Registered Scrum Master for Nonprofits | 2026 Credential & Training
Stop the cycle of nonprofit burnout. Learn the Agile framework designed to help social impact leaders deliver twice the impact in half the time.
Finally, an Agile Credential That Speaks “Nonprofit,” Not “Software Development
Traditional project management often fails nonprofits because it doesn’t account for shifting donor priorities or volunteer turnover. Our Scrum Master for Nonprofits course bridges that gap.
Is this you?
Overwhelmed? Your team is working “heroic hours” but still missing grant deadlines.
Siloed? Departments aren’t communicating, leading to duplicated efforts.
Stagnant? You have big goals for 2026 but no clear framework to execute them.
The Solution: Scrum provides a lightweight framework to prioritize what matters most, increasing transparency and team morale.
The Registered Scrum Master for Nonprofits course is a powerful tool to help your organization break down silos, strengthen communication, and empower your teams to create twice the impact in half the time. This course, designed in collaboration with Scrum Inc.™, is an empowering and exciting way for nonprofits to see the benefits of Agile methodologies.
The training is led by Diane H. Leonard, a Registered Scrum Trainer with decades of experience in the nonprofit field, who will help you implement the Scrum framework in your organization.
This course is for nonprofit professionals who want to lead their team, even if it is a “team of one.” You will learn how to improve your team’s effectiveness by coaching them in self-management and cross-functionality, supporting the removal of impediments, and ensuring all Scrum events are productive and positive. The training also shows how to help the Product Owner with effective backlog management and how to lead, train, and coach your organization in its Scrum adoption.
The course is open to anyone, from CEOs to office managers, with a sliding scale pricing model based on your organization’s operating budget.
2026 Scrum Master Courses:
We believe Agile should be accessible to all organizations, regardless of budget.
Early Bird Rate: $749 (Available until June 29, 2026)
Standard Rate: $995
This training is for all levels of Scrum experience. There are no prerequisites.
Only 9 seats available per cohort!
We are breaking down silos, opening up and strengthening communication, and empowering teams to help your nonprofit create twice the impact in half the time.
Who should attend the Registered Scrum Master course?
This credential is specifically designed for mission-driven professionals, including:
Executive Directors & CEOs looking to scale organizational impact.
Grant & Development Managers juggling complex submission timelines.
Program Directors needing better visibility into team workflows.
Operations Leaders tasked with digital transformation or “doing more with less.”
This course is credentialed by the Agile Education Program powered by Scrum Inc.™
The Scrum Master serves the organization in several ways, including:
● Leading, training, and coaching the organization in its Scrum adoption;
● Planning and advising Scrum implementations within the organization;
● Helping employees and stakeholders understand and enact an empirical approach for complex work; and,
● Removing barriers between stakeholders and Scrum teams.
The Scrum Master serves the Scrum team in several ways, including:
● Coaching the team members in self-management and cross-functionality;
● Helping the Scrum team focus on creating high-value work toward their mission and vision;
● Supporting the removal of impediments to the Scrum team’s progress; and,
● Ensuring that all Scrum events take place and are positive, productive, and kept within the timebox.
The Scrum Master serves the Product Owner in several ways, including:
● Helping find techniques for effective Product Goal definition and Product Backlog management;
● Helping the Scrum team understand the need for clear and concise Product Backlog items;
● Helping establish empirical product planning for a complex environment; and,
● Facilitating stakeholder collaboration as requested or needed.
2026 Scrum Master Courses:
We believe Agile should be accessible to all organizations, regardless of budget.
Early Bird Rate: $749 (Available until June 29, 2026)
Standard Rate: $995
This training is for all levels of Scrum experience. There are no prerequisites.
Only 9 seats available per cohort!
About the Registered Scrum Master (RSM) for Nonprofits Course
In this course, we’ll share the co-creator of Scrum, Dr. Jeff Sutherland’s insights and strategies from decades of success training people to become high-performing Scrum Masters and Scrum teams in businesses around the globe. Through a combination of lectures, hands-on exercises, and review of real-world case studies of nonprofit organizations, you will experience first hand the impact of the Scrum framework and the importance of the Scrum Master role.
With the help of your Scrum Trainer, who has years of experience not only in Scrum, but also decades of experience in the nonprofit field, you will walk away with the ability to know how to implement the Scrum framework in your nonprofit organization. You will also understand how implementing the Scrum framework will accelerate the speed and value of any project or service in your nonprofit and enable you to create twice the impact in half the time.
Who you are as a nonprofit organization, who you serve, what you offer stays the same. The way in which you approach planning your work, engaging with your stakeholders, and developing and iterating your programs and services is what will change as a result of adopting the Scrum framework in your organization.
Utilizing the Scrum framework in your nonprofit organization will significantly improve your way of doing work whether your team is focused on fundraising events and grant writing, program design and implementation, or organizational management and strategic planning.
By joining us for the Registered Scrum Master course you receive one free year of e-mentoring.
2026 Scrum Master Courses:
We believe Agile should be accessible to all organizations, regardless of budget.
Early Bird Rate: $749 (Available until June 29, 2026)
Standard Rate: $995
This training is for all levels of Scrum experience. There are no prerequisites.
Only 9 seats available per cohort!
This course is approved for 12 CE credits
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Explain that Scrum is a lightweight framework that can be applied consistently across any industry and domain.
- Recognize that having different interpretations of Scrum across teams will present significant challenges when scaling a Scrum implementation.
- Explain the value of agility over traditional project management in today’s rapidly changing marketplace.
- List the 5 Scrum Values and explain how they relate to one another.
- Relate hands-on experience with iterative development to their own working context.
- Express the value of sharing learnings and insights across teams.
- Run the 5 Scrum events successfully.
- Implement the Scrum patterns that will work best with your nonprofit.
- Access and complete the Registered Scrum Master exam.
- Download their Registered Scrum Master Credential (upon successful completion of the exam).
- State the Credential renewal process.
The Registered Scrum Master Credential powered by Scrum Inc. is a distinguished designation highlighting individuals who can systematically implement Scrum in a way that drives immediate business results while simultaneously accelerating personal and team performance.
Scrum vs. PMP: Which Is Right for Your Nonprofit?
Many mission-driven leaders ask: “Should I get a PMP or become a Registered Scrum Master?” While the PMP has its place in massive, predictable construction or IT projects, the reality is that the PMP certification now incorporates Agile as one approach to project management. The Scrum framework was built for the “uncertainty” that happens in teams like in the nonprofit world.
PMP vs. RSM: The "Heavyweight" vs. the "High-Impact" Choice
In 2021, the PMP began incorporating Agile into its curriculum. So, the question isn’t “Agile vs. Waterfall” anymore—it’s how much time you have to spare. Do you want a 3-month academic deep dive, or a 4 half-day toolkit you can use on Monday?
Feature | Project Management Professional (PMP) | Registered Scrum Master (RSM) |
Total Course Time | 35 Hours (minimum requirement) | 12 hours (class + exam) |
Study Commitment | 100–200+ hours of self-study | Zero (Learn everything in class) Can take the exam immediately following the end of class |
Prerequisites | 3–5 years of verified project leadership | None, ideal for any nonprofit role |
Exam Style | 180 questions / 4 hours (Intense) | 30-question, multiple-choice, open-book |
Cost & Fees | ~$675 | Early bird price $749 / $995 just in time price |
Maintenance | PMP holders are required to earn 60 professional development units (PDUs) in each 3-year cycle + $150 | 30-question, multiple-choice, open-book exam – & $50 yearly renewal |
Sector Focus | General business & global industry | Agile in Nonprofit’s RSM course is tailored for nonprofit impact using only nonprofit case studies |
Designed for the Busy Nonprofit Professional
We know you don’t have 40 hours to step away from your mission. That’s why our 12-hour credential is delivered in a high-impact, sustainable format:
- 4 Days | 3 Hours per Day
- The “Afternoon Advantage”: Master Agile frameworks in the afternoons. No “catch-up” pile-up at the end of the week.
- Direct Application: Because the course is spread over four days, you can take what you learn on Day 1 and spot “impediments” in your real-world office by Day 2.
Is the PMP "Too Heavy" for Your Career?
Since 2021, the PMP has included Agile in its exam, but it still requires a 35-hour classroom commitment and a grueling application process.
If you are a nonprofit professional, you don’t need a 200-hour study plan to prove you can lead.
You need the Agile mindset and the Scrum guide. Our 12-hour Registered Scrum Master course gives you the same “Agile” credentials found in the PMP—without the corporate red tape and months of lost time.
Why wait 6 months for a PMP? Get the same Agile frameworks used by Fortune 500 companies, tailored specifically for the nonprofit sector, in just four 3-hour sessions.
Ready to Transform Your Nonprofit’s Productivity?
Don’t let another grant cycle pass while your team suffers from burnout. Join our next cohort of Registered Scrum Masters and learn the framework that is revolutionizing social impact.
2026 Scrum Master Courses:
We believe Agile should be accessible to all organizations, regardless of budget.
Early Bird Rate: $749 (Available until June 29, 2026)
Standard Rate: $995
This training is for all levels of Scrum experience. There are no prerequisites.
Only 9 seats available per cohort!