Kris Kewitsch | Executive Director, Charities Review Council | September 2024
Nonprofits are often focused on helping others become more resilient. As a nonprofit leader, are you also focused on building your organization’s resilience?
Many nonprofits directly or indirectly contribute to community resilience through the impactful services they provide. Often associated with youth development, the environment, or mental health, resilience is a concept that can also be applied to organizational health – the ability of your organization to withstand difficulty and adapt to change.
What does organizational resilience look like?
- Finances – Diverse revenue streams and robust financial management help ensure your organization can forge ahead even when facing funding challenges or economic shifts.
- Governance – Effective leadership, defined roles and responsibilities, and transparent policies and data foster confidence and accountability, building trust with both internal and external stakeholders.
- Crisis Management – Being prepared for crises with well-developed operations and communications plans minimize disruption for clients and staff. Auditing your insurance coverage and needs regularly also ensures that if/when crises do occur, the organization is well protected.
- Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion – Sound DEI practices boost employee engagement and enhance decision-making and problem-solving, positioning your organization well to manage inevitable bumps along the journey to mission fulfillment.
Which of these components are currently contributing to your nonprofit’s resilience? Which of these components may need some strengthening?
The Council’s online tools – Accountability Standards®, Accountability Wizard® review process, and DEI Toolkit – are available to help you reflect on, assess, and build your nonprofit’s resilience so that you can continue in your critical role of helping the community become more resilient.
