Keywords
Adaptive Capacity, Community-Engaged nonprofit, shared capacity, decentralized leadership, McKinsey 7S framework
Abstract
Nonprofit organizations face ongoing challenges related to uncertain funding, staff burnout, and increasing community needs. This article describes adaptive capacity as a proactive form of resilience that can help nonprofits prepare for unexpected challenges before they occur. Drawing on examples from a small community-engaged nonprofit, the current article presented activities and tools for strengthening adaptive capacity through both longer-term capacity-building practices and everyday organizational decisions. We used the McKinsey 7S framework to organize adaptive capacity opportunities across strategy, structure, systems, shared values, skills, style, and staff. The examples suggest that, despite unanticipated challenges, community-engaged nonprofits may strengthen resilience by adopting decentralized leadership, promoting shared skills, and building shared capacity across staff, volunteers, community members and partners in the local nonprofit ecosystem.
Recommended Citation
Hatchett, Lena; Steinkruger, Kenneth E.; and Jones, Laundette P.
(2026)
"Building Adaptive Capacity in Community Engaged Nonprofits,"
Journal of Nonprofit Innovation: Vol. 6:
Iss.
2, Article 6.
Available at:
https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/joni/vol6/iss2/6