Professional Certificates

Our professional certificates provide a comprehensive, in-depth educational experience. Earning a certificate is an ideal opportunity for professionals to invest in their careers and prepare for advancement in their work. Professional certificates are available in the learning areas below. To earn your professional certificate:

  1. Submit the enrollment form and payment. 

  2. Complete all coursework, practical exercises and tests within required timeframe.

  3. Pass the final exam/practicum (if applicable). 

If you have any questions, call 800-438-5547 or 202-760-4000, or email [email protected]. 

 

Asset Management (Asset Management Specialist and Certified Housing Asset Manager)

Asset management is a strategic and analytical profession requiring specialized skills. The Consortium for Housing and Asset Management (CHAM) offers two certifications that take candidates through the process of attaining these skills in a progression that builds their careers. 

Asset Management Specialist (AMS) 

The Asset Management Specialist is an intermediate-level designation concerning the fundamentals of asset management with an emphasis on overseeing property performance and fulfilling the owner’s goals. Mastering the basics of asset management equips the candidate to manage the information exchange between development, property management and ownership.  Candidates for this program include:

  • Analysts, asset managers, portfolio managers -- especially people new to the field. 
  • Developers. 
  • Property managers. 
  • Individuals who supervise or oversee asset managers, such as executive directors, CEOs and CFOs.

Candidates could work at nonprofits, for-profits, housing agencies, syndicators, investors, lenders, housing finance agencies or government. It is recommended that candidates have a basic understanding of affordable housing and a working knowledge of Excel. 

What You Will Learn 

  • Roles and responsibilities of the asset manager through the life stages of a property. 

  • Property performance indicators. 
  • Basics of an affordable housing deal and importance of setting up deal books for each property. 
  • Components of property and portfolio asset management plans. 
  • How to apply real estate financial analysis tools to a property and identify options for improving financial performance. 

Coursework Requirements 

The following courses are required for the Asset Management Specialist designation. In-person classes are offered at NeighborWorks Training Institutes, and the three classes are available now on-demand through CHAM's partner HAI Group: 
Nuts and Bolts of Asset Management (AM121) 
Asset Management Fundamentals (AM290)  
Financial Fundamentals for Asset Managers (AM291) 
  
To earn the Asset Management Specialist designation, the candidate must pass the final exams for each course. 

Certified Housing Asset Manager (CHAM)  

The Certified Housing Asset Manager is an advanced-level designation that teaches the skills needed to manage the long-term success of affordable housing properties and portfolios. Candidates are typically responsible for implementing asset management in their organizations or are planning a career move into the profession. The certificate has been designed for: 

  • Asset managers, portfolio managers, developers, property managers and individuals who supervise or oversee asset managers, such as CEOs and CFOs. 
  • Candidates could work at nonprofits, for-profits, syndicators, investors, lenders, housing finance agencies, public housing authorities or government.  

What You Will Learn 

  • How to evaluate the performance and cost of real estate assets. 
  • Techniques for analyzing and managing properties and portfolios to optimize the contribution of the real estate to the owner’s goals (both financial and mission). 
  • LIHTC topics, including investor return, adjusters, recapture and Year 15 disposition analysis. 
  • Risk management strategies to prevent or manage problems.  

The program concludes with a hands-on practicum where candidates develop an asset management plan for their own organizations.  

Coursework Requirements

Prerequisite: The Asset Management Specialist designation and proficiency in Excel. 

Candidates will take four courses to earn their Certified Housing Asset Manager designation: 

To earn the designation, the candidate needs to pass the final exams for each of the courses and successfully complete the practicum as part of Advanced Housing Asset Management (AM351). 

Community and Neighborhood Revitalization (and Certificate in Creative Community Development)

Every city in the United States has neighborhoods that are troubled, with deteriorating housing, streets and sidewalks in disrepair, crime that keeps families indoors and residents who have lost their sense of community pride. Residents and professionals representing all sectors — from community-based organizations and private foundations to government and corporate America — are involved in neighborhood revitalization efforts. They are working to create and nurture more livable places where families can live, work and play. 

Community and Neighborhood Revitalization Professional Certificate 

The Community and Neighborhood Revitalization Professional Certificates focuses on transforming neighborhoods that lack vitality and suffer from stagnant or declining property values into neighborhoods of choice — places where residents and businesses want to invest their time, energy and money. Participants who earn this professional certificate will possess the knowledge and tools needed to facilitate positive neighborhood change. 

Interested individuals at all levels of experience may enroll in the Professional Certificate Program in Community and Neighborhood Revitalization. This program is particularly valuable for: 

  • Neighborhood revitalization consultants and educators. 
  • Staff and boards of community development organizations. 
  • Officers and residents representing neighborhood organizations. 
  • Funders of neighborhood revitalization. 
  • Urban planners, designers and architects. 
  • Elected officials and public-sector staff. 

Participants will hone the skills to develop and implement strategies that will: 

  • Increase the capacity of residents and other stakeholders to manage neighborhood change. 
  • Increase residents’ confidence and participation in initiatives to shape their neighborhood’s future. 
  • Stimulate demand for housing and other investment opportunities. 
  • Support development of healthy, mixed-income neighborhoods. 
  • Create and preserve affordable housing in "hot" markets. 
  • Cultivate collaborations that promote and sustain revitalization. 

Program Coursework 

The professional certificate for Community and Neighborhood Revitalization consists of a series of courses that provide the theoretical framework, specialized tools and technical skills necessary to design and carry out successful neighborhood revitalization.   

Required course: 

Select two: 

Select one: 

Select two: 

Select two: 

Creative Community Development Professional Certificate Program  

This certificate program will give participants the knowledge and tools to contribute to an emerging body of research and practice regarding the role of arts and culture in building housing and equitable, sustainable, and healthy communities. 

Participants will be introduced to a variety of resources, case studies, and analytic techniques to understand creative community development strategies and measure the impact of arts and culture in community development. And participants will develop a roadmap to support their work and apply how arts and culture can strengthen and build more inclusive communities. 

This certificate requires the successful completion of these three courses: 

Community Economic Development

Comprehensive community revitalization must include methods to improve the local economy, creating an environment that supports the growth of businesses and provides opportunities for entrepreneurs. 

The Community Economic Development Professional Certificate presents key principles, concepts and strategies to develop the capacity to effectively respond to the economic challenges facing communities. Participants will gain knowledge on how to create infrastructures to generate jobs and effectively use financial resources and technical tools to invigorate local businesses. The certificate provides a comprehensive curriculum for practitioners involved in program design and implementation, as well as for funders and policymakers.

Courses are appropriate for directors and program staff of: 

  • Community development corporations. 
  • Community development financial institutions. 
  • Foundations and other funders. 
  • Nonprofit organizations. 
  • Private financial institutions. 
  • State and local government agencies. 

Participants will gain the ability to:  

  • Apply community economic development theory. 
  • Use data to assess the local economy and evaluate potential projects. 
  • Understand the commercial real estate development process and its key players. 
  • Evaluate the financial feasibility of real estate development projects. 
  • Make the case for a mixed-use project to boards, financing partners and city council. 
  • Create an effective revitalization program for business districts. 
  • Develop initiatives to help local businesses become successful. 
  • Design and administer a loan portfolio for small businesses. 

Program Coursework 

The certificate is designed to equip participants with core knowledge and skills, while allowing them flexibility to tailor learning to meet their professional needs and interests. Candidates should be able to complete the program in as few as three training institutes or in combination with NeighborWorks online courses. 
 
Candidates must complete four required introductory courses: 

*The final step to finishing the certificate program is to attend Positioning Your Program for Success: Connecting Program Design to Community Economic Impact (ED210 or ED210vc) and complete the in-course project. 
  
In addition to the required courses, candidates must complete five elective courses offered under the Community Economic Development curriculum. View the full list of eligible courses. 

Community Engagement

Building strong communities requires developing leadership, forming relationships and consolidating thoughts and ideas into structures that can create sustainable change. Community engagement is a people-focused process that increases the collective financial and human capacity of neighborhoods to improve the quality of life for the individuals who live and work there. Community building includes incremental and measurable projects, programs and activities that lead to positive, long-term systemic change. 

The Community Engagement professional certificate builds conceptual frameworks, specialized tools and interpersonal and technical skills professionals need to develop community organizations and leaders who can effectively guide the transformation of their communities. This program is particularly valuable for:  

  • Community outreach staff. 
  • Residents and key volunteers. 
  • Staff, board members and executive directors of community development and community service organizations. 
  • Program evaluators and funders. 

Participants will gain the skills to: 

  • Serve as agents for change in their communities. 
  • Implement strategic and entrepreneurial approaches to community challenges. 
  • Recognize and measure the impact of increasing social and economic diversity. 
  • Understand the role that demographics play in community development. 
  • Recognize institutional barriers that can prevent fair asset distribution. 
  • Develop useful coalitions with organizations and residents at the grassroots level. 
  • Measure the impact of community work. 
  • Plan and implement an outreach campaign. 
  • Work with, energize and lead volunteer efforts. 

Program Coursework 

The courses emphasize a hands-on approach, combining lectures with case studies, site visits, small-group exercises and other participatory learning methods. 
 
Core foundational courses: 

One in-person, self-guided, or faculty-led online CB course other than those listed above or Community Engagement: Measuring Its Impact  (CB200) - Capstone evaluation course

Upon completion of the coursework, a participant must submit a practicum. The practicum is an exercise that demonstrates how the participant applies what he or she has learned to their professional and/or volunteer work in community building and organizing. 

 

Nonprofit Management and Leadership (including Organizational Leadership and Organizational Management Certificates)

Two certificates are offered: Organizational Leadership and Organizational Management. The proficiencies they teach are listed below. Interested individuals at all levels of responsibility are encouraged to enroll and pursue a certificate to bolster their career progress.

This program is particularly appropriate for:  

  • Executive directors. 
  • Senior managers. 
  • Emerging leaders in community development. 
  • Members of boards of directors. 
  • Executive committee board members. 
  • Managers of community-development intermediaries. 
  • Government managers working in community development. 
  • Funders wishing to gain a better understanding of the demands on an executive director. 
  • Community-development educators. 

Program Coursework 

The Nonprofit Management and Leadership Professional Certificates consists of a series of courses that together provide the theoretical framework, specialized tools and technical skills necessary to successfully lead a dynamic community development organization in an ever-changing and increasingly competitive environment. 

The programs emphasize a hands-on approach, combining practical experience with lectures, case studies, site visits, small-group exercises and other participatory methods. Emphasis is placed on peer learning, critical thinking, organizational assessment and action planning for results. Listed below are the requirements for earning each of the professional certificates in nonprofit management and leadership. 

Organizational Management Professional Certificate 

Designed for all skill and responsibility levels within a nonprofit organization.  A wide variety of requirements and electives allow participants to tailor the certification to meet their unique needs. Participants focus on:

  • Critical and strategic thinking. 
  • Resource development and management of human and financial capital. 
  • Results-oriented management. 
  • Business and strategic planning. 

Required courses (select ten):  

Organizational Leadership Professional Certificate 

Designed for senior staff, executives and board members.  This certificate has six required courses, and participants focus on: 

  • Critical and strategic thinking and planning to help move your organization forward. 
  • Cultural competency and skills and strategies to diversify your board and organization. 
  • Negotiation and conflict resolution skills to negotiate from principled positions. 
  • Board structure and governance practices to ensure your organization’s health and functionality. 
  • Advanced leadership skills and strategies for the experienced manager. 
  • Green strategies for visionary leadership.  

Required courses (all courses listed):  

Elective courses (select two): 

PCP Enrollment form

Enroll online here
Enroll online here