When Sunsetting is Strategic: The AchieveMission Story
What does it look like when a nonprofit board chooses to sunset an organization with intention, transparency, and care? In this episode, I sit down with Angela Romans and Kristina Gawrgy, former staff and board members of AchieveMission, to explore their thoughtful approach to organizational transition.
AchieveMission was a capacity-building organization serving the nonprofit sector with a focus on talent management and equity-centered organizational practices. When the executive director decided to step down during COVID, the board faced a pivotal decision: search for new leadership, pursue a merger, or sunset the organization. We share how the board navigated this choice while centering values of transparency, community care, and racial equity.
We discuss the dynamics of supporting Black women in leadership, the operational realities of dissolution, communication strategies with stakeholders, and what it means to wind down an organization in a way that honors both the work and the people who made it possible.
Guest Bios:
Angela Romans served as a Partner at AchieveMission and brought her expertise in organizational transitions to leading the sunset process.
Kristina Gawrgy served as a board member at AchieveMission and played a key role in communication strategies through the sunset process.
Note: Host Monisha Kapila also served on the AchieveMission board during this transition and brings her perspective to the conversation.
In This Episode:
The evolution of AchieveMission and its capacity-building work
How the board approached the decision to sunset
Centering racial equity and supporting Black women leaders during transition
The legal and operational realities of nonprofit dissolution
Communication strategies with staff, funders, and community partners
Creating legacy through knowledge sharing and resource distribution
Lessons learned for other organizations facing similar crossroads
Resources Mentioned: AchieveMission's Sunset: A Case Study - BoardSource