Do U.S. Faith-Based Social Service Organizations Resist Collaboration? Examining the Role of Religiosity and Operational Capacity in Interorganizational Partnerships

Bibliographic Data

ID23206289
AuthorsJiawei Sophia Fu (0000-0002-3922-6758, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, USA, corresponding author), Katherine R Cooper (0000-0001-5161-1491, DePaul University, Chicago, IL, USA), Michelle Shumate (0000-0002-4998-0463, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, USA)
Year2021
Volume50
Issue2
Pages241-261
Publication date2021-04-01
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueJournal of Voluntary Action Research (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0094-0607 • E-ISSN: 1552-7395
PublisherSAGE Publications (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1177/0899764020952167
OpenAlexW3081088641
LanguageEN
Citations received8
References cited38

Although nonprofit collaboration is commonplace, recent research suggests that faith-based organizations (FBOs) are less likely to collaborate than other nonprofits. This study builds on prior FBO, collaboration, and nonprofit capacity research to examine the influence of religiosity and operational capacity on FBOs’ within- and cross-sector partnerships. Findings from a survey with 197 FBOs across the United States reveal a complex picture of how religiosity and operational capacity influence FBO collaboration. More specifically, staff religiosity was positively related to cross-sector partnerships. Service religiosity (i.e., religious elements in staff–client interactions) was negatively associated with collaboration with government agencies. Results also indicated that FBOs with higher operational capacity had more partners in the nonprofit, business, and public sectors. These findings suggest that FBOs generally lack the operational capacity for collaboration and that service religiosity creates additional barriers to it. This article concludes with implications for research in FBOs, interorganizational collaboration, and nonprofit capacity.

Business · Faith · Faith-Based Organizations · Government (linguistics) · Nonprofit organization · Nonprofit Sector · Political science · Public relations · Public sector · Religiosity · Service (business) · Service provider · Marketing · Psychology · Religion and Society Interactions · Religion, Society, and Development · Religion, Spirituality, and Psychology · Social Psychology

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