Measuring the Non-Profit and Voluntary Sector in Canada

1. SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT CANADA Measuring the Non-Profit and Voluntary Sector in Canada Civil Society Excellence: International Seminar on Strategies and Agreements between the Public Sector and the Nonprofit Sector Estonia, March 2005 Marie Gauthier, Director Non-Profit and Voluntary Sector Affairs Division Community Development and Partnerships Directorate Social Development Canada

2. Purpose • To provide an overview of statistical research on the non-profit and voluntary sector in Canada. • To focus on three main data activities and the key findings. • How key findings inform our on-going policy development and program delivery work.

3. Overview • Research challenges • Data collection, pre-Voluntary Sector Initiative • Volunteering and donating • Current activities: • Size, scope and overall contribution of the sector • How data influences our on-going work

4. Research Challenges • There are challenges associated with capturing the non-profit and voluntary sector: • Difficult to define • Extremely diverse • Informal nature of the sector. • But still a need to measure the size, scope and relative value of the sector

5. National Survey on Giving, Volunteering and Participating (NSGVP) • Conducted in 1997. • Special survey by Statistics Canada in partnership with non-profit and voluntary sector organizations and some federal departments. • Surveyed behaviours, attitudes and motivations with respect to volunteering, charitable giving and civic participation.

6. Canada Survey on Giving, Volunteering and Participating (GSGVP) • Modified NSGVP conducted in 2000 with funding from the Voluntary Sector Initiative. • Received permanent funding in 2001 and conducted every three years. • Stand-alone Statistics Canada survey. • Will be able to provide a trends analysis of the data over time.

7. The Satellite Account • Conducted annually by Statistics Canada as part of the Canadian System of National Accounts. • Non-profit and voluntary sector is visible in Canadian economic statistics on equal footing with other economic sectors. • Represents multiple data sources. • Next release will include data from 2000 and 2001.

8. Satellite Account, continued Total Economy Nonprofit Institutions Households and Uninc. Non-residents Corporations Governments Volunteer activity

9. National Survey of Non-Profit and Voluntary Organizations • Conducted in 2003 by a consortium of research partners and Statistics Canada. • First large-scale, comprehensive survey of non-profit and voluntary organizations in Canada. • Includes a definition for the sector that is comparable with other countries. • Important findings.

10. NSNVOSurvey of Organizations

11. What Does the Data Really Mean….? • Canada’s non-profit and voluntary sector is diverse. • New emphasis is needed on community-based organizations. • Additional funding of $3 million over 2 years to advance beyond the Voluntary Sector Initiative and to foster: • Horizontal collaboration (government and sector); • “Bottom-up” policy dialogue networks; and, • Innovation, collaboration and networking to identify and meet local community needs.

12. Conclusions • There has been a significant increase in our knowledge about the non-profit and voluntary sector in Canada. • Research and statistics are useful to both government and the non-profit and voluntary sector. • Continued data gathering will provide more complete picture, and will show change over time.

13. Contact Information Marie Gauthier Director, Non-Profit and Voluntary Sector Affairs Division Community Development and Partnerships Directorate Social Development Canada marie.gauthier@sdc-dsc.gc.ca (819) 997-6673 Voluntary Sector Initiative Website: www.vsi-isbc.ca