United Way CEO: merge nonprofits

As the economy slows and money gets scarce, banks arenâ??t the only organizations that should consider merging.

Thatâ??s how United Way of Central Indiana CEO Ellen Annala sees the landscape.

The Indianapolis area has a whopping 16,000 not-for-profits, she says, one for about every 100 people living here.

Many are volunteer groups with no paid staff. Itâ??s the organizations with paid staff, boards, bookkeeping, audits and other
expenses that worry her.

â??I do have some pretty strong feelings about this,â?? Annala says. â??Is there a more efficient use of nonprofit resources?â??

Some small organizations fill niches that wouldnâ??t fit well in other groups, she says. And thereâ??s always room for entrepreneurs
to dream up good ideas. Overall, though, she says itâ??s time for organizations to start talking.

What do you think?