Nonprofit dissolutions

The New York attorney general approved the dissolution of 44 Upstate nonprofits last year.

There are all sorts of reasons that nonprofit groups close shop. Some run out of money. Some fulfill their mission. Some merge. Others lose steam after the deaths of their founders, or the aging out of volunteers. Some suffered severe setbacks during the pandemic.

Among the dissolved: the Bel Canto Choir in Amherst (see video from four years ago, above), which closed after almost three decades; the Goshen Humane Society; the Hornell Area Arts Council.

While there is often sadness with endings, we’re not terribly concerned about the number of dissolutions. The figure is actually lower than anticipated.

We publish today to establish a benchmark. The coming year is going to be unpredictable and threatening to many nonprofits across the country, as federal funding dries up and local foundations are pressed to help meet basic needs such as food, housing and heat.

The arts are likely to suffer. Many educational, health and human rights groups will have to scramble for new funding sources. Refugee organizations will be hit hard, although there may be a sort of blowback that builds a new donor base for their cause.

We’ll revisit this issue in a year, comparing the number of dissolutions in 2025 and 2024. All bets are on a stark difference.