Building a social impact brand for a nonprofit organization, socially responsible business, government entity, or other organizational type can be far more challenging than creating a traditional brand because of its unique goal of strengthening society for the better. While a conventional consumer brand may seek to persuade people to only make a purchase, a social impact brand strives for more: to create empathy for others, to change personal or group behavior, to spark advocacy, or to make an ongoing financial commitment to a cause.
To do so, social impact brands must be in touch with the human experience to put the beneficiary of impact at the center of the process surrounded by stakeholders and partners to create a brand ecosystem. This process transcends logos, taglines, and even organizational boundaries to ensure that the structure of campaigns, movements, or initiatives is not tethered to one system. Building a social impact brand is everyone’s job within the organization.
With curriculum created and taught from Georgetown University’s Center for Social Impact Communication, the Online Certificate in Social Impact Branding teaches you how to navigate and map the complexity of this ecosystem through empathy, emotion, and engagement. Through the program, you will gain the tools, connections, and mindset to activate your own role in the process of social impact branding whether you are working inside an organization or company, as a consultant, or have plans to do so in the future.
Ideal for: Current & aspiring social impact professionals
Ideal for
Current & aspiring social impact professionals
Duration: 3 consecutive days
Duration
3 consecutive days
Tuition: $2,995
Tuition
$2,995
Format: Online
Format
Online
Schedule: All day, 3 consecutive days
Schedule
All day, 3 consecutive days
Semester of Entry: Fall & spring
Semester of Entry
Fall & spring
Upon successful completion of the program, you’ll be able to:
Understand the types of social brands including corporate purpose brands, nonprofit causes, social movements through both an organizational and individual lens
Learn how to analyze and strengthen a brand ecosystem that includes diverse stakeholders including beneficiaries, influencers, partners, volunteers and funders
Apply a signature approach to social impact brand building within your own work
Reflect upon your personal role as a social impact brand professional, now and into the future
Testimonials from current students and alumni.
From nonprofits to socially responsible companies, the time is now to recognize the social impact opportunities these brands can have when fully activated through the lens of ethics and justice at the core. Georgetown’s Certificate in Social Impact Branding offers the knowledge, mindset and connections to assist you in doing just that.
John D. Trybus, Georgetown’s Center for Social Impact Communication
Certificate in Social Impact Branding
Our classes are taught online in real-time by Georgetown instructors using Zoom video conferencing. They are designed to provide our professional learners with a high-quality, engaging educational experience. For more information, please contact Program Support at pdcprograms@georgetown.edu.
In order to receive a Certificate in Social Impact Branding, you must successfully complete all three modules, for a total of 2.4 Continuing Education Units (CEUs), which is the equivalent of 24.0 contact hours.
Module & Day 1
Immersion: Understanding the Complex Roles of Social Impact Brands through an Ecosystem Lens (Required)
Module & Day 2
Workshop: Applying Signature Process to Brand Challenges across Sectors and Structures (Required)
Module & Day 3
Customization: New Perspectives and Trends to Inform Your Branding Action Plan (Required)
What Is Live Online Learning?
Live online instruction is enhanced by incorporating various instructional practices and technology tools. Features such as Zoom video conferencing, breakout rooms, and chat allow for real-time interaction and collaboration among learners. Tools like Google Docs, Slides, Sheets, and Canvas Groups facilitate teamwork and information sharing within the learning community. Polling, surveys, and threaded discussion boards promote active engagement and the expression of opinions. It is important to foster social respect, privacy, and incorporate Jesuit values to create a supportive and inclusive online environment. By utilizing these practices and tools effectively, live online instruction can be engaging, interactive, and conducive to meaningful learning experiences.
Live Online
Wed/Thu/Fri 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Nov 19 to Nov 21, 2025
Fall 2025
Faculty
Denise Keyes
Denise Keyes is the founder of Georgetowns Center for Social Impact Communication (CSIC) and its executive director. In this role, she developed and taught the first signature cause consulting class ... Read more
How to Register
Please review the refund policies in our Student Handbook before completing your registration.
Degree Requirement
You must hold a bachelor's degree or the equivalent in order to enroll in our certificate programs.
Registration
This certificate is an open-enrollment program. No application is required. Click the "Register Now" button, select your courses, and then click "Add to Cart". Course registration is complete when your payment is processed. You will receive a confirmation email when your payment is received. Please retain the payment confirmation message for your records.
You can combine on-campus and online courses (if available) to complete your certificate. Depending on the certificate program, we may suggest taking courses in a specific order, but this is not a requirement.
Most students register for all courses at the same time and complete their certificate within a few months. However, you may choose to register for courses one by one over time. Once you begin a certificate, you have up to two years from the time you start your first course to complete all required courses.
International Students
International students who enter the U.S. on a valid visa are eligible to enroll in certificate courses. However, Georgetown University cannot sponsor student visas for noncredit professional certificate programs.
A TOEFL examination is not required for non-native English speakers but students are expected to read, write, and comprehend English at the graduate level to fully participate in and gain from the program.
Students from most countries may register for our online certificate programs; however, due to international laws, residents of certain countries are prohibited from registering.
Tuition & Funding
Tuition
Total program tuition for all 2.4 CEUs (3 modules) is $2,995. Most course materials are included.
Funding
Noncredit professional certificates do not qualify for federal financial aid, scholarships, grants, or needs-based
aid. However, several finance and funding options do exist, as listed below.
Some employers offer funding for employee education or professional development. If an employer guarantees
payment for employee education and training, Georgetown will accept an Intent to
Pay form. If you are using employer sponsorship or training authorizations, you must submit an Intent to
Pay form with your registration.
If your employer will pay for your tuition, select “Third-Party Billing” as your method of payment when you
register for courses online. Please submit an Intent to Pay form indicating that your employer or another third
party should be billed for tuition. Invoices will not be generated without this form on file.
Eligible Georgetown employees may use their Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) benefits to fund 90% of the certificate program
tuition—employees will be invoiced for the remaining 10% of tuition and must pay any other charges associated
with their certificate program. Employees using TAP benefits may work directly with the HR Benefits Office to ensure payment prior to
the start of any course. This payment option is only valid if registration occurs at least 10–14 business days
prior to the start date of the first course. Any fees incurred due to course withdrawal are the student’s
responsibility and are not funded by Georgetown University TAP. For questions regarding TAP benefits, please
contact the HR/Benefits Office at tapbenefits@georgetown.edu or
(202) 687-2500.
SCS is registered with GoArmyEd.com to accept SF-182 training
authorization forms. GoArmyEd.com is the virtual gateway for all eligible active duty, National Guard, and Army
Reserve soldiers to request Tuition Assistance (TA) online. GoArmyEd.com is also the virtual gateway for Army
Civilians to apply for their Civilian education, training, and leadership development events.
The professional certificate programs offer an interest-free payment plan for certificate programs that are
more than one month in duration and for which the total tuition is greater than or equal to $4,000. The payment
plan is structured in the following manner:
Payment #1: A down payment of 25% of the total tuition balance must be paid online (within
72 hours after you register and select Payment Plan) via the Noncredit Student
Portal. Please submit your down payment as soon as
possible.
Payments #2, #3, and #4: Your remaining balance will be due in three (3) equal monthly
installments beginning 30 calendar days after your down payment is processed. Your monthly payments must be
paid via credit card in the Noncredit Student Portal. You will be able to access each invoice and payment due date
in your student account.
PLEASE NOTE: Automatic Payment Service is not available. You must make each subsequent
payment via the Noncredit Student Portal.
A number of tuition benefits are available through the Department of Veterans Affairs and under various parts
of the GI Bill®. Please visit the Resources for Military
Students page for additional information and instructions.
Tuition Discounts
Only one tuition discount may be applied at the time of registration. Tuition discounts cannot be combined. Tuition discounts are not applied retroactively. Please contact pdcprograms@georgetown.edu with any questions.
For a limited time, federal employees who have been displaced from their jobs are eligible to receive a 30%
tuition discount for all certificates offered within SCS’s Professional Development & Certificates (PDC)
portfolio. For more information, registration assistance, and your 30% discount code, please contact pdcprograms@georgetown.edu.
Georgetown University alumni and SCS certificate completers are eligible to receive a 30% tuition discount for many certificates offered within SCS’s Professional Development & Certificates (PDC) portfolio. When registering for an eligible certificate through the SCS website, you will see the "30% Georgetown Alumni Discount" as an option. The Enrollment Team will then verify your eligibility status as a Georgetown University alumnus or certificate completer.
Employees of companies that belong to the EdAssist education network may receive a 10% tuition discount on select programs and courses. Contact EdAssist directly to find out if you qualify.
Eligible federal employees across the country receive a 10% scholarship applied to the current tuition rate for all SCS degree programs and professional certificate programs each academic semester. Please contact pdcprograms@georgetown.edu for steps to be added to this discount group.
