Professional Development
At the Johnson Center, we offer a range of professional learning opportunities designed to strengthen the knowledge, skills, and impact of those working in philanthropy. Grounded in research and informed by practice, our programs support individuals, organizations, and networks in navigating complex challenges, increasing access and opportunity, and building a culture of learning across the sector.
Ways to Learn
We offer a variety of formats and approaches to fit your learning needs.
Public or Private Offerings
Online or In Person
Standard or Custom Curriculum
On Your Timeline
Why Learn With Us?
Our Research-to-Practice Mission
Our professional learning programs build meaningful connections between cutting-edge university research and the real-world achievements and challenges of community change. Grounded in the latest research, theory, and data, our programs equip you with practical tools and insights to strengthen your daily work and rethink the broader systems that shape philanthropy.
The Program Officer Competency Model
Each course is grounded in the Johnson Center’s Program Officer Competency Model©—a rigorously validated, research-based framework that articulates the essential knowledge, skills, and behaviors of effective program staff. By aligning course content with this model, we ensure participants gain practical, highly-relevant skills that reflect the current standards of excellence in philanthropy.
Experience and Expertise
The Johnson Center has provided professional learning programs and resources for grantmakers for over two decades. Our programs are designed and delivered by professionals with deep experience in philanthropy, extensive knowledge of research and learning best practices, and a commitment to valuing what each learner brings to the classroom – including prior knowledge, perspectives, and connections.
Expand your understanding of the sector.
Increase your knowledge of the philanthropic sector by learning with and from leaders in the field.
Strengthen competencies and skills.
Develop or refresh core grantmaking skills within the context of your foundation’s philosophy.
Network with experts in the field.
Limited course sizes ensure the opportunity to collaborate with grantmaking peers and experts.
View the work in context.
Uncover the sector’s history, dig in to current trends, and situate your own work and impact.
Virtual Public Courses are Available in Two-Day and Two-Hour Formats
Philanthropy 101
Designed for professionals new to the field or new to their role, Philanthropy 101 grounds you in the basics of foundations, nonprofits, grantmaking, and the field of philanthropy. Participants gain a deeper understanding of what philanthropy is, what makes it distinct from the business and government sectors, and how their own roles fit into the broader field. The course introduces many essential concepts — including ethics, accountability, equity, and power dynamics — along with providing an overview of the fundamentals of grantmaking.
Suggested complementary workshops: Grantmaker Ethics & Accountability
Proposal Analysis in Grantmaking
Participants in this course explore how the processes of proposal solicitation and analysis can set the stage to build capacity, foster meaningful relationships, advance equity, and authentically share power — all within the context of a foundation’s overall mission and grantmaking philosophy. This course is equally valuable for program officers new to the role, or veterans looking to refine their process.
Suggested complementary workshops: Site Visit Essentials for Grantmakers, Grantmaker Risk Management
Financial Analysis for Grantmakers
Dive into the fundamentals of grant proposal financial review and analysis — including organization and project budgets, financial statements, audits, and the IRS Form 990/990EZ — with an emphasis on centering equity in practice. Participants practice reviewing and analyzing real-life financials to prepare them for financial analysis in their daily roles. This course content is regularly updated to account for changes in FASB regulations and the financial implications of current events.
Suggested complementary workshops: Beginner’s Guide to Reading Form 990, Intermediate Guide to Reading Form 990
Professional Writing for Grantmakers
Whether preparing a grant recommendation for the board, developing a strategy document to share with stakeholders, or drafting blog posts, writing persuasively is an essential component of a grantmaker’s role. This interactive, group-coaching workshop focuses on sharpening the analytical skills that are the basis for good writing. Participants bring their own writing samples and put new skills into practice with our grantmaking experts, with additional time to focus on individual foundations’ unique requirements.
Suggested complementary course: Proposal Analysis for Grantmakers
Grantmaker Ethics & Accountability
Ideal for foundation staff, donors, and others engaged in grantmaking, this workshop from The Grantmaking School provides practical tools and step-by-step guidance to help you navigate ethical challenges in grantmaking.
Site Visit Essentials for Grantmakers
Learn how innovative site visit methods can help balance power dynamics and establish more authentic relationships, enabling grantees to showcase their strengths within their authentic context.
Grantmaker Risk Management
This workshop from the Johnson Center explores a trust-based, risk-tolerance/management framework that both honors the grantee partnership and leads to increased impact.
Beginner’s Guide to Reading the Form 990
This workshop is designed to ground you in the basics of Form 990 — including practical and purposeful ways to leverage information from a 990 with a nonprofit, financial, or foundation lens.
Intermediate Guide to Reading the Form 990
This interactive, virtual course will help funders and nonprofit professionals better understand the funding perspective and how to use 990s as a tool to assess organizational or collective impact.
The Program Officer Competency Model
Our competency model for foundation program officers — rigorously validated by fieldwide experts — maps the knowledge, skills, and behaviors of successful program staff. These competencies form the bedrock of our professional development courses.
Cross-Cutting Competencies
Relationships & Field Building
Proposals & Due Diligence
Strategy, Evaluation, and Learning
The Johnson Center’s Special Topics courses are designed to meet the evolving needs of philanthropy and nonprofits. Offered through private delivery, these courses provide flexible, timely learning opportunities tailored to the unique challenges and priorities facing today’s practitioners.
Each course is grounded in research, case studies, and real-world examples—ensuring that participants gain practical insights they can apply immediately in their work.
Especially ideal for place-based networks and grantmakers seeking to offer professional development to a broad group of grantees, these courses support collective learning and capacity building at scale. Availability rotates over time to reflect the shifting needs of the sector, ensuring that content remains relevant, responsive, and impactful.
Interested in bringing one of these courses to your community—virtually or in person? We invite you to reach out to explore how we can provide a Special Topics course that meets your organization’s goals.
Not seeing a course that fits your needs? Contact us about developing and delivering a new program for your audience.
Scenario Planning
New Realities for Nonprofit Communications and Advocacy
A Disaster Simulation: Response, Recovery & Resilience
Public Offering of “A Disaster Simulation”
The Johnson Center is currently offering a special public version of “A Disaster Simulation” to complement the publication of a related article in The Foundation Review. We invite all interest grantmakers and community leaders to participate!
Wednesday, October 8 // 12:30-4:30p.m. // Online
THE FOUNDATION REVIEW