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Kimberly Diamond: Merger with New Hampshire affiliate eased burnout, expanded mentoring capacity
Summary
Kimberly Diamond, chief of communications and grants for Big Brothers Big Sisters of New Hampshire and Vermont, told the Vermont House Commerce & Economic Development Committee that a 2025 merger expanded staff capacity, allowed access to larger grants and reduced leadership burnout, while stressing continued need for technical assistance to sustain small nonprofits.
Kimberly Diamond, chief of communications and grants at Big Brothers Big Sisters of New Hampshire and Vermont, told the Vermont House Committee on Commerce and Economic Development on March 25 that a recent merger with the New Hampshire affiliate helped the small Vermont program stabilize and expand services.
"In September 2025, we officially became Big Brothers Big Sisters of New Hampshire and Vermont," Diamond said, describing a move she tied directly to reduced staff burnout and increased access to resources. She told lawmakers the larger affiliate provided development capacity and staffing depth that let Vermont staff focus on program delivery rather than juggling multiple administrative roles.
Diamond said the Vermont affiliate grew from a budget of under $300,000 serving roughly 110 youth to about a $2.7 million budget after joining the larger organization, and that the merger opened opportunities to pursue larger grants. She described the funding mix under the new structure as primarily grants, events and donations and said the group has not received direct state funding in Vermont, though it can access pass-through funding from the national federation and competitive federal grants.
Committee members asked how the organization managed the transition and what technical assistance supported the merger. Diamond said a private foundation helped cover transition costs and the Vermont Community Foundation funded a consultant to help with strategic planning and board alignment. She also described workforce benefits from the larger affiliate’s investment in development and marketing roles.
Diamond framed the merger as a model for how regional consolidation can reduce administrative strain at very small nonprofits and improve their ability to pursue larger funding opportunities. Lawmakers thanked Diamond for the testimony; the committee did not take formal action at the conclusion of the panel.
