What A Nonprofit Bankruptcy Taught Me About Mission Resilience

BusinessWhat A Nonprofit Bankruptcy Taught Me About Mission ResilienceByRyan Dewey Smith,Forbes Books Author.for Forbes BooksAUTHOR POSTExpertise and opinions of authors published by ForbesBooks. Imprint operated under license. | Paid ProgramJun 16, 2026, 10:20am EDTNonprofits sometimes need a new, robust strategy and organizational rethink to sustain mission continuity.gettyIn 2021, the State of Delaware approached Inperium and requested that we acquire Connections Community Support Programs (CCSP). CCSP, one of the largest nonprofits in Delaware, was a provider of residential, vocational, and supportive employment services for individuals with disabilities, treatment for substance use and mental health disorders, and consultative nursing services. Like other nonprofits in these spaces, maintaining CCSP’s mission meant collaborating with government, community, corporate, and philanthropic stakeholders. The state had contacted Inperium because CCSP had entered bankruptcy proceedings (despite generating $150 million in annual revenue).Prior to declaring bankruptcy, CCSP had explored acquisition options, but they only encountered buyers interested in dismantling the organization and restricting continuation of services to a few select programs. Delaware approached Inperium because the state wanted to maintain the full breadth of CCSP’s programs and ensure continued access to care at all CCSP existing locations. Officials in Delaware knew Inperium had been approached by other states under similar circumstances, worked well with government regulators, and produced great outcomes. We had seen firsthand how disruptive a loss of services could be to communities when states didn’t intervene or when other entities pursued acquisitions that weren’t focused on business continuity. Our past affiliations had proven that a properly managed transaction could produce a financial turnaround, rejuvenate organizational energy, and expand services. Most importantly, in the case of CCSP...