At the Murdock Trust, we often discuss the “Life Cycle of the Nonprofit” emphasizing a strong foundation and growing thoughtfully over time. However, over years, decades or even centuries, many nonprofits will reach a conclusion to their journey. Closing an organization with grace is a critical element of the nonprofit life cycle in order to show dignity and respect to the community you serve, as well as to honor the contributions of those who currently serve the organization and those who have helped shepherd its mission over the years.
Melody Rose, Ph.D. (President) and Chip Terhune (Board Chair) served as leaders of Marylhurst University through the school’s closure in 2018. In this video series, Melody and Chip discuss the external factors that contributed to Marylhurst’s closure and provide an overview of the key strategies and best practices that nonprofit leaders should consider now to prepare their organization for a potential closure. You can also read more about their experience here.
Our sincere thanks and gratitude to both Melody and Chip for taking the time to share their thoughtful insights and experiences walking through this process with the broader nonprofit community.
