Surviving a Merger
Most nonprofit leaders don’t wake up one morning thinking:
“You know what sounds fun? A merger.”
Because mergers are messy.
They bring uncertainty, emotion, fear, identity shifts, operational changes, and a whole lot of difficult conversations. And honestly? Most people would rather avoid all of it entirely.
But sometimes, the right merger can unlock something extraordinary.
In a recent episode of The Influential Nonprofit, I sat down with Dave Leven, President and CEO of Water For Good, to talk about leading the merger between Water For Good and Lifewater International.
And what struck me most about this conversation wasn’t just the operational side of merging two organizations.
It was the humanity behind it.
Because successful nonprofit mergers are not really about systems, branding, or org charts.
They’re about people.
Why Nonprofit Mergers Feel So Emotional
When organizations merge, people immediately start asking themselves difficult questions:
Will I still belong here?
Will this organization still reflect the values I loved?
Will my role change?
Are we losing our identity?
Is this really a merger… or a takeover?
Those fears are real.
And according to Dave Leven, the first step in leading organizational change well is acknowledging that everyone is giving something up.
As Dave explained:
“Everybody’s going to have to give some stuff up in this merger.”
That honesty matters.
Because too many organizations try to skip over the emotional side of change and rush straight into logistics. But people cannot move forward until they feel seen, heard, and included in the process.
And honestly, this applies to far more than mergers.
I’ve seen the same emotional response during rebrands, office moves, leadership transitions, and organizational restructuring. People become attached to names, systems, traditions, colors, roles, and routines because those things represent stability and identity.
When those things change, people naturally feel unsettled.
That’s not resistance.
That’s being human.
How Water For Good and Lifewater International Approached Their Merger
One of the things I appreciated most about this conversation is that the merger did not begin with the intention to merge.
The organizations spent years building trust first.
Water For Good and Lifewater International had known each other for decades. Over time, they realized each organization had strengths the other one needed.
One organization had built strong systems, infrastructure, and digital transformation processes. The other had greater brand reach, visibility, and influence within the global water sector.
The conversations started with collaboration—not consolidation.
And that distinction matters.
Because healthy nonprofit mergers are rarely about survival alone. The strongest mergers happen when organizations recognize they can accelerate their mission together.
That’s exactly what happened here.
Today, the merged organization is tracking millions in annual cost savings while shifting more leadership and resources closer to the communities they serve.
More importantly, they are increasing impact dramatically.
The Biggest Mistake Organizations Make During Change
One of the most important lessons from this conversation was the danger of rushing people through change too quickly.
Organizations often want everyone to immediately “get on board.”
But change does not work that way.
As nonprofit leaders, we forget that people process change differently. Some people adapt quickly. Others need time, conversation, and reassurance before they feel emotionally safe moving forward.
Dave shared advice from a mentor that I absolutely loved:
“Communicate and communicate and communicate. About the time you’re tired of saying it, that’s probably when the last person on your team is starting to internalize it.”
That is so true.
Whether you are navigating a merger, rebrand, strategic shift, or leadership transition, you cannot overcommunicate.
People need repetition.
They need context.
They need space to process.
And most importantly, they need to understand the vision behind the change.
Why Vision Is Critical During a Nonprofit Merger
One of the smartest things Water For Good did during this merger was continually reconnect people to the mission.
Every difficult conversation came back to one core question:
Why are we doing this?
The answer was simple:
To serve more people more effectively.
And that vision helped anchor people during uncertainty.
Today, Water For Good serves communities across Ethiopia, Tanzania, Uganda, Cambodia, and the Central African Republic by providing safe water, sanitation, and hygiene systems that create long-term transformation.
Their work goes far beyond simply drilling wells.
Their teams walk alongside communities for years, helping families improve sanitation, hygiene, health, and sustainability while building local leadership systems that keep water infrastructure functioning long after installation.
The results are extraordinary.
The organization has achieved:
a 90% reduction in childhood diarrhea in program areas,
92% water point functionality rates,
and plans to double the number of people served over the next three years.
That kind of growth became possible because the merger increased efficiency, alignment, and collaboration.
How to Lead Organizational Change Without Losing People
One of the most powerful parts of this conversation was the reminder that leadership during change is not about forcing agreement.
It’s about creating clarity.
People may not always love every decision.
But when they understand the purpose behind the decision—and feel included in the conversation—they are far more likely to buy into the future vision.
Here are five important leadership lessons nonprofit leaders can take from this merger experience:
Acknowledge the emotional side of change
People need permission to process uncertainty, grief, and fear.Overcommunicate the vision
Repeat the “why” constantly and consistently.Include people in the process
Listening creates trust and reduces resistance.Honor the organization’s history
Change should build on the past, not erase it.Stay focused on mission impact
The purpose of change is not efficiency alone—it is greater transformation.
Why Collaboration Is the Future of the Nonprofit Sector
One of the things Dave said that really stayed with me is that nonprofit strategy should focus less on revenue and more on impact.
That shift changes everything.
Too often, nonprofit organizations operate in silos, competing for funding, attention, and ownership instead of collaborating around outcomes.
But the future of the nonprofit sector will require more partnership, shared resources, and mission alignment.
And honestly, I think donors increasingly want to see that too.
They want to know organizations are stewarding resources wisely, working together effectively, and maximizing impact.
That doesn’t mean organizations lose their uniqueness.
It means they become stronger together.
The Real Goal: Solving the Problem
At the very end of our conversation, I asked Dave whether his ultimate goal was to one day put Water For Good out of business.
His answer was immediate:
“100%.”
Because the mission is not to sustain the organization forever.
The mission is to solve the problem.
And that mindset is what separates truly transformational nonprofits from organizations that simply maintain programs.
Imagine what would happen if more nonprofit leaders thought this way.
Imagine if success was measured not by organizational permanence—but by whether the problem actually got solved.
That’s the kind of leadership our sector needs more of.
Build a Stronger, More Collaborative Nonprofit Organization
If your nonprofit is navigating growth, change, restructuring, rebranding, or even considering a merger, don’t underestimate the human side of the process.
People do not resist change because they are difficult.
They resist change because they care.
Lead with transparency.
Communicate constantly.
Honor the history.
And keep bringing people back to the mission.
Because when organizations align around impact instead of ego, extraordinary things become possible.
To learn more about Water For Good and their mission to provide sustainable access to safe water, sanitation, and hygiene, visit their website or connect with Dave Leven on LinkedIn.