5 Indicators that an ending could be on the cards
Things to look out for ahead of an organisational ending
We keep hearing about the messy, confusing and tormenting part of an organisation’s journey towards an ending: the part before taking the decision to end or close something. It’s the part of the journey you hear little about and will be so contextual for each person and organisation deciding, or not, as for some the decision to close is taken out of their hands.
So we’re been wondering what might some of the indicators be that signal an ending being imminent, or for when the option of an organisational ending could and should be put on the table?
Through conversations we’ve had with people over the last few months and signs we’re seeing in civil society, we’ve identified 5 things that might be indicators of endings being on the cards. There are many more, but treat these as a starting point and let us know what additions you think could be added to this list
1. Finding and keeping committed people
It could be that you’ve had repeated failures of recruitment, or that previously committed staff have left/are leaving? This is part of the natural cycle of staff change and turnover is healthy- but could it be a signal that the time has come?
Covid-19 has meant more and more people are questioning what they want to do, where they want to be and how they use their time. People have badged this year as “The great resignation”, with “41% of global workers were considering quitting or changing professions”. There are many reasons for this, with people choosing to relocate, move away from certain roles due to risk of public facing work or the long hours such as care work and the lorry drivers, or from evaluating priorities and making lifestyle changes prompted by coronavirus. As a consequence of many people are starting to make different choices about their lives and work, this will inevitably impact civil society
2. Times of significant change
You can’t move in civil society at the moment for talk of people starting or in the midst of strategy processes right now. The significant moments can be the end of a strategy cycle or the start of a new strategy review, a new Chair of a board, significant staffing changes or shifting of office and location. These are things that impact the culture, the leadership and everyday feeling of a nonprofit — both in a positive and negative way.
These moments can often be opportunities to deeply consider the nature and purpose of an organisation and the impact it’s having and could have. Having new people come in and offer a different perspective on the work. Asking the question — ‘How will we know when our work is done?’ — is a powerful one and can open up different avenues of conversation and potential. Asking this regularly can support a healthy and motivated culture too even if an ending isn’t the answer right now.
3. Engagement shifts
This might be because there are fewer donations coming in or people not attending events. It could be staff not engaging in conversations or claiming ownership in the same way or no longer identifying as the group or organisation. Any of these things can mean the tone of conversations has changed — people start questioning and challenging why something exists and asking big questions about what could be. It’s important not to avoid these signals but to be curious and open to the wisdom, insight and different perspective this brings.
4. More time fundraising than doing the work
Do you find yourself spending a huge amount of time and energy seeking funds rather than spending funds and doing the work? Does the spend on fundraising or seeking donations outweigh the amount of actual funds raised? Since the start of the Covid pandemic, nonprofits have experienced a substantial growth in demand for their support. At the same time, they have suffered a reduction in income, across many funding sources. And 81% have reported the need to seek alternate funding sources as a result of covid.
Yes the grant making system needs to change, but could it be a sign of the proposition not being what is needed now, or that there are other ways to achieve the desired change and impact you’re seeking?
5. Disrupted sleep
Nine in 10 charity workers have felt stress, overwhelm or burnout over the past year, survey shows. There can be lots of reasons for middle of the night woes. But if you or any of your team find themselves lying awake at 3am worrying about how to keep the organisation afloat or where it goes next it’s likely to be a strong signal that there is a need to seek a healthy balance and this pattern might not be desirable or sustainable in the long term. Without paying attention to this it can risk burnout and negatively impacting wellbeing and impending the collective potential of the organisation.
Those who have closed organisations talk of the relief on making the decision and the energy it releases for them personally and the wider purpose of the work.
No doubt there are other indicators too, so we’re interested in what you would add or what indicators you have witnessed are a precursor to ending or a way of spotting an anticipated closure or merger?
Stewarding Loss is all about the power of tending to better endings. We believe that endings are a natural part of the cycles of change and we are focused on practically supporting nonprofits to consider ‘loss’ as readily as ‘growth’ as part of the everyday cycle of organisational life. This is why we created the Care-Full Closures Fund: to support organisations who are considering a closure or merger to do so with support, funding, design and care. If anything in this article has made you think that your organisation could be anticipating a closure or merger, we’d love to support you. Find out more here.
