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The purpose of this study was to identify the resilient characteristics of two Pennsylvania nonprofit health care organizations that adapted to changes in funding and continued to provide services to their community. A comparative case study of these two organizations was conducted. The research questions addressed what organizational characteristics were present in both organizations that successfully adapted to funding changes and the differences between these characteristics and the definition of resilient organizational qualities as defined by organizational theorists Coutu and Weick. The survey was used to identify the existence of these resilientqualities. Other information was gathered from semistructured and structured interviews, and archival records. Open-ended questions were used to gather data about the interviewees' perceptions of organizational responses to funding changes. Other data were compiled from board meeting minutes, financial records, and patient admission records from 2001-2005. The quantitative data were graphed to identify trends. The quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed to identify predominant patterns and themes of organizational resiliency.From the analysis an integrated list of resilient organizational qualities that equipped these organizations to successfully adapt to funding changes was identified. These qualities were, commitment to the mission of the organization, improvisation, reciprocal community relationships, collaborative mission-focused leadership, cognitive resilient attitude, and fiscal accountability.

A key recommendation is for nonprofit health care leaders to develop resiliency training as a strategic priority. Objectives would be to incorporate resiliency characteristics into organizational culture and operating practice. Organizations with this capability will be better prepared to meet strategic challenges, including funding shortfalls. By adopting these characteristics and recommendations, nonprofits beyond health care, facing similar challenges would also benefit.

Health care nonprofits that do not heed these findings and prepare for continuing change, particularly due to health care issues affecting society today, are in jeopardy. Adaptive resilient capacity is an important concept to meet the future challenges for nonprofits.