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Frequently asked Questions
Participants
Is this program designed for Chief Financial Officers?
No, this program is not meant for the financial managers of nonprofits.  We will cover high level financial analysis, not debits and credits.  The program is specifically designed for the non-financial managers who should understand good financial management to be more effective leaders.

I run a nonprofit organization in South Africa.  Will the content of the program work for someone outside of the US?
Yes, the program is designed for managers from around the world. Curricular materials will apply to both US based and international participants.

Curriculum
Do I need to have good financial/accounting skills to take this program?
No prior knowledge of finance or accounting is expected or needed.

Will the program cover preparation of financial statements?
No.  This program is not about preparation of financial statements.  However, you will use your organization’s current financial statements for the “Understanding Financial Statements” module.

Program Fee

What is covered in the program fee?

The program fee allows access to the program website and discussion boards as well as a large volume of copyrighted readings and live sessions with Professors Honan and Thornburg.

You will receive a certificate of completion just like our residential Executive Education programs and you will join the ranks of Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education alumni.

Program Costs
Is there full or partial tuition funding available?
We have tried to price the program to provide as much access as possible. The John F. Kennedy School of Government does not offer financial assistance for the program; however financial assistance for executive training is often available from foundations, international development agencies, and multilateral assistance organizations. Individuals seeking financial assistance should make inquiries directly to these organizations as soon as possible, as training funds are often limited and the approval process can be lengthy. 

Click here to download a list of potential third party funding organizations.

Course participation
Do you currently have a residential program that offers the same curriculum?
No. The content and arrangement of this program are unique and have been designed specifically for an online community of senior executives working in nonprofit and non-governmental organizations.

Can I use this for credit towards a Degree Program?
The certificate cannot be accepted for degree credit.

Do I need to actively participate in all eight weeks of the online program in order to receive a certificate?
Yes. The two-week length of each module is allotted to give participants sufficient time to carefully read and consider the cases and frameworks and engage in thoughtful discussion with colleagues. The faculty believes that participation by each participant in each module is essential to ensuring that the program makes the maximum contribution both to the individual and the entire group. The modules often build on one another so it is essential that participants stay current in the course. Only participants who have actively participated in all of the program sessions will be awarded certificates of completion at the end of the course.

How much of my time will this course require?
Participants should expect to spend at least 10 hours per two-week module preparing for and participating in the course. Moreover, while most of the program will be asynchronous, there will be regular “real-time” meetings.

Technical Requirements

What type of software/technology do I need to participate in this program?
A 56k modem internet connection is required, though higher speed connections will make downloading course materials much easier. The course website is best viewed with Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox and all course documents will be posted in Adobe PDF format. Please click here to view the technology requirement for the program.

Contact information

If your questions were not answered here, please contact the Program Director, Ty Henry at ty_henry@ksg.harvard.edu.