Spotlighting Community Organizations' Pandemic Pivots: How Cleveland Continued to Serve its Vulnerable Populations During COVID-19.

Abstract

The shutdowns associated with the COVID-19 pandemic had immediate effects on nonprofit organizations, disrupting their abilities to provide resources to the vulnerable populations they serve, and leaving many residents without supports they needed. In Cleveland, Ohio, a community-based research network developed a series of publicly available podcast interview spotlights with local nonprofits during the shutdown to describe how they had shifted to continue to meet their communities' needs. The organizations shared experiences of adaptation and innovation, collaborative efforts, and community engagement strategies tailored to community members' emotional responses to the pandemic and needs. The organizations' abilities to stay resilient at a difficult time highlight the importance of staying connected to the populations served and could inform nonprofits' strategies and perspectives in navigating unprecedented challenges. The experiences documented in this research may be a useful resource for nonprofit leaders, policymakers, and researchers seeking effective strategies to enhance organizational resilience when serving the community in times of crisis.