Learning resources

ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation

ASU’s Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation – also part of the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions – has supported nonprofit organizations in Southern Arizona for more than 20 years through convenings, certificate programs, executive education and critical research.

Nonprofit and philanthropic organizations are essential social institutions that enhance the quality of life in our communities. The ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation educates, empowers and connects nonprofit leaders. Their work makes nonprofits and their teams better, accelerating social impact.

Person speaking to a group at the Lodestar Center

The Center’s work in Southern Arizona includes:

For nearly 20 years, the Center’s Nonprofit Compensation and Benefits Report triannual research efforts has engaged over 100 Greater Tucson/Pima County nonprofits that benefit from reliable data to inform their salary/compensation administration policies and practices.

Since 2010, Experience Matters has connected over 60 highly skilled individuals with social-benefit organizations in Southern Arizona communities, enhancing their capacity to solve community problems.

Since 2015, 30 Tucson-based nonprofit leaders have joined Arizona and national-based learning cohorts to successfully complete the Nonprofit Executive Leadership Certificate program.

Over the last two years, the Center’s Nonprofit Management Institute has taught over 100 learners across Southern Arizona in professional development programs that elevate the nonprofit sector’s impact.

Since 2020, Public Allies Arizona has recruited, developed and mentored 37 Allies in 10-month apprenticeships serving Greater Tucson through 18 different nonprofit organizations and public agencies.

Over the last five years, the Center has convened 442 nonprofit professionals and leaders in Southern Arizona at Annual Forums on Nonprofit Effectiveness and other capacity building events.

In 2021, the Center assumed responsibility from the Arizona Governor’s Office to lead the Service Enterprise Initiative and has intentionally engaged with Tucson-area nonprofits. Seven Tucson nonprofits have been accredited through SEI’s cultural change model, which includes an assessment and analysis, 16 hours of training, and 10 coaching sessions.

In 2024, the Center’s Cogenerational Service Academy expanded to Tucson; five individuals have participated in this innovative age-spanning approach to enacting community solutions.

The Center’s knowledge platform, the “Scope of the Arizona Nonprofit and Philanthropic Sector,” reveals research findings that have informed Greater Tucson influencers about the significant economic activity driven by the nonprofit sector in the state. Pima County’s 4,474 nonprofits surpass over $4 billion in annual expenditures, as one marker of industry distinction.

Learn more about ASU's Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation

Bob Ramsey Executive Education Center

A center within the School of Public Affairs in the Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions, Bob Ramsey Executive Education Center is dedicated to improving the effectiveness of the people and organizations that serve communities. Through the center's programs, public service professionals can enhance their management and leadership competencies and can earn the Certified Public Manager® designation and the Certified Municipal Clerk or Master Municipal Clerk credential. The center also assists state, county, municipal and tribal organizations with the implementation of their staff development initiatives.

The ASU Certified Public Manager® Program is accredited by the National CPM Consortium and is designed to develop the effectiveness of municipal, county, state, tribal and federal public managers. ASU has offered the CPM in Tucson since 2021. More than one hundred employees from the city of Tucson and Pima County have graduated from this nine-month leadership program, with the most recent class graduating in October of 2024. The highly immersive CPM Program aligns with the city of Tucson's vision to be “the destination for sustainable living, growth and opportunities.”

Find out more about the Certified Public Manager Program in Tucson

ASU Prep Global Academy

ASU Prep Global, an extension of ASU Preparatory Academy, provides innovative and flexible online education options and professional development training to community partners globally.

In Southern Arizona, ASU Prep Global partners with Sierra Vista Unified School District as its premier digital learning partner, offering flexible online learning options for students in grades 7–12. Students at SVUSD have a choice to study in a traditional, fully in-person learning environment, or they can take advantage of a hybrid learning model where courses are taken fully online and they attend campus two days per week for in-person learning activities such as project-based learning and lab experiments with fellow students while also receiving additional instructional support from teachers. Learn more about this partnership.

Learn more about ASU Prep Global Academy

ASU Prep Global has also partnered with Santa Cruz Valley Unified School District No. 35 to offer training to teachers and administrators on the topic of artificial intelligence in education. Over a two-day training session, teachers and administrators learned from ASU Prep Global leaders on how to use AI to enhance the learning experience and outcomes for students.

ASU Prep Global also supports the Arizona Department of Education’s “Project Momentum Arizona” and is facilitating virtual Professional Learning Communities for K–10th grade teachers statewide and includes over 30 teachers from Southern Arizona.

ASU Lodestar Center for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Innovation

The Center’s work in Southern Arizona includes:

Bob Ramsey Executive Education Center

ASU Prep Global Academy

ASU Prep Global in Southern Arizona