Strategic Resource Allocation and Organizational Performance of Health Based Non-Governmental Organizations in Kenya

This study examined the impact of resource allocation on the organizational performance of humanitarian health non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Kenya. the research investigates how strategic allocation of labor, financial, infrastructural, and technological resources influence organizational performance (measured by effectiveness, operational efficiency, and stakeholder satisfaction). The study was grounded in the Resource-Based View, Resource Dependence Theory, Contingency Theory, and Diffusion of Innovation Theory. The study adopted a cross-sectional research design. Data was collected by use of a questionnaire administered to 351 health-based NGOs in Kenya. The study achieved a 97.44% response rate. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were carried out. Results revealed significant positive relationships between resource allocation and organizational performance. Financial resource allocation exerted the strongest influence explaining approximately one third variance in organizational performance variance, highlighting its critical role in organizational performance. Labor, technological as well as infrastructural resources allocation had a positive significant influence on organizational performance of health-based NGOs in Kenya. The study concludes that optimizing resource allocation strategies particularly diversifying funding, aligning infrastructure with operational needs, and investing in staff training and technology can significantly enhance NGO performance. Practical recommendations include adopting participatory budgeting, leveraging shared infrastructure models, and advocating for longer donor funding cycles. The findings contribute to theoretical discourse by validating the applicability of resource management frameworks in Kenya’s NGO sector, while offering actionable insights for policymakers and practitioners to address systemic challenges in resource-constrained humanitarian settings. This research bridges critical gaps in understanding how multidimensional resource dynamics shape organizational outcomes in sub-Saharan Africa’s health sector.