There are times in a nonprofit's life cycle that the board just has to say "stop!" Drivers toward this decision may include no more customers; no more money; competitors; and, well, the list can go on. The following story describes a Portland, Oregon group that is just calling it quits, and, according to the board chair, because the group's business model is no longer viable. Congratulations to the board for taking a look and accepting the realities of its world.
Here's the story.
Portland Arts Business Nonprofit To Close By End Of Summer
by April Baer OPB | June 11, 2015 4:45 p.m. | Portland
A Portland-based nonprofit group, Business for Culture and the Arts, has announced it will end operations this summer.
The group, funded by donations from the corporate community, organizes business volunteers and trains business professionals to serve on nonprofit boards.
“The membership model is one that still works,” said Parker Lee, the organization’s board chair, “but some of our analysis found we were speeding 40 to 50 percent of the organization’s energy just trying to maintain that business model. It’s just not sustainable.”
Lee said businesses have changed in the 30 years BCA has been around. The group is trying to find other organizations that might take the reins of events like its executive trainings and annual “Breakfast of Champions” corporate event.