Enhancing the organizational resilience of the non-profit sector

Resilient non-profits maintain business continuity and improve their organizational practices when faced with challenges. They are able to respond successfully to unexpected changes. For example when funding sources, government, and social needs shift. Resilient non-profits continue to serve their communities well during a crisis, like the COVID-19 pandemic. Building a robust and resilient social serving sector is in everyone’s best interest!

The Organizational Resilience Assessment Tool and Reflective Guide can help non-profits understand their strengths and opportunities for improvement.

What is organizational resilience?

Organizational resilience is the ability to anticipate, respond, cope and recover from internal and external challenges. Resilient organizations maintain organizational performance and develop new capacities to strengthen the organization in the face of challenges.

There are 6 domains of organizational resilience in the non-profit sector.

Organizational Resilience Domains

Staff Connection to Mission, Vision & Values

Staff Connection to Mission, Vision & Values

This domain will facilitate a deeper understanding of the strength, clarity, and alignment of your organization's mission, vision, and values.

Situational Awareness

Situational Awareness

This domain will facilitate a deeper understanding of how well your staff and leadership know your organizational strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and vulnerabilities.

Planning & Adaptability

Planning & Adaptatiblity

This domain will facilitate a deeper understanding of how prepared your organization is for possible crises or sudden changes, like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Distributed Leadership

Distributed Leadership

This domain will facilitate a deeper understanding of how leadership is spread throughout the organization.

Collaborative Networks

Collaborative Networks

This domain will facilitate a deeper understanding of interconnections between organizations that can be leveraged in a time of crisis.

Resource Management & Support

Resource Management & Support

This domain will facilitate a deeper understanding of the availability and efficient use of resources to turn a crisis into an opportunity.

Reflective Guide

Once you have completed the Organizational Resilience Assessment with PolicyWise, you can access the Reflective Guide here (password required).

This work was made possible with generous support from: