Nonprofit Crisis Management and Continuity Planning
Nonprofits face unique crisis vulnerabilities including sudden loss of funding, key staff departures, reputational crises, and facility emergencies. This annual review ensures crisis plans are current and the organization can maintain mission delivery through disruption.
- Industry: Nonprofit
- Frequency: Annually
- Estimated Time: 3-4 hours
- Role: Executive Director / Operations Manager
- Total Items: 28
Crisis Scenario Planning
Assess readiness for likely crisis scenarios.
- Financial crisis plan (major funder loss, revenue shortfall) documented?
- Reputational crisis plan (media scandal, staff misconduct) documented?
- Key leadership departure plan (ED departure, board chair vacancy) documented?
- Facility emergency plan (fire, flood, forced closure) documented?
- Technology failure/cybersecurity incident plan documented?
Financial Resilience
Assess financial resilience.
- Operating reserves at target level (3-6 months operating expenses)?
- Line of credit or emergency borrowing capacity available?
- Revenue concentration risk identified (no single source over 30% of revenue)?
- Contingency expense reduction plan documented if revenue drops significantly?
- Board emergency financial authority documented in bylaws or policy?
Crisis Communications
Verify crisis communications readiness.
- Crisis communications plan with holding statements for likely scenarios?
- Primary and backup crisis spokespersons designated?
- Emergency stakeholder contact list (board, funders, media, partners) current?
- Staff and board notification tree in place for rapid communication?
Operational Continuity
Ensure operational continuity capability.
- Mission-critical functions that cannot be interrupted identified?
- Remote work capability tested for key staff?
- Backup contacts for critical vendor and service relationships documented?
- Critical organizational documents accessible from off-site location?
- Cross-training for critical functions preventing single points of failure?
Leadership Succession
Verify succession planning.
- Executive director succession plan documented?
- Interim leadership candidate identified for emergency ED vacancy?
- Critical institutional knowledge documented, not held only in ED's head?
- Board officer succession plan in place?
Plan Testing and Maintenance
Test and maintain crisis plans.
- Annual crisis tabletop exercise or simulation conducted?
- Key plan elements (notification tree, backup systems, remote access) tested?
- Crisis plans updated after any actual crisis or test exercise?
- Board briefed on crisis preparedness status and key plans?
- Crisis plans aligned with insurance coverage (coverage known for crisis scenarios)?
Related Nonprofit Checklists
- Nonprofit Facility ADA Accessibility and Inclusion Compliance
- Nonprofit Office Safety and Facilities Inspection
- Nonprofit Equipment Maintenance and Inventory Management
- Nonprofit Facility Lease Compliance and Space Management
- Nonprofit Advocacy and Public Policy Compliance
- Nonprofit Gift Acceptance Policy and Unusual Gift Review
- Nonprofit Online Fundraising Platform and Compliance Audit
- Nonprofit Volunteer Training and Certification Compliance
Related Facility Operations Checklists
- Nonprofit Office Safety and Facilities Inspection - FREE Download
- Nonprofit Equipment Maintenance and Inventory Management - FREE Download
- Nonprofit Facility Lease Compliance and Space Management - FREE Download
- Nonprofit Technology and Data Security Annual Review - FREE Download
- Nonprofit Facility ADA Accessibility and Inclusion Compliance - FREE Download
Why Use This Nonprofit Crisis Management and Continuity Planning?
This nonprofit crisis management and continuity planning helps nonprofit teams maintain compliance and operational excellence. Designed for executive director / operations manager professionals, this checklist covers 28 critical inspection points across 6 sections. Recommended frequency: annually.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the Nonprofit Crisis Management and Continuity Planning cover?
This checklist covers 28 inspection items across 6 sections: Crisis Scenario Planning, Financial Resilience, Crisis Communications, Operational Continuity, Leadership Succession, Plan Testing and Maintenance. It is designed for nonprofit operations and compliance.
How often should this checklist be completed?
This checklist should be completed annually. Each completion takes approximately 3-4 hours.
Who should use this Nonprofit Crisis Management and Continuity Planning?
This checklist is designed for Executive Director / Operations Manager professionals in the nonprofit industry. It can be used for self-assessments, team audits, and regulatory compliance documentation.
Can I download this checklist as a PDF?
Yes, this checklist is available as a free PDF download. You can also use it digitally in the POPProbe mobile app for real-time data capture, photo documentation, and automatic reporting.