Nonprofit Organizational Sensemaking in the Trafficking Field: Nonprofit Managers’ Understanding of Service Systems for Survivors

Description: Nonprofits serving trafficking survivors operate in volatile environments shaped by shifting policies, cultural narratives, and conflicting stakeholder views. These uncertainties influence how providers interpret their mission, collaborate, and define client deservingness. Using a sensemaking lens and interviews with 29 anti-trafficking workers, this project examined how providers navigate ambiguity across three areas: external relationships, organizational service philosophy, and resisting “iconic victim” discourse. Findings highlight sensemaking’s role in adapting to uncertainty and shaping organizational identity and partnerships.

 

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