Turbulent Times and Considering Merger or Acquisition
Kris Kewitsch | Executive Director, Charities Review Council | November 2025
Strong leaders will make a practice of examining if their organization’s mission is needed in their communities. Oftentimes the answer is an easy and resonant “yes.” However, in what are increasingly turbulent and unpredictable times in our sector and beyond, this question might begin to yield different answers. Nonprofits should navigate these conversations with community vitality, nonprofit transparency, and strong leadership in mind.
If you start to feel like the answer to the question “does our mission work for our community?” is wavering, it’s important to explore options from a position of strength with a compelling argument for an alternative to how you currently operate. Every nonprofit begins as an answer to a need. Sometimes that need remains steadfast and funded. Other times, the need shifts, and the nonprofit’s mission can shift, too. But there are times when the mission doesn’t fit the need.
Moving forward from a position of strength might look like considering a merger or acquisition. It’s not always an easy thing for a dedicated leader to acknowledge, but it can be a way to maintain and sustain your organization’s operations within the realm of a larger, steadier, or similar organization that is better equipped to meet the community in the current moment.
