Date

11-13-2024

Department

Helms School of Government

Degree

Doctor of Philosophy in Public Administration (PhD)

Chair

Gerald P. Regier

Keywords

COVID-19 Pandemic, Impact study, urban

Disciplines

Public Affairs, Public Policy and Public Administration

Abstract

This qualitative study examined the impact of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on human services nonprofit organizations in an urban setting and the strategic measures implemented by the leaders to remain focused on their mission. The logic of inference was that the pandemic significantly impacted these nonprofit organizations, forcing the public administration leaders to implement new innovative strategies that should be documented. The study data was collected and analyzed through three streams of data: interviews with nonprofit or public administration leaders, surveys of nonprofit employees, and document analysis of organizational financial reports over four years. The results from the interviews with the public administration leaders showed that the lockdown significantly impacted their mission to serve vulnerable populations; this was revealed in the impact on the organization's daily activities, such as the inability to meet face-to-face with clients, the effect on the clients they served such as the high death toll in the region, the employees such as high attrition in the healthcare industry, and impact the financials seen in the changing numbers across the four years. The surveyed employees confirmed that the pandemic impacted the organization’s mission. Finally, the document analysis of the financial statements showed significant changes in the organizations' finances over the four years studied. The leaders also reported on the successful implementation of strategic measures to keep the organization mission-focused. These measures were reported and included as recommendations for future crises.

Download

Share

COinS