Considering Mergers: Strategies for a Successful Integration
Connect. Reflect. Reimagine.
Across the social sector, organizations are increasingly exploring mergers and acquisitions as a pathway to greater impact, sustainability, and equity. Yet the journey can feel complex, high-stakes, and deeply personal. This session brings clarity, transparency, and practical insight to a process that often happens behind closed doors.
In this panel conversation you'll hear directly from leaders who have lived through mergers, perspectives from operations, program teams, board leadership, legal experts and consultants.
They’ll offer candid reflections on what they learned, what they wish they had known, and how their teams stayed grounded in mission through moments of uncertainty and change.
Participants will also gain access to a readiness checklist designed to help organizations explore whether they are truly ready for an M&A journey. Rooted in ResultsLab's ACT Model and impact-driven approach, this framework supports teams in making thoughtful, data-informed decisions aligned with their vision, culture, and community needs.
✨ Allison Fries – CEO, ResultsLab
Allison will share strategic guidance on planning, launching, and executing successful mergers, including navigating leadership alignment, structuring integration, and maintaining focus on mission and sustainability.
✨ Susan Duncombe, MSW, LCSW – Founder & Principal Consultant, Wholehearted Consulting, LLC
Susan brings firsthand nonprofit merger experience, offering insights into how teams sustain culture, maintain community trust, and steer complex transitions while keeping clients and stakeholders centered.
✨ Jen Thompson – CEO, ALKMY Advisors and President and Owner of Women of M&A Network (Alkmy Advisors)
Jen will contribute expertise on post-merger integration and the human side of structural transitions, with a focus on leadership, culture, and operational alignment.
✨ Michael King – Pro Bono Legal Services, Brownstein
Mike founded the Pro Bono Clinic at Brownstein, and is very active providing pro bono legal in the social sector – including mergers between nonprofits or philanthropic organizations. Mike guides clients through their organization’s most pivotal moments. While he works across industries, he brings significant experience in the health care arena ensuring his clients achieve their business goals.
DURING THIS SESSION, PARTICIPANTS WILL:
Hear real stories from the field—including successes, challenges, and unexpected insights from organizations that have completed mergers.
Explore a practical framework to assess if pursuing a merger or acquisition is the right next step.
Understand key considerations for readiness, such as organizational culture, data maturity, operational alignment, and board governance.
Learn how to use data and voice to navigate the M&A process while staying mission-centered and equity-focused.
WHO SHOULD ATTEND
Nonprofit executives, board members, operations leaders, funders, and anyone curious about how organizational consolidation can strengthen impact.
Who Should Attend:
✔ Nonprofit executives and senior leaders
✔ Board members and governance advisors
✔ Philanthropic partners and funders
EXPERIENCE
This session is designed to be approachable, uplifting, and grounded in real-world experience—creating a space where leaders can learn from one another, challenge assumptions, and leave feeling more confident navigating change.
Accelerate Impact
At ResultsLab, we partner with mission-driven organizations to determine which data is most meaningful, determine how it is collected, understood, and applied—to fuel more effective and efficient programs and deeper community impact. By capturing, understanding, and utilizing data, nonprofits turn insight into action.