▶ Metal-nitrogen-based precursor is better than the single metal or nitrogen one. ▶ Heat-treatment plays a crucial role in forming active sites of catalysts. ▶ The optimized CoFeN/C catalyst exhibits very comparable activity with Pt/C. ▶ The maximum power density of CoFeN/C is 177 mW cm −2 in alkaline fuel cell. Non-precious metal catalysts (NPMCs) synthesized from the precursors of carbon, nitrogen, and transition metals were investigated as an alternate cathode catalyst for alkaline fuel cells (AFCs). The procedures to synthesize the catalyst and the post-treatment were tailored to refine its electrocatalytic properties for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline electrolyte. The results indicated that the performance of NPMCs prepared with carbon-supported ethylenediamine-transition metal composite precursor and subjected to heat-treatment shows comparable activity for oxygen reduction with Pt/C catalyst. The NPMC exhibits an open circuit potential of 0.97 V and a maximum power density of 177 mW cm −2 at 50 °C when tested in anion exchange membrane (AEM) fuel cells.