Over the past year, it has become increasingly evident that one of the greatest challenges facing nonprofits is reflecting on the external forces that affect them, and adapting accordingly.

Nonprofits regularly contend with a variety of external influences including increased requirements from donors and government, fluctuating economic market forces, natural and man-made catastrophic events, and more media scrutiny. Those organizations that are able to view change as an opportunity to be innovative and more responsive to their constituents are likely to be those that will find themselves in a stronger position for the long term.

For example, adaptive nonprofits are examining the state's shifting demographics related to age or race and determining what impact they may have on their organization's membership, fundraising and participation dynamics. At the Boys & Girls Club of Hawai'i, an increasingly aging population is challenging the organization to adjust its operations and services.

David Nakada, executive director of the Boys & Girls Club of Hawai'i, has been wrestling with his organization's ability to properly support a community's need for youth services. "Most communities have a desire for a permanent Boys & Girls Club operation," said Nakada. "Yet without an assurance of sustainability, we weaken our current sites, and quality is compromised. Educating communities as to this growth pattern remains a challenge as most have a desire for stable, ongoing operations, but that is not possible in all instances."

In response, the club's board is taking a deliberate step back to re-examine issues such as growth and quality of service. It also is becoming more introspective with regard to the club's collective ability to answer and carry forward action items of its strategic plan.

Other areas requiring ever-increasing vigilance and responsiveness on the part of nonprofits are board oversight and transparency. "We have recently consolidated our standing committees and re-organized our board structure, which we believe will lead to better opportunities for board participation and involvement," said Tony Krieg, CEO of Hale Makua. One of the organization's new standing committees is focused on board governance, which will help the board to evaluate its ongoing training needs, focus on corporate compliance and identify community volunteer resources to strengthen the board.

The Hawai'i Community Foundation's efforts to strengthen nonprofit operations and their adaptive capacities resulted in the launch two years ago of the PONO (Promoting Outstanding Nonprofit Organizations) Leadership Program. PONO brings together midcareer nonprofit executives, such as Krieg, for a year-long program of collective learning. The program, co-sponsored by the Case Foundation, also emphasizes contextualized learning by requiring participants to design and implement a capacity-building project that focuses on a critical issue or entrepreneurial opportunity facing their organizations.

The impetus for the PONO program was a gained appreciation of the importance of leadership and the ability to lead change as a factor in an organization's capacity to innovate and deliver results.

Although no one can predict what will happen tomorrow, we all rely on the nonprofit sector to be there for our community. The need for the sector to be nimble and vigilant is important so that we are able to respond to whatever may come our way. Establishing partnerships, adjusting services and assessing constituent needs all are strategies that have particular significance today and can carry nonprofits successfully into the future.

For more information on PONO or to apply for the next class, see hawaiicommunity foundation.org. Applications are being accepted until Feb. 28.

Kelvin H. Taketa is president and CEO of the Hawai'i Community Foundation. Reach him at kelvin@hcf-hawaii.org.

Reach Kelvin Taketa at kelvin@hcf-hawaii.org.