Organizational Resilience for Grants & Operations Teams (PEAK Northeast)

If You Were Out Tomorrow: What Would Break? In many grantmaking organizations, the people who keep systems running are not the most visible, but they are essential. This interactive session invites grants and operations professionals to examine how work, knowledge, and responsibility are distributed within their organizations, and what risks emerge when too much depends on too few people. Using real-world examples from philanthropy, participants will explore how over-centralization, informal knowledge, and "helpful bottlenecks" can quietly undermine organizational resilience. The session centers on a simple but revealing question: If you were suddenly absent, what would stop functioning? It is a practical reflection on organizational design and sustainability, especially relevant for lean teams navigating transition, turnover, and growth with a goal of making our organizations more resilient.

Speaker

Dr. Abigail Osei, Ph.D.

PEAK Northeast Chapter Cochair

Mary Kadzielski

PEAK Northeast Program Committee Member

Date and Time

September 30, 2026

1:00 pm – 2:00 pm EDT