Special Topics: Nonprofits in the Digita

This graduate-level elective course examines how technology, particularly digital and social platforms, data analytics, and artificial intelligence (AI), are reshaping nonprofit management strategies, operations, governance, and stakeholder engagement. The course is situated within a broader debate about the role of nonprofits to drive sustainability and social impact goals. Students will evaluate how emerging technologies create new opportunities, but also challenges, such as a rising AI divide.  Students will critically assess how nonprofits adopt, adapt, or resist technologies. They will also explore how technological tools influence strategic decision-making, program delivery and evaluation. This includes discussions about fundraising, advocacy building via digital channels, and governance systems.

Drawing on interdisciplinary scholarship from nonprofit studies, technology management, sociology, and public administration, the course balances practical managerial considerations with critical analysis. Students will engage with real-world cases, academic research, and applied tools to develop both conceptual frameworks and strategic competencies for leading nonprofits in a technology-saturated environment.

An elective of the M.S. Nonprofit Management program, this course is open to graduate level SPS and Columbia students with a focus on nonprofits and/or civil society. It was designed to help students evaluate and apply technology to drive change as a nonprofit. There are no prerequisites to enroll for this course for graduate students.