More than meets the eye: Organizational capacity of nonprofits in the poor, rural South

Abstract

BackgroundThe physical, social, economic, and political contexts in which organizations operate influence their mission and organizational capacity – the available resources nonprofits use to carry out their purpose. The current study examines organizational capacity by uncovering strengthes and challenges of rural human service organizations (HSOs) in rural, persistently poor counties in the South. Also considered is the impact of the environmental context. MethodsThrough a qualitative, multiple case study approach, nine HSOs in Georgia, Kentucky, and Mississippi were studied using semi-structured interviews with high-level administrators and thematic analysis. ResultsHSOs were skilled at enduring change in their communities, problem-solving, worker retention, fundraising, financial accountability processes, and partnership-building. Challenges included formal assessment and evaluation, quantity of communications, staff and volunteer recruitment, and minimal formal planning. The communities involved presented contextual barriers such as racism, limited workers, and transportation. ConclusionsThe present study establishes connections between environmental context and organizational capacity that have been minimally explored. The identification of barriers, strengths, and challenges allows for future research and informs policy and practice that is critical to addressing the systemic problem of underinvestment in rural areas.