Last week I posted a piece on mergers for community based organizations. Priscilla Hung, Executive Director of the Grassroots Institute for Fundraising Training (GIFT), replied with a wonderful resource she wrote after GIFT went through their own merger. The article talks about the costs, difficult to measure staff hours, and impact to finances and fundraising.

Priscilla dives into seven lessons learned through their experience and of two other organizations they interviewed:

1. It’s your work that’s important, not the organization

2. Be honest and up front about your reasons for merging

3. Merging won’t make a financially unstable organization more stable

4. Fundraising culture matters just as much as fundraising practice

5. Notify donors and funders in a timely way

6. Fundraise for your merger

7. The merger will take longer than you think