Incorporating Activities/Services in an Organization with a Similar Mission

What does it mean to incorporate your operations into another organization? Another organization absorbs yours as a subsidiary. Your organization ceases to exist at all, and its services and activities -- or only some of them -- are taken over by the new organization as part of what it does.

How to decide when it's time to incorporate into another entity An internal discussion, involving some combination of Board members, staff, participants, and volunteers, says it's time to make the shift. When you knew from the beginning that you would incorporate into another organization, and the agreed-upon time has come. When another organization with great resources makes an offer to absorb your services and activities and staff. When another organization can offer better services to the target population. When you've hit the wall on resources.

How to choose the right organization Look for an organization with a mission, philosophy, and values similar to yours. Look for an organization you know and trust. Look for an organization that's competent. Look for an organization with the resources to sustain your work. Look for an organization that will benefit from taking on your operation. Look for an organization that actively wants to do the work you've been doing, and is committed to maintaining and improving it.

How to negotiate rolling your operations into another organization or initiative Decide on negotiating points. Once you've developed a list of negotiating points, decide which of them are absolutely necessary, and which you're willing to give up or compromise on. Decide what you can offer. Negotiate. Once the negotiations are completed, GET IT IN WRITING. Once a draft agreement has been prepared, you need to get it approved by all concerned in both organizations.

How to manage the transition to another organization As soon as you have a formal agreement, inform individuals and groups who should know before they read it in the paper. If you're transferring the whole operation, staff and all, you need to work with the staffs of both organizations to develop new policies and procedures, and generally make it possible for the staff of your organization to become integrated into that of the other. If you're transferring only some or all of the services or activities of your organization, but not the staff , the emphasis in transition should be on participants and the target population.

How to let go Use the signing of the agreement as both a public relations opportunity and a marker in the life of your organization . Throw a big party to which you invite anyone who's been involved with the organization from the beginning - - current and former staff, Board, volunteers, participants, colleagues, community supporters, members, etc. Directly or soon after the party, hold a gathering of the core members of the organization, those few to whom it really mattered, to grieve its passing. Finally, walk away and don't look back.