The Door and University Settlement to end 20-year legal partnership

The Door and University Settlement will end their 20-year legal partnership and operate independently.

The two New York City-based nonprofits officially affiliated with one another in 2000 because University Settlement, a 134-year-old social services organization, wished to bolster its youth development, while The Door was in need of financial support. But they never formally merged. Instead, the arrangement allowed both organizations to operate separately with their own boards and programs while sharing administrative resources. 

Leaders at each nonprofit said the affiliation was a mutually beneficial success.

“Sharing what we’ve learned, for example, in launching some of our data systems has been amazing,” said Melissa Aase, executive director of University Settlement. “Sharing our leadership development for our teams has been helpful. And then, also, just really interesting program collaborations.”

But as the two organizations have expanded in size over the past two decades, the respective leadership realized it would be best to begin separating. 

“What you now have is two very big and unique human services organizations that will more easily function – and, probably, more appropriately function – independently,” said Eric Weingartner, CEO of The Door, which offers various social services to youth at a single location.

The nonprofits will begin the process of separating their administrative functions over the course of the next year. The Door and University Settlement’s respective programs will not be affected by the decision, the leaders said.

“I think that the process is super-collegial,” Weingartner said. “I think both boards, both personally and professionally, have great admiration for one another.”