Prior to passage of AREA, an entity seeking to change its structure likely had to undergo a multi-step transaction to accomplish its goal. AREA permits direct conversions and makes clear that it applies to all entity types (corporations, nonprofits, benefit corporations, LLCs, partnerships, etc.).
I am fortunate to represent a number of established and growing nonprofits, some of which are expanding into new geographic areas and new markets or scaling up their existing operations to meet demand. I am often asked to advise them on how best to structure their organizations to accommodate growth. Invariably, my answer is the classic lawyer answer – it depends.
Nonprofit corporations are often faced with tough decisions about their future. For a variety of reasons, a nonprofit’s board may determine that dissolution is the best answer. Causes range from dwindling resources to a reduction in the need for the nonprofit’s services. Should the Board determine that dissolution is the best option for a nonprofit, there are business and legal steps that must be taken to properly wind down and dissolve the nonprofit.
Merger proposals are being prompted by reduction of funding sources, the tight economy, the need for succession planning and a desire to consolidate expenses and increase capacity. Also, many funders prefer to deal with fewer providers of the same programs or services and encourage mergers and other forms of collaboration to reduce overhead and increase capacity. There are special challenges for nonprofits considering a merger. Factors, such as increased capacity and cost savings, drive the deal. Because these benefits can be more difficult to quantify, a proposed merger can feel threatening to a nonprofit board who feels they may lose power and influence.
Successful nonprofits often look to grow by creating nonprofit chapters and affiliates in other geographic areas, including other countries. Nonprofit organizations organized geographically into chapters
Dissolution is something no nonprofit board member or CEO wants to face, however, it does not have to mean failure of the nonprofit’s mission. With the right strategic partner and a will to collaborate, there is nearly always a way to save the programs that provide the greatest benefit to the community.
Sometimes no good deed goes unpunished. In this case, the board and staff of both nonprofits did a great job of putting their mission and beneficiaries first, only to be ambushed by their lack of stakeholder communication and buy-in.
Often, in an effort to save money, clients come to their attorneys with a plan and simply ask them to “draft X.” Frequently, X isn’t the most appropriate solution. This case was one of those. The deal started out as an acquisition with the lawyer (me!) being kept at arm’s length when in fact more involvment early on would have quickly identified that this program was not a candidate for an acquisition, but rather a simple management arrangement.
Sometimes collaborations do not go smoothly. This post summarizes some of the pitfalls and lessons learned when a nonprofit tried to acquire a struggling nonprofit for all the right reasons, but the effort ended up being more trouble than it was worth.
Case study of successes, disappointments and lessons learned from a successful merger of two human service organizations.
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