Dedika is a platform for learning by doing: whether it's creating a business proposal, becoming a manicurist, or using a new tool, for example. Whatever your goal, the best content on the subject already exists. But it's often in another language, expensive, scattered around, lacking practical activities, or part of a course that's too long for a busy routine. That's why Dedika has its own method: we find this material wherever it is, organise what makes sense for your goal, review it with the help of experts who are available to answer questions, and create practical exercises so you can learn by doing. You are the most important part of your journey and no one knows it better than you: choose the content and course length, decide whether to learn online or offline, and pick your preferred format. It could be video, text, audio, or a summary. Your way, only with what makes sense for you. Here, every moment of dedication counts for more and you reach what matters faster.

Our courses include a summary at the end of each chapter, from which you can download a PDF and print it.

More than 2 million students worldwide

Present in more than 180 countries

Certificate valid in your country

Home Page

...

Charity Management Course

All courses

Education, Humanities and Social Sciences

Third Sector

Charity Management Course

For all levels

Charity Management Course

Name: Charity Management Course
Price: 204 GBP

Lead your not-for-profit with the authority and competence that boards, donors, and communities expect. This course gives chief executives and aspiring leaders a complete operational toolkit — from governance and finance to fundraising and advocacy. Every module is built around the real decisions you face in the director's chair.

Dedika for businesses

What you will learn:

This course covers every core responsibility of a not-for-profit chief executive, starting with legal formation, board governance, and fiduciary duties. You will learn how to build and oversee budgets, manage audits, and establish internal controls that protect your organisation. Fundraising strategy spans individual donors, grant writing, corporate partnerships, and digital campaigns. You will also develop skills in strategic planning, programme design, impact measurement, HR management, and volunteer oversight. Supplementary modules address DEI integration, risk management, technology systems, and emerging sector trends. By the end, you will have the knowledge and frameworks to lead a mission-driven organisation with confidence and accountability.

How you study in practice Charity Management Course

How you practise Charity Management Course

For businesses looking to train their team

With Dedika for businesses, the course includes exercises and examples tailored to your own business and the way your company needs.

Click here

Course content

8 Chapters • 38 LessonsDuration between 4 and 360 hours (you decide)

Chapter 1See details

Foundations of Not-for-Profit Organisations

Lesson 1 • Stakeholder Landscape Overview
Maps the key stakeholders—donors, clients, volunteers, regulators—that directors must engage. Sets the relational context for governance and programme chapters ahead.
Lesson 2 • Defining the Not-for-Profit Sector
Covers the defining characteristics that separate not-for-profits from for-profits and government entities. Grounds all subsequent governance and management concepts in sector identity.
Lesson 3 • Legal Formation and Registration
Explains the steps to legally establish a not-for-profit, from articles of incorporation to regulatory filings. Provides the compliance baseline every director must maintain.
Lesson 4 • Mission, Vision, and Values
Teaches how to craft and deploy a compelling mission statement that guides decisions. Connects organisational identity to strategic and operational choices.

Chapter 2See details

Board Governance and Director Duties

Lesson 1 • Conflict of Interest Management
Provides tools to identify, disclose, and resolve conflicts of interest at the board level. Protects organisational integrity and regulatory standing.
Lesson 2 • Board Structure and Composition
Defines board roles, committee structures, and optimal composition for mission effectiveness. Provides the organisational framework directors use to build high-performing boards.
Lesson 3 • Fiduciary Duties of Directors
Covers the legal duties of care, loyalty, and obedience every director must uphold. Directly informs decision-making standards throughout the course.
Lesson 4 • Effective Board Meetings
Teaches how to plan, facilitate, and document productive board meetings. Ensures governance decisions are legally sound and strategically focused.
Lesson 5 • Board-Executive Director Relationship
Clarifies the boundary between board oversight and staff management to prevent role confusion. Establishes the partnership model that drives organisational effectiveness.

Chapter 3See details

Not-for-Profit Financial Management

Lesson 1 • Not-for-Profit Accounting Fundamentals
Introduces fund accounting, net asset classes, and not-for-profit-specific financial statements. Creates the financial literacy base required for all budgeting and audit topics.
Lesson 2 • Budget Development and Oversight
Teaches how to build, approve, and monitor an annual operating budget. Connects financial planning directly to mission delivery and board oversight duties.
Lesson 3 • Financial Sustainability Planning
Introduces reserve policies, liquidity ratios, and long-term financial health indicators. Equips directors to make strategic decisions that sustain the organisation over time.
Lesson 4 • Audits and Financial Reporting
Covers independent audits, reviews, and required public financial disclosures. Prepares directors to oversee the audit process and interpret findings.
Lesson 5 • Internal Controls and Fraud Prevention
Establishes the internal control systems that protect assets and deter fraud. Directly supports the fiduciary duties covered in the governance chapter.

Chapter 4See details

Fundraising Strategy and Development

Lesson 1 • Fundraising Fundamentals and Ethics
Establishes ethical fundraising principles, donor rights, and regulatory disclosure requirements. Sets the professional standard that governs all development activities.
Lesson 2 • Corporate and Community Partnerships
Explores sponsorship, cause marketing, and in-kind partnership models with businesses. Expands the revenue and resource base beyond traditional philanthropy.
Lesson 3 • Individual Donor Cultivation
Teaches the moves management cycle from prospect identification through major gift solicitation. Builds the relational fundraising skills central to sustainable revenue.
Lesson 4 • Digital and Annual Fund Campaigns
Teaches online fundraising platforms, email campaigns, and annual fund strategy. Connects digital tools to the broader development plan for consistent revenue.
Lesson 5 • Grant Writing and Management
Covers the full grant lifecycle from prospect research to reporting. Provides directors with the skills to diversify revenue through institutional funders.

Chapter 5See details

Strategic Planning and Organisational Leadership

Lesson 1 • Leadership Styles and Adaptive Management
Explores leadership models suited to not-for-profit contexts and teaches adaptive management skills. Prepares directors to lead effectively through complexity and change.
Lesson 2 • Strategic Plan Development
Covers goal-setting, priority-setting, and strategic plan document construction. Produces a board-approved roadmap that guides the organisation for three to five years.
Lesson 3 • Environmental Scanning and Analysis
Teaches SWOT analysis, stakeholder input methods, and sector trend assessment for strategic planning. Provides the situational awareness that grounds all strategic decisions.
Lesson 4 • Organisational Change Management
Provides frameworks for planning and communicating organisational change to minimise resistance. Equips directors to sustain mission delivery during periods of transition.
Lesson 5 • Operationalising Strategy
Translates strategic goals into annual work plans, budgets, and staff accountabilities. Bridges the gap between high-level strategy and day-to-day organisational action.

Chapter 6See details

Programme Design and Impact Measurement

Lesson 1 • Continuous Programme Improvement
Introduces quality improvement cycles and adaptive management for ongoing programme refinement. Builds organisational learning capacity that strengthens long-term impact.
Lesson 2 • Reporting Impact to Stakeholders
Covers how to translate evaluation data into compelling impact reports for diverse audiences. Reinforces the fundraising and governance chapters by demonstrating accountability.
Lesson 3 • Programme Planning and Implementation
Covers needs assessment, programme design, and operational planning for new initiatives. Ensures programmes are community-centred and resource-realistic before launch.
Lesson 4 • Logic Model and Theory of Change
Introduces logic models and theory of change as frameworks for programme design. Connects programme inputs and activities to intended outcomes and long-term impact.
Lesson 5 • Data Collection and Evaluation Methods
Teaches quantitative and qualitative data collection methods for programme evaluation. Provides the evidence base directors need to report impact credibly.

Chapter 7See details

Human Resources and Volunteer Management

Lesson 1 • Volunteer Programme Management
Provides a complete framework for recruiting, training, supervising, and retaining volunteers. Maximises volunteer contribution as a strategic organisational resource.
Lesson 2 • Not-for-Profit HR Compliance Essentials
Covers employment law basics, worker classification, and required HR policies for not-for-profits. Establishes the legal foundation for all staffing decisions directors make.
Lesson 3 • Recruitment and Onboarding
Teaches equitable hiring practices, job description design, and structured onboarding programmes. Ensures new hires are mission-aligned and productive from day one.
Lesson 4 • Compensation, Benefits, and Retention
Teaches how to design competitive, equitable compensation structures within not-for-profit budget constraints. Addresses retention strategies critical to organisational stability.
Lesson 5 • Performance Management and Development
Covers goal-setting frameworks, performance reviews, and staff development planning. Connects individual performance to organisational mission and programme outcomes.

Chapter 8See details

External Relations and Advocacy

Lesson 1 • Community Engagement and Partnerships
Teaches strategies for building authentic community relationships and cross-sector partnerships. Extends organisational reach and strengthens mission relevance in the community.
Lesson 2 • Not-for-Profit Advocacy and Policy Engagement
Explains permissible lobbying activities, grassroots advocacy, and policy engagement for not-for-profits. Empowers directors to advance systemic change within regulatory boundaries.
Lesson 3 • Media Relations and Communications
Covers press release writing, media pitching, and crisis communications for not-for-profit directors. Builds the public profile needed to attract donors, volunteers, and policy support.
Lesson 4 • Brand Identity and Storytelling
Teaches how to develop a consistent organisational brand and use narrative to inspire action. Reinforces fundraising and advocacy by creating a compelling public identity.

Certification

Your valid completion certificate

This course is for you:

Aspiring Executive Director: ready to step into their first leadership role.
Program Manager: seeking to grow into an organization-wide director position.
Nonprofit Founder: building a new organization and needing structured operational guidance.
Career Changer: transitioning from the corporate sector into mission-driven leadership.
Board Member: wanting to understand the executive director's responsibilities more deeply.
Community Organizer: formalizing grassroots work into a legally structured nonprofit entity.

What our students say

Your lessons are perfect. I purchased the one-year package and finally have the opportunity to follow various topics of interest without needing to change platforms... I'm grateful for everything you do, I've already recommended you to other people...