Human Service Organizations’ Participation in the Paycheck Protection Program: A Cross-Sector Comparison

The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) was passed during the COVID-19 pandemic to assist small and medium-sized organizations. However, only a fraction of eligible nonprofits applied for and received loans. Using a contract failure lens, we posit that nonprofits are more likely to have higher per-employee loan amounts and use funds for payroll than for-profits. Analyzing a sample of 174,496 first-draw loans across human service sub-fields, results suggest differences by size, particularly among single-employee organizations, and by nonprofit and for-profit recipients. Single-employee organizations represent nearly half of HSO recipients, suggesting an unintended consequence of prioritizing short processing times over more scrutiny. During times of crisis, policy makers should consider oversight along with speed during policy implementation to discourage and detect self-motivated behavior.Organizations who successfully used adaptive tactics during the crisis included large organizations with more than 200 paid staff and nonprofit ownership structure.Managers of large nonprofit organizations in competitive subfields demonstrated resilience to competition and commercialization pressures by focusing on employee retention. During times of crisis, policy makers should consider oversight along with speed during policy implementation to discourage and detect self-motivated behavior. Organizations who successfully used adaptive tactics during the crisis included large organizations with more than 200 paid staff and nonprofit ownership structure. Managers of large nonprofit organizations in competitive subfields demonstrated resilience to competition and commercialization pressures by focusing on employee retention.

薪资保护计划（Paycheck Protection Program, PPP）是新冠疫情期间出台的政策，旨在帮扶中小型组织。然而，仅有少量符合资质的非营利组织申请并获得了该计划下的贷款。本研究基于契约失败视角提出假设：相较于营利性组织，非营利组织更有可能获得更高的人均贷款额度，且更倾向于将贷款资金用于员工薪资发放。本研究对人类服务细分领域内的174496笔首笔贷款样本进行分析后发现，贷款情况会因组织规模（尤其是单人雇员组织）以及受助方是否为非营利/营利性组织而存在差异。单人雇员组织占人类服务组织（Human Service Organizations, HSO）受助方的近半数，这反映出政策制定者优先追求审批速度而非强化审核所带来的意外后果。在危机时期，政策制定者在政策执行过程中，应兼顾审核监管与实施速度，以遏制并侦测自利行为。危机中成功运用适应性策略的组织，包括拥有200名以上全职雇员的大型组织以及采用非营利所有制结构的组织。处于竞争性细分领域的大型非营利组织管理者，通过聚焦员工留存，展现出了应对竞争与商业化压力的韧性。在危机时期，政策制定者在政策执行过程中，应兼顾审核监管与实施速度，以遏制并侦测自利行为。危机中成功运用适应性策略的组织，包括拥有200名以上全职雇员的大型组织以及采用非营利所有制结构的组织。处于竞争性细分领域的大型非营利组织管理者，通过聚焦员工留存，展现出了应对竞争与商业化压力的韧性。