing.
Subject Matter Expert: Jory Macomber
Jory Macomber has served as the Executive Director of four non-profits, most recently at Canyonlands Field Institute in Moab and before that at Kimball Art Center in Park City. He has also served on three nonprofit boards where he has chaired their Strategic Planning committees.
Jory has a Masters of Education in independent school leadership from Teachers College at Columbia University. Before leading nonprofits, Jory worked as a high school history teacher and baseball coach for fifteen years in New Hampshire. He loves to teach and to learn from his students.