Nonprofits in Post-Recession Times: Rebuilding; Merging; Thriving

Reposted from The Executive Summary, Paul Mattessich, executive director, Wilder Research

Hull House in Chicago, the iconic model of a nonprofit multi-service agency, the original “settlement house” founded by the Nobel-prize-winning social worker, Jane Addams, closed its doors abruptly in 2012 – succumbing to the formidable social and economic challenges faced by contemporary nonprofit organizations.

Times are tough. We know that. Those of us who manage organizations serving the community and who have worked through demanding times before also recognize that, with creativity and hard work, we can persevere; we can succeed in continuing to meet the needs of the community. 
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Two Themes Part One

Reposted from The Good Counsel – A Service of Toscano Advisors LLC

James V. Toscano

Recently, Greater Twin Cities United Way, with MAP for Nonprofits and Wilder Foundation, sponsored a “New Structures for New Times” conference. Over 500 nonprofit and foundation representatives attended, hearing that our nonprofit sector needs to strengthen through collaborations, mergers, acquisitions, dissolutions, and “similar proactive steps.”

The familiar litany of reasons for these actions were all mentioned: government cuts, “new normal,” need for more businesslike management, increasing societal need. The overall theme in this work is that we are faced with a dilemma, given the number of nonprofits and the shrinking resources available to them. The keynoter, Paul Grogan, president of the Boston Foundation, described aggressive leadership and funding to achieve successful mergers and collaborations in very persuasive language. Judy Alnes, CEO of MAP for Nonprofits, then introduced a research study called Success Factors in Nonprofit Mergers done by MAP and the Wilder Foundation. Read the rest of this entry →

Making Sense of Mergers

Judy Alnes, Contributor, executive director, MAP for Nonprofits
We’re done with the last minute scurrying to finish the nonprofit merger research which was unveiled yesterday July 31st. The research team has held its final meeting, designs have been poured over, fonts selected, paper purchased, edits made, and press checks completed. Now all that’s left to do is turn our attention back to the future. And what a huge future it is as nonprofit leaders explore strategies to keep their organizations successful.

When MAP and Wilder Research embarked on this research journey two years ago, we aimed to learn more about nonprofit mergers. Do they create more vital organizations? Can a merged nonprofit be more effective in securing resources? Can it stave off the pain of reductions in funding? Can it create a more revved up financial engine for preserving the services that we most need in our communities? Do nonprofit mergers hold any promise as a response to the tight economic times in which nonprofits find themselves? Read the rest of this entry →

DATE: Tuesday, July 31
TIME: 8 a.m. – 12 noon
LOCATION: Hilton Minneapolis
A conference on collaborative strategies to maintain our strong nonprofit sector in the challenging decade ahead, in view of declining government funds and increasing need. MORE INFORMATION