Connected for Survival: How Organizational Networks with Government Strengthen Nonprofit Resilience in Delivering Public Services

Drawing on pre- and post-COVID-19 surveys of human service and arts-and-culture nonprofits, this study examined how preexisting social connectedness and revenue structure were associated with organizational resilience. Nonprofits with more connections to government reported fewer operational disruptions, particularly in program delivery, contract continuity, and volunteer capacity, than peers whose ties were concentrated within the nonprofit sector. Financial profiles also mattered, although the relationship between revenue diversification and resilience was more complex than expected. Together, the findings identify social connectedness and revenue structure as important correlates of resilience. The study’s central contribution is to specify the conditions under which collaboration and resource diversification translate into organizational capacity during crises and to offer guidance for nonprofit leaders seeking to build more resilient organizations.