The sunsetting of the NB Social Policy Research Network
The GovMaker Conference Makes Its Return
Decommissioning an organization can elicit feelings of scarcity. “We have put so much into this place,” stakeholders think, “and now we are going to lose it all.” But sunsetting can be more than simply closing the doors; it can take a long view rooted in abundance, a view of feeding what comes next. Intentional closure is a way of “composting” the organization and putting it back into the ecosystem so that it can continue to have an impact in new and different ways. This is an important concept to keep in mind, particularly for nonprofit organizations that rely on the support of their communities to achieve their goals. By being transparent about their challenges, reflecting on lessons learned, and intentionally ending their operations, nonprofits can nourish the soil for what needs to grow next.
There comes a time when every organization needs to reflect on its raison d’être, impact, and ultimate legacy. Contexts change. Classically, at this juncture, an organization needs to decide what to start, stop, or continue. Sometimes the question of stopping or continuing is about the organization itself. Most organizations don’t consider this an option. In the case of NBSPRN, a New Brunswick-based nonprofit organization with the mission of advancing a networked-governance approach to public policy, it has reached the end of its lifespan, but not without leaving a significant mark on the community it served. As part of the sunsetting effort, I am launching GovMaker: The Podcast with Katie Davey, Executive Director of the Pond-Deshpande Centre. In our first episode, Katie and I discuss the organization’s legacy, the importance of intentional closure, and the rebirth of the GovMaker Conference.
One of the key takeaways from the conversation is the power of events like the GovMaker conference, which NBSPRN organized annually from 2014–2019. GovMaker was a forum for collaboration and cross-sector connections, providing opportunities for people to come together, share ideas, learn, and create impact. As Katie notes in our first episode, GovMaker had “international attention,” and its impact was far-reaching. Countless people made new connections and forged new partnerships as a result of attending the conference.
GovMaker was a “fundamental part” of NBPSRN’s legacy, and we are reviving the conference to find ways to continue aspects of the organization’s mission even as its sunsets. This is where the conversation turns to the importance of intentional closure. Rather than simply fading away or writing a final report, NBSPRN is being deliberate about ending its operations, reflecting on its legacy — and collaborating to find a consensus for the practical way forward to achieve community-centred, evidence-informed public policy in New Brunswick.
To that end, the GovMaker conference will be hosted by PDC, on June 14th, 2023, at the Wu Centre at the University of New Brunswick. The conference is an opportunity to bring together NBSPRN’s community of collaborators and partners one last time, to reflect on the organization’s legacy, and to create new connections and opportunities for impact. This last gathering as NBSPRN and friends will be the first gathering of — something else, to be discovered together.
Check out the podcast’s first episode here
Register for the conference here.
Read the Sunsetting Report here.
As well as collaborating mindfully to harness past achievements for future impact, sunsetting is an opportunity to pause and honour an organization’s legacy and celebrate the impact it has had on its community. In the case of NBSPRN, the organization has played a significant role in inspiring the public policy landscape in New Brunswick over the past decade. None of this would be possible without its founder, the late Honourable Andy Scott. Through the podcast and the conference, we will pay homage to Andy, his vision, and his leadership style. By intentionally closing its doors and honouring its founders and stakeholders, NBSPRN aims to ensure that New Brunswick benefits from its powerful legacy of collaboration, community-building, and impact for years to come.
By composting NBSPRN, we give its legacy the opportunity to inspire and inform the work of future generations of social changemakers.
