Va. Survey Sheds Light on Nonprofit Mergers and Collaborations - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly

Va. Survey Sheds Light on Nonprofit Mergers and Collaborations - NPQ - Nonprofit Quarterly: A recent study by the Fairfield County Community Foundation in Virginia focuses on collaboration and mergers among local nonprofits. The survey drew a 30 percent response rate, and of the 104 Fairfield County nonprofits surveyed, eight percent have merged and 21 percent have considered a merger. Those organizations that merged reported that the primary benefit was not cost savings, but higher quality and quantity of services available to the community. Those who have considered a merger but did not complete one stated that the primary reasons included cultural differences, personnel considerations, and the questionable financial return on investment. The results of this study are consistent with David La Piana’s argument that mergers don’t always lead to better financial returns.