INSIGHTS
Northern Virginia Affordable Housing Alliance and Alliance for Housing Solutions Merge
Curtis Strategy is pleased to announce the successful merger of the Northern Virginia Affordable Housing Alliance (NVAHA) and the Alliance for Housing Solutions (AHS) effective January 1, 2024. This transaction will create a unified voice for affordable housing advocacy in Northern Virginia.
The merger will bring together the strengths of both organizations, and create a regionally united and locally responsive impact strategy in solving the affordable housing crisis.
Merger Messaging: A Strategic Approach to Communications Planning for Nonprofit Mergers
Nonprofit mergers in health and human services, associations, credit unions, and many other sectors can be complex and challenging, but they can also present significant opportunities for organizations to amplify their impact, enhance their efficiency, and serve their communities more effectively. However, for a merger to be successful, it is essential to have a strong communications plan in place. We have the steps you need to develop and implement a strong communications plan, to ensure that all stakeholders are informed about the merger, that any concerns are addressed, and that excitement and momentum are built for the new organization.
The Secret to a Successful Nonprofit Merger
In recent years there has been a massive upswing in the number of nonprofit mergers and affiliations throughout the country. As a nonprofit consulting firm that has facilitated a number of merger transactions for our clients, we have seen firsthand the factors that contribute to deal success. A nonprofit merger or affiliation (M&A) is weighted heavily on the relationships that exist between two organizations. Meaning, the currency of a nonprofit deal is the relationship that exists between the two organizations, which means the progress of the deal will move at the speed of trust.
Understanding the Benefits and Potential Drawbacks of Mergers
Nonprofit mergers can provide organizations with the opportunity to achieve economies of scale, increase market share, and diversify their program or service offerings. However, there are also potential drawbacks such as cultural conflicts, financial risks, and regulatory hurdles that organizations need to consider as part of the merger process.
3 Themes Taking Us Into 2023
2022 continued to be a year of rapid change for our mission driven clients and for the health and human services, association, credit union, and higher education sectors they operate in.
As the major shifts in the landscape show no signs of slowing, our nonprofit consultants have identified three themes that have been the focus of 2022 that will carry over into 2023: nonprofit consolidation, succession planning, and enhancing board governance.
Making Mergers & Affiliations Part of Your Strategic Plan
The most challenging part of implementing nonprofit M&A as a strategic solution is that the relationship building process between organizations can often take time and success is not guaranteed. However, mergers and affiliations can be used to reach a level of scale that can’t be achieved organically, which may be a necessity to remain competitive, sustain payroll, address succession, or to improve an organization’s ability to meet the demands of those being served. Mergers are a vehicle that will allow leaders to fulfill their strategic needs at scale.
New Nonprofit Partnership Opportunity! Blue Skies Ahead?
Effective partnerships have always been critical to accelerating impact. On the other side, poor partnerships have drained significant resources, energy, and good will.
While many organizations focus on the legal aspects of forming partnerships, it is also critical to consider some of the softer issues necessary to identifying and developing effective relationships. Here are some of the issues and questions that you and your team should discuss before signing on the dotted line.
Ten Steps to Reinvigorating a Partnership Gone Bad
Nonprofit partnerships are wonderful when they work as intended. Great partnerships can help amplify your story, augment your capacity, accelerate impact, and much more.
But what about when they do not go as planned? Even when both parties have done their due diligence before signing on the dotted line, there are times that partnerships require renegotiating or unplanned, early closure.
While it may feel easier to let a not-so-great partnership to slowly fade, it's actually better in the long run to lead with a professional, proactive approach to addressing issues in a constructive way.
Follow our ten steps for reinvigorating a nonprofit partnership and get back on track today!
The Driving Forces Behind Nonprofit Mergers & Affiliations and Why Leaders Should Address Them
As organizations navigate the external forces and internal disruptors that are impacting and shaping each sector, we are seeing the pace of mergers and affiliations (M&A) accelerating with no signs of slowing.
While some organizations are being forced to consider M&A as a strategy for survival, others are embracing it as an opportunity to better serve their clients, build upon the beneficial work they are already doing, expand their reach geographically, and offer more to their employees.
Most nonprofit leaders today are aware of the forces driving mergers and affiliations, but any decision on what force or forces to address can’t be made without understanding how the organization(s) may benefit.
Realign or Redesign: The Nonprofit Response to Disruptors
In order to remain relevant in the rapidly changing environment, nonprofits must face the current disruption, reassess their strategy, and decide on a path forward. Some disruptors may require just a heightened awareness while others may require a pivot in strategy.