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	~ January 2004 ~ Topics Canadian Capacity Do You Need a Clean Sweep? Looking For Technology Help?
Canadian Capacity The Canadian Center for Philanthropy has a new qualitative study of the capacity needs of nonprofit organizations. The full version of the study is available at http://www.ccp.ca/stor/item.asp?ItemID=CCp-PUB-17. An executive summary is available at http://www.nonprofitscan.ca/nsnvo_intr.asp. Here are some highlights. This is a two-year research project, with the first year completed. 36 consultants across Canada interviewed nonprofit administrators and volunteers. Looked at three areas of capacity: financial, human resources, and structure. Volunteers often described as “devoted.” Paid staff recognized for its commitment. Board members acknowledged for on-going commitment and vision. In the area of finances, one person said while there had been an 80% increase in the demand for services over the last 12 years but there was not an accompanying increase in funding. In human resources, one person talked about volunteers. “People don’t want to join for life, and they don’t want to administer. They are much more interested in project-type volunteering where there is a beginning and an end.” (Sound familiar!?) In the area of structure, the demand for accountability and planning has increased, but funders are unwilling to pay for it! Return to the Menu Do You Need a Clean Sweep? Now that the holiday season is over are you overwhelmed with the amount of “stuff” that continues to amass in every corner of your house and office? Looking to do things differently in the year ahead? Time to un-clutter? There might be an answer, short of calling in the TV show folks to help you clean house. Whatgoesaround.org is a web site where you can make an online contribution to any one of 900,000 charities. What makes this site unique is an individual can register for a “givelist.” The person puts in the charities they wish to give donations to. Family and friends can consult the list and give accordingly. There is also a site for registered members to review all the donations he/she made and those of others. The site began in November 2003 and was making a big name for itself as the holidays closed in, with 500 people registered. Some foundations are helping support the effort and the site takes 3% of donations for overhead operating costs (which is significantly less than some direct mail solicitations can cost an organization). Visit them at http://www.whatgoesaround.org. Looking for Technology Help? Harbinger Partners, a Boston nonprofit organization, matches technology volunteers to local charities. There is a program available to nonprofits called Technology Pioneers. You must apply for this program by January 15, 2004. For more information go to: http://www.harbingerpartners.org. Return to Top A Service of MBA Publishing-A subsidiary of Macduff/Bunt Associates All materials copyright protected ©2007 925 "E" Street Walla Walla, WA 99362 (509) 529-0244 FAX: (509) 529-8865 EMAIL: editor@volunteertoday.com The content of all linked sites are beyond the control Volunteer Today and the newsletter assumes no responsibility for their content.