Your "Constant Crisis Mode" Exit Strategy
February 5, 2026
Constant crisis mode.
It’s a term we hear frequently when we speak with foundation and nonprofit leaders.
And it’s been getting significant airtime over the past year-plus as organizations navigate a perfect storm of cuts to the social safety net, sweeping policy changes, legal threats, economic uncertainty, and deep political division.
The world around us is indeed changing quickly — and the challenges facing the social sector are unsettling.
But operating every day in crisis mode is neither good for your health, nor does it help your organization develop and carry out clear strategies for conquering the very real challenges you’re facing.
How do you avoid falling into the constant crisis trap?
It starts by asking these four questions whenever you’re facing an unexpected situation or threat.
Is it a crisis, or a challenge?
We’re often quick to label situations as crises – and sometimes the shoe fits. But before we move into rapid-response mode, it’s helpful to take a clear-headed look at the situation to determine whether it demands an urgent response — or whether it’s simply a short-term or ongoing challenge that requires monitoring.
What actions can you take to prevent a challenge from becoming a crisis?
Once you’ve developed the crisis vs. challenge mindset, you have space to think clearly about how you can find proactive approaches to addressing a challenge. Often, you can address the immediate challenge by acknowledging it in your regular communications — and developing a strategy for addressing questions from individuals. By taking this approach, you can avoid unnecessary knee-jerk responses — and save time.
Who truly cares about the situation?
Not every situation demands a full-throated response to your entire network. Often, those who care most are in your own office or boardroom. In other cases, a situation may be of extreme interest to your donors, but it may not register with other audiences. When you filter the situation through the lens of your audiences, you can help put your potential response into perspective.
Do you have a plan to guide your response?
This question is the easiest one to answer. But it requires preparation. When you have a clear crisis response plan, you have tools for quickly assessing any unexpected situation and a blueprint for responding to it. If you’re facing a potential crisis and you realize you don’t have a clear plan for how to address it, you’re already behind.
By creating a crisis response plan that includes a clear set of guidelines for assessing unexpected situations, identifying the appropriate response, and mapping out your steps for communicating with your affected audiences, you can break the “constant crisis” cycle.
Over time, new challenges become opportunities to tell your story, build stronger ties with your donors and partners, and capture the attention of new allies.
