Building the Nonprofit Field: Over 75 Years of the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18666/JNEL-2025-13502

Keywords:

Competency-based learning, experiential learning, professionalization, nonprofit sector, credential

Abstract

Throughout a 75-year history, the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance (NLA), formerly American Humanics (AH), introduced nonprofit management and leadership as a field of study, promoted professionalization of the nonprofit sector, and created awareness for nonprofit sector careers. This article traces the history of NLA and examines the organization’s competency-based learning model, the importance of experiential learning, key institutional decision factors, as well as the impacts of the organization’s work. The concluding section focuses on the future of NLA, specifically the transition of its primary target audience of college students to professional learners, the recommendation to accredit the Certified Nonprofit Professional (CNP) and Advanced Certified Nonprofit Professional (ACNP) credentials, and the opportunity to create new types of partnerships to support the continued professionalization of the nonprofit sector. 

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Published

2026-04-07

Issue

Vol. 15 No. 4 (2025): Special Issue on Learning from 75 Years of the Nonprofit Leadership Alliance

Section

Articles

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