Mergers
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When should charities merge? Is merging always a sign of failure? What are the advantages of merging? What are the risks?
The unprecedented challenges from coronavirus will have thrown these questions to the front of many people’s minds. We don’t think merging is anything to be scared of. The important thing is that they should be the result of strategic thinking, and not a damage limitation exercise.
Different charity merger models offer a range of options. And with the right strategy and approach, you can boost your scale and performance, achieving significant social impact.
We’ve been researching how mergers could help charities achieve their mission. If you’re considering a merge as part of your strategy, our consultants can help you ask the right questions to decide whether merging is the right approach and how it should be handled.
Featured resources on charity mergers
Resources
Let’s talk mission and merger
This research has found that mergers can be a powerful tool achieving more for causes. It sets out the different models of merger available, dispelling the myth that mergers are always takeovers and makes clear recommendations to charities, funders and regulators to enable more mergers to happen.
Blog
There’s more than one way to merge a charity: Part 1
Charity mergers are a divisive topic—viewed by some as a silver bullet, others as taboo. But both camps often overlook the myriad of reasons mergers can happen, and the form such consolidation takes.
Blog
There’s more than one way to merge a charity: Part 2
We need to improve the health of our conversations about mergers. Here Oliver Carrington talks through the different types of mergers that can help a charity at various stages of its development, giving real-world examples along the way.
Latest updates
Blog
Can mergers help us rebuild from Covid-19?
Despite the benefits associated with pooling your resources and collaborating on charitable services, we have not seen a significant increase in charity mergers this year. Here's how properly resourced mergers can help us rebuild from Covid-19.
Blog
Should charities collaborate or merge to maximise their potential?
At last month’s NPC ignites conference, a panel of experts from charities and funders discussed whether working together meant formal and informal collaboration or if mergers were the best way to maximise resources for causes.
Blog
Let’s have more collaboration and less merger
Ahead of his appearance at NPC Ignites, Duncan Shrubsole, Director of Policy Communications and Research at Lloyds Bank Foundation argues that talk of mergers in the social sector is detracting from the value of collaboration.
