Financial Literacy for Leaders
Third course in the Starting a Nonprofit with Confidence series.
Read your own financial statements with confidence and ask your board the questions that matter. Budgeting, reporting, internal controls, and compliance, explained in plain language for leaders who are not accountants. Includes 6 downloadable resources you can put to work right away.
Taught by T. Hampton Dohrman, Founder & CEO, Hampton Nonprofit Management
- ✦4 modules. 16 lessons.
- ✦3 hours and 48 minutes of content
- ✦6 downloadable resources
- ✦Self-paced, no live schedule
You are accountable for the numbers whether or not anyone taught you to read them.
"Our treasurer presents the financials and I nod. I could not tell you if something was wrong."
"I built our first budget by copying last year's and adding a bit. I have no idea if that was sound."
"A funder asked for our statement of functional expenses and I had to look up what that was."
4 modules. 16 lessons.
3 hours and 48 minutes of content. Work through it in order, or jump to the part you need right now.
1
Mission Meets Money
4 lessons
- What Financial Leadership Means
- Nonprofit Financial Responsibilities
- Budget as a Mission Tool
- Financially Aware Leadership
2
Building Your First Budget
4 lessons
- Creating Your First Budget
- Fixed and Variable Costs
- Setting Realistic Income Projections
- Budgeting for Programs, Admin, and Fundraising
3
Setting Up Your Financial Systems
4 lessons
- Setting Up Accounts & Tools
- Building a Chart of Accounts
- Creating Financial Policies
- DIY, Outsource, or Hire?
4
Financial Reporting & Oversight
4 lessons
- Reading Core Financial Reports
- Monthly and Quarterly Reviews
- Building Internal Controls
- Using Financial Data for Decisions
6 downloadable resources, ready to use.
Templates and checklists you can put to work in your organization right away, not just watch and forget.
A Guide to Budgeting
Balance Sheet Sample
Budget & Cash Flow Sample
Budget vs. Actuals Sample
Financial Policies & Procedures Guide
Profit & Loss Statement Sample
T. Hampton Dohrman
Founder & CEO, Hampton Nonprofit Management
Hampton Dohrman is passionate about helping nonprofit leaders feel more confident and equipped when it comes to finance, operations, and organizational sustainability. As the founder and CEO of Hampton Nonprofit Management, he works alongside mission-driven organizations to simplify complex financial concepts, strengthen internal systems, and help leaders make informed decisions that support long-term impact.
Hampton is known for a practical, approachable style and for meeting organizations where they are, whether they are building foundational financial systems, navigating growth, or working through operational challenges. Through years of nonprofit leadership and consulting experience, he has supported organizations across a wide range of missions and sizes, always with a focus on helping leaders build healthier, more sustainable organizations.
Stop nodding through the finance report.
$349, one payment, no subscription required. Start today and move through the modules at your own pace.
Get This Course, $349What people ask before enrolling.
Who is Financial Literacy for Leaders for?
Executive directors, founders, and board members who are accountable for their organization's finances without a finance background, and finance staff who want the nonprofit-specific version of what they already know.
Do I need accounting experience?
No. The course starts from what financial leadership means and builds from there. Nothing assumes you have prepared a statement before.
This is the longest course in Akademia. Do I have to do it all at once?
No. It runs 3 hours and 48 minutes across 4 modules and 16 lessons, all self-paced. Most leaders take the budgeting module first and come back for reporting when the next board meeting approaches.
What do I get besides the lessons?
Six downloadable resources, including a Budget and Cash Flow Sample you can work from directly rather than building a spreadsheet from a blank page.
How long do I have access?
Financial Literacy for Leaders is a one-time purchase with no recurring charge, and your access does not depend on holding a subscription. It continues for as long as we offer the course on Akademia, and purchasers get advance notice if that ever changes.