In a disappointing turn of events, the onePulse Foundation, created to honor the victims of the tragic Pulse nightclub massacre in 2016, has announced its decision to shut down, leaving its ambitious mission unrealized. The organization, which aimed to build a memorial and museum for the affected families and survivors, faced numerous challenges that ultimately hindered its progress, including leadership turmoil and financial setbacks.

On Tuesday, the board of trustees of onePulse voted behind closed doors to initiate the process of transferring its assets to Orange County and the city of Orlando, leading to the dissolution of the nonprofit corporation. Despite the foundation's struggles, local leaders have expressed their determination to ensure the memorial project moves forward, even without the support of onePulse.

Yolanda Londoño, spokesperson for the onePulse Foundation Board, expressed their vision of honoring the lives lost, survivors, and first responders, while preserving the tragedy site permanently. However, the foundation's grand plans were thwarted by unforeseen circumstances, such as the inability to secure a full donation of the Pulse nightclub site for the memorial and the ongoing global pandemic, which severely impacted fundraising efforts.

Critics of the organization argue that its failures were also influenced by self-inflicted wounds, including missteps in financial management and complicated negotiations with former property owners, notably Barbara Poma, the organization's founder.

Though it faced setbacks in realizing its main goals, the onePulse Foundation did establish several programs aligned with its mission. Since its inception, the foundation has awarded 196 scholarships, including 16 to Pulse family members and 14 to survivors. Additionally, two first responders to the massacre received scholarships from the organization.

Facing skyrocketing costs projected at up to $100 million for the museum and memorial, onePulse made the decision to forego completing those plans. However, the foundation intends to offer the city of Orlando and Orange County access to existing planning and design materials, as well as valuable work done over the past six years with those deeply affected by the Pulse tragedy.

Moreover, onePulse aims to transfer its scholarship program and the CommUNITY Rainbow Run to other willing organizations, according to Londoño.

The organization has faced increased scrutiny from donors, local and state officials, and community members. Calls for transparency, requests for refunds from individual donors, inquiries into the use of state-issued funds, and demands for a forensic audit have mounted over recent months. In fact, Orange County officials accused onePulse of unauthorized use of the property originally intended for the museum, raising further questions about the organization's financial management.

Mark Cady-Archilla, a former corporate partnership director at onePulse, who departed from the organization in January, asserts that an audit would reveal significant flaws in the nonprofit's structure. Cady-Archilla suggests that executive compensation outweighed tangible outcomes, expressing regret over the foundation's focus on scholarships and programs rather than prioritizing the construction of the memorial.

John Trybus, a professor of social impact and nonprofit management at Georgetown University, highlights the importance of trust and effective communication between nonprofit organizations, stakeholders, and the community in achieving desired impacts. He acknowledges that while onePulse may have required operational improvements, the loss of trust among key stakeholders and community members is evident.

As the onePulse Foundation closes its doors, the fate of the memorial and museum project remains uncertain. However, the determination of local leaders and the involvement of other organizations may allow for the realization of a lasting tribute to the victims of the Pulse nightclub tragedy.