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Description

Non-Profit Organisations: Structuring Governance, Keeping the Books and Securing Funding

Run an association in line with its statutes, with clear governance and properly maintained accounts

  • 2 days — 14 h
  • In-person or virtual
  • Foundation
  • Up to 6 participants

Many associations and non-profit entities operate on the goodwill of a few volunteers until the day a funding review, the departure of a treasurer or a dispute with an employee exposes the gaps: statutes never revisited, general meetings improperly convened, loose bookkeeping, agreements never formalised. Board members then discover the full extent of their responsibilities.

Two days to place the organisation back on sound foundations: the real role of each governing body, running general meetings and maintaining registers, bookkeeping and budgeting, relations with funders, employment and volunteer management. Each participant leaves with a diagnostic of their own entity and a list of actions to take forward.

Learning objectives

  • Allocate roles between the executive committee
  • the board and the general assembly
  • Convene and run a general meeting in line with the statutes
  • Prepare the budget and read the annual accounts of the organisation
  • Assemble a funding application file and report on the use of funds
  • Identify the responsibilities of governing officers and the means of limiting them

What makes this programme different

Each participant works on the statutes of their own organisation
An annual calendar of governance obligations is built during the session
Operational diagnostic delivered at the end of the session with priority actions

Programme

1Statutes and Governance

Aligning the written rules with actual practice

  • Review the statutes and the internal rules
  • Allocate powers between the governing bodies and the officers
  • Organise delegations of authority and bank signatory arrangements
  • Prepare the renewal of mandates

2Organisational Life and Formalities

Securing decisions through written records

  • Convene an ordinary or extraordinary general meeting
  • Maintain the registers and draft the minutes
  • Manage memberships
  • exclusions and internal disputes
  • Notify changes to the competent authorities

3Bookkeeping, Budgeting and Transparency

Keeping accounts that funders will accept

  • Organise bookkeeping and supporting documentation
  • Build the forecast budget and monitor its delivery
  • Read the statement of income and expenditure and the balance sheet
  • Value volunteer time and in-kind contributions

4Resources, Employment and Responsibilities

Securing both the funds and the people

  • Assemble a funding application file and report on its use
  • Distinguish between grants
  • public service contracts and corporate sponsorship
  • Employ staff and frame the role of volunteers
  • Identify the civil and criminal responsibilities of governing officers

Who is it for

Chairpersons · treasurers · secretaries and board members of associations and non-profit entities · directors and staff responsible for non-profit administration.

Prerequisites

No prerequisites

Dates & locations

36 scheduled dates between November 2026 and December 2027. Seats are confirmed in the order enquiries are received.

November 2026

December 2026

January 2027

February 2027

March 2027

April 2027

May 2027

June 2027

September 2027

October 2027

November 2027

December 2027

None of these dates suit you? We open additional sessions on request, and any programme can be run privately for your team.

Practical details

Before the programme
Online positioning questionnaire. Your development objectives are shared with the trainer, who tailors the practical case studies to your context.
Teaching methods
Theoretical input, workshops and practical case studies. Digital course materials and method sheets provided.
Assessment
Multiple-choice tests and role-play exercises. Assessment of learning at the start and end of the programme, with immediate and 60-day follow-up evaluations.
After the programme
One year of access to the e-learning platform. Self-assessment of the skills acquired and a 30-day follow-up session with your trainer.
How to register
Registration online or on the basis of a quotation.
Lead time
11 working days after confirmation of registration.
Accessibility
Accessible to people of determination. Contact our accessibility coordinator to design a suitable solution: contact@mpf-academy.ae
Start dates
Rolling intake: in addition to the scheduled sessions, this programme can start on request.