Date of Conferral

7-15-2025

Degree

Doctor of Business Administration (D.B.A.)

School

Management

Advisor

Meridith Wentz

Abstract

Leaders in nonprofit adult education frequently struggle with maintaining financial sustainability, a challenge that can compromise their operations and the positive influence they have on their communities. This issue is critical for education leaders and policymakers who rely on these institutions to support workforce development and foster economic growth. Grounded in the Baldrige framework, the purpose of this qualitative single-case study was to identify and explore the strategies employed by leaders of a Caribbean nonprofit adult education organization to enhance their organization’s sustainability. The participants were four leaders from an adult education facility in St. Lucia, the Caribbean. Data sources consisted of semistructured interviews, internal organizational documents, and professional and academic literature. Through thematic analysis, four themes were identified: (a) strategies for workforce capacity, (b) processes used to decide what products and/or services to offer during a given period, (c) lack of strategies for strategic planning, and (d) lack of strategies for workforce capabilities. A key recommendation for organization leaders is to focus on the vital role that strategic planning and its timely maintenance play in the sustainability of the organization. The implications for positive social change include the potential for nonprofit leaders to enhance organizational sustainability, enabling community members to access education and income opportunities, thereby fostering local economic growth.

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