The Voluntary Sector - Canadian Social Research Links

The content below is mostly Canadian, and it's organized in reverse chronological order, more or less..

What's the latest buzz from the charitable sector?

Charity Village NewsBytes
Weekly news concerning the charitable nonprofit charitable sector...
(NOTE: the content of the link above changes every week, so be sure to check it regularly...)

Source:
Charity Village
Megasite for the Non-profit sector
Charity Village, Canada's supersite for the nonprofit sector --- 3,000 pages of news, jobs, information and resources for executives, staffers, donors, and volunteers. If philanthropy and volunteerism are part of your world, this is your place.
Check out the Resources section and the collection of links to organizations - very extensive, very impressive...
...but don't stop there - see also: Main Street | NewsWeek | Jobs | Suppliers | Library | Volunteer/Donate | Learn | Search | Contact Us

The Charities File
March 31st marks the fiscal year end for many Canadian charities. Within six months of fiscal year end, registered charities are required to file a Registered Charity Information Return - the T3010A - with the
Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). Visit The Charities File website to access Frequently Asked Questions about the T3010A and other valuable information for your registered charity. The Charities File is a joint project of the Canadian Federation of Voluntary Sector Networks and the Centre for Voluntary Sector Research and Development.

Source:
Social Development Canada

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Volunteer NWT "...promotes and supports volunteers and voluntary groups in the Northwest Territories.
We are the Northwest Territories Network for the Canada Volunteerism Initiative (CVI), a national program funded by the Government of Canada."
- incl. links to : What's New? - About Volunteer NWT - NWT Voluntary Sector - Resources - Events - Research & Policy - Feedback - Keep Connected - Contact Us - Site Map

Resources - For volunteers and voluntary organizations
- includes links to online resources in the following areas: Board Governance and Management - Community Resources - Event Management - Freebies - Fundraising - Marketplace - Organization Development Resources - Resources for Volunteers - Societies Registration Resources - Training Opportunities - Volunteer Management

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Funding Matters … For Our Communities:
Challenges and Opportunities for Funding Innovation
in Canada’s Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector (PDF file - 242K , 22 pages)
[September 8, 2005]
This report summarizes the findings of workshops and presentations undertaken through this project, including common themes and innovative community practice. It also includes an analysis of the different proposals for funding reform raised over the course of the project.

Source:
Canadian Council on Social Development

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Voluntary Sector Awareness Project
July 5, 2005
"The Canadian Council on Social Development (CCSD) is one of eight national organizations that have come together to launch a new project intended to raise awareness about the Canadian Voluntary Sector. (...) The Voluntary Sector Awareness Project (funded by Social Development Canada and lead by Imagine Canada) is one of the last "deliverables" of the Voluntary Sector Initiative. The purpose of the project is to develop and launch a public awareness campaign in the summer of 2006 to be delivered by the sector using communications tools and resources provided by the project. The campaign will be directed inside the sector and out toward the public and will be informed by a series of Community Conversations to be held across the country in the fall of 2005."
- incl. links to : Tools | Resources | Canadian research | Social innovation| Funding Matters Home

Also from the CCSD:

Funding Matters...for our community - Phase 2 of the Funding Matters project
In 2003, CCSD released Funding Matters [see below], a report on the impact of current funding arrangements on nonprofit and voluntary sector organizations in Canada. We are now in Phase 2 of the Funding Matters project, and asking the question: What can we do to create a more stable and predictable funding environment, where adequate levels of funding cover the cost of operations and enable the pursuit of key goals. [October 29, 2004]"

Source:
Canadian Council on Social Development (CCSD)

Also from the CCSD:

Funding Matters: The Impact of Canada's New Funding Regime on Nonprofit and Voluntary Organizations (2003)
June 2003
Katherine Scott
- incl. Summary Report, Communiqué, Fact Sheets and the [free!] complete report broken down into individual chapters.
The full report is approx. 175 pages.

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HR Council for the Voluntary/Non-profit Sector
"We are the new home of HRVS (Developing Human Resources in the Voluntary Sector), a website that provides free practical tools and information on human resources management for non-profit organizations."

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Revenue Minister McCallum announces new funding program for charities
News Release
May 17, 2005
"John McCallum, Minister of National Revenue, today launched the Charities Partnership and Outreach Program, a funding program designed to support compliance-related education and training projects for charities.Beginning today, up to $3 million in funds will be available to the voluntary sector annually for education and training on charities regulation. More specifically, up to $1 million in years one and two, $2 million in the third year and $3 million per year on an ongoing basis. Organizations will be able to receive contribution funding of up to a maximum of $500,000 per year per project."

Source:
Canada Revenue Agency

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National Volunteer Week
April 17-23, 2005

Volunteer Canada’s National Volunteer Week Website
National Volunteer Week is a dedicated week in April set aside to honour and recognize Canadians who volunteer!
Not only is it a great time to acknowledge the time and energy contributed by Canada’s 6.5 MILLION volunteers, it’s the perfect occasion to raise awareness of volunteerism in general.
Join with Volunteer Canada, April 17 -23, and show Canadian volunteers you care!
2005 National Volunteer Week Campaign Kit (PDF file - 616K, 8 pages)
Source:
Volunteer Canada

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The Journey Continues: The Second Report to Canadians on Implementing
An Accord Between the Government of Canada and the Voluntary Sector
December 6, 2004
"In many ways, this report is an important milestone. First and foremost, it fulfills the two sectors’ commitment to report on progress in implementing An Accord Between the Government of Canada and the Voluntary Sector. As the first formal accounting since the Accord was signed in December 2001, it also provides a benchmark for measuring future progress as the two sectors put in place the products, processes and spirit of good will that the Accord envisioned."
- incl. links to all sections of the report: A Message from the Joint Steering Committee - Some Context - The Foundations for Change - Progress on Priorities - Looking Ahead

Complete report in PDF format:

The Journey Continues - PDF (244K, 25 pages)
December 2004

Source:
Voluntary Sector Initiative (VSI)

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From Nonprofitscan.ca:

Cornerstones of Community: Highlights of the National Survey of Nonprofit and Voluntary Organizations
September 2004
Executive Summary (PDF file - 872K, 16 pages)
Complete Report (PDF file - 850K, 81 pages)
"Cornerstones of Community: Highlights of the National Survey of Nonprofit and Voluntary Organizations offers Canadians, governments, and policy-makers a richer understanding of the role that nonprofit and voluntary organizations play in their lives."

How and Where Canadians Donate/Volunteer their Time (five reports)
July/August 2004
"Based on results from the 2000 NSGVP, these reports provide comprehensive snapshots of which organizations receive the most donations, how religion influences philanthropy in Canada, and what circumstances motivate or prevent someone from volunteering.
- incl. Where Canadians Donate: Donating by Type of Organization - Where Canadian Volunteer: Volunteering by Type of Organization - Giving and Volunteering: The Role of Religion - The Philanthropic Spirit in Canada: Motivations and Barriers - The Volunteer Spirit in Canada: Motivations and Barriers

The Rural Charitable Sector Research Initiative: A Portrait of the Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector in Rural Ontario (PDF file - 664K, 52 pages)
July 2004
"... designed to aid in the understanding of trends and patterns affecting the rural voluntary sector, and to strengthen the capacity of voluntary organizations to fulfill their missions and achieve their objectives."

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What's New from The Daily [Statistics Canada]:

September 20, 2004
National Survey of Non-profit and Voluntary Organizations, 2003
Non-profit and voluntary organizations are an integral part of society, serving as vehicles for engaging the efforts of millions of Canadians to address needs in their communities, according to a new study. But many appear to be reporting significant challenges in providing the public with all the benefits they have the potential to offer.
Summary of the Findings of the National Survey of Nonprofit and Voluntary Organizations (NSNVO) - incl. links to related resources

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September 20, 2004
Non-profit institutions and volunteering: Economic contribution, 1997 to 1999
The economic contribution of the non-profit sector is larger than many major industries in Canada. It amounted to 6.8% of Gross Domestic Product in 1999, according to the first-ever official estimates. Its economic contribution increases to 8.6% when volunteer work is taken into account.
Satellite Account of Nonprofit Institutions and Volunteering

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Citizen’s Handbook : A Guide to Building Community
By Charles Dobson & Vancouver’s Citizen Committee
Updated Oct. 2003
"For grass-roots community building and development"
- includes 90+ links to info organized as follows: Community Organizing - Community Building Activities - Full Text Articles - The Citizen's Library - Short Case Studies - Links - Vancouver Information
Source:
Vancouver Community Network

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What's New from The Daily [Statistics Canada]:

July 6, 2004
General Social Survey: Social engagement, 2003
Over the course of their lives, Canadians engage in many types of civic and social activities that play a vital role in the health and vitality of the nation. Preliminary findings of a new report show a positive relationship between the various dimensions of this “social capital” and the satisfaction people derive in their lives.
2003 General Social Survey on Social Engagement

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Charities Directorate
"The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) registers qualifying organizations as charities, gives technical advice on operating a charity, and handles audit and compliance activities. Registered charities are required to file an annual return with the CRA, a portion of which is available to the public, and must meet certain requirements of the Income Tax Act concerning their expenditures and activities.
- incl. links to : What's new - Mission & Vision - Find your Topic - Policy - Forms and Publications - Newsletters - Electronic mailing lists - Lists of Canadian registered charities - Roadshow - Problems? - Charities Advisory Committee - Joint Regulatory Table - Future Directions - Service Standards - Related links - Search the listing of Canadian Registered Charities.

Source:
Canada Revenue Agency

Registered Charities Newsletter No. 19 - June 2004 (PDF file - 96K, 9 pages)
"In the Federal Budget delivered March 23, 2004, the government announced several new initiatives that will affect the regulation of the charitable sector. These initiatives bring dynamic changes that will benefit the sector by continuing to build public trust and confidence in charities and in the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) as a regulator. This Registered Charities Newsletter provides an overview of those Budget announcements."

Earlier Registered Charities Newsletters

More selected content from the Charities Directorate:

Charities Regulatory Reform updates - April 6, 2004
Canada Revenue Agency: Charities Regulatory Reform - Increasing Public Awareness and Sector Outreach
Canada Revenue Agency: Charities Regulatory Reform - Highlights
Canada Revenue Agency: Charities Regulatory Reform - Working With Federal, Provincial and Territorial Governments

From the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (former name of the Canada Revenue Agency):

Consultation on new CCRA policy: "Registered Charities - Political Activities"
News Release
January 22, 2003
"Elinor Caplan, Minister of National Revenue, has released for comment a draft policy entitled Registered Charities - Political Activities. 'This consultation is part of the CCRA's commitment to greater openness and dialogue with registered charities and the Canadian public,' said Minister Caplan."
Comments may be submitted until March 31, 2003.

Registered Charities - Political Activities
Concept Draft
January 2003
Source : (CCRA) Charities page
[The Charities Directorate]
The Charities Directorate is part of Policy and Legislation Branch and administers portions of the Income Tax Act that relate to charities.
[Canada Revenue Agency - CRA]

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Facing Current Realities: New Knowledge in the Canadian Voluntary Sector
2004 Community of Inquiry [COI] Symposium (Third national symposium)
July 9th & 10th, 2004
Ryerson University, Toronto
"The COI Symposium is a national network of practitioners, consultants and academics committed to strengthening research capacities in the voluntary sector and sharing knowledge in a climate of mutual interdependence and inclusiveness. The COI currently has close to 300 members from voluntary organizations, academic institutions, all levels of government, independent think tanks, and private consultants. The COI Symposium is an opportunity to bring together individuals with an interest in voluntary sector issues to share and learn from a variety of experiences and disciplines. Held over two days, the COI Symposium will showcase 15 panel papers disseminating new knowledge in the Canadian voluntary sector. These panel papers are grouped into six themes: Financial Resources Issues in the Voluntary Sector - Human Resources Issues in the Voluntary Sector - Building Sector Capacity - Partnership and Collaboration Strategies - Diversity and Values - Evaluation and Performance Assessment - Overcoming Barriers and Seizing Opportunities
Program of Events

Hosted by:
Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Community of Inquiry (COI)
[ Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Network ]
Co-sponsored by:
Centre for Voluntary Sector Research and Development
Canadian Centre for Philanthropy

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Contesting Citizenship and Civil Society in a Divided World"
ISTR Sixth International Conference
Ryerson University and York University
Toronto, Canada
July 11-14, 2004
- exchange of ideas and research findings about Civil Society, philanthropy, and the Third Sector
Source:
International Society for Third-Sector Research (ISTR)
"...a major international association promoting research and education in the fields of philanthropy, civil society and the nonprofit sector. ISTR reflects the growing worldwide interest in Third Sector research and provides a permanent forum for international research, while at the same time building a global scholarly community in this field."

National Volunteer Week 2004 – April 18 to 24 , 2004
"National Volunteer Week is a special time set aside in April to honour the people who donate their time and energy to their fellow citizens. The Week also raises awareness of the vital contribution volunteers make to our communities and to the identity and values of our country. (...) This National Volunteer Week join thousands of volunteer-involving organizations, volunteer centres, corporations, schools and government bodies to salute Canada’s 6.5 million volunteers."
- incl. the following info : When is National Volunteer week? Why is National Volunteer Week important? What is the origin of National Volunteer Week? Who are the sponsors of National Volunteer Week? Where are National Volunteer celebrations held? How can I get involved? How can I find out more?
Source:
volunteer.ca – Canada’s site for information on volunteering

Related Links:

Canada Volunteerism Initiative
"Announced on December 5, 2001 by the Prime Minister, the Canada Volunteerism Initiative (CVI), funded by the Government of Canada, aims to promote the participation in and contribution of Canadians to society."

National Volunteer Week, 2004: White House Proclamation - U.S.
George Bush
April 16, 2004
- incl. links to : Learn more about National Volunteer Week - Media results from 2003 - Register your NVW event - Project and recognition ideas - Promotional toolkit, logos, and media tools - recognition items
Source:
Points of Light Foundation
Volunteer Center National Network

National Volunteer Week, Canada
National Volunteer Week, Canada

Google News search Results : "National Volunteer Week, Canada"
Google Web Search Results : "National Volunteer Week, Canada"
Source:
Google.ca

Federal Budget 2004 information pertaining specifically to the voluntary sector
March 23, 2004
Source:
The Importance of Communities
[ Budget 2004 - Budget Plan ]
[ Finance Canada ]

February 23, 2004
Fact Sheets - The Application of the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act to Charitable and Non-Profit Organizations
Source:
Privacy Commissioner of Canada

New from Canadian Policy Research Networks :

What all Board Members of Non-profits Need to Know
January 30, 2004
Research Highlights Number 4
by Ron Saunders
"...examines the forces that threaten the sustainability of non-profit enterprises and suggests measures to relieve some of the pressure. This report builds on the findings of four previous CPRN reports: on the size and characteristics of the sector and its workforce; on the quality of jobs in the sector; on skill requirements and training in the sector, and; on the sector's organizational and human resource strategies."
- includes links to all four previous reports
Source:
Work Network

Passion and Commitment Under Stress: Human Resource Issues in Canada's Non-profit Sector - A Synthesis Report
Research Report
January 9, 2004
by Ron Saunders
"The final report in a path-breaking CPRN series on Canada's non-profit sector, finds this key contributor to the country's economy and society seriously challenged. In Passion and Commitment Under Stress: Human Resource Issues in Canada's Non-profit Sector, Ron Saunders, Director of CPRN's Work Network, examines the forces that threaten the sustainability of non-profit enterprise and suggests measures to relieve some of the pressure."
Click on the link above to download the complete 89-page report, a news release, a summary and other associated documents.
Source:
Canadian Policy Research Networks

New advocacy guidelines a start but more needs to be done
September 29, 2003
By Nicole Zummach
"For the past few years, organizations such as the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy (CCP) and IMPACS (Institute for Media, Policy and Civil Society) have worked hard to improve the legislation surrounding advocacy work by charities, including the so-called 10% rule, which limits advocacy spending to only 10% of a charity's revenue. Earlier this month, the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (CCRA) quietly released their new guidelines regarding political activities by registered charities. It's a document that many hoped would introduce much-needed changes to the way advocacy work is defined and regulated in Canada."
Source:
Charity Village
Megasite for the Non-profit sector

Canada Revenue Agency - CCRA
Charities (section of the CCRA website) : incl. links to the following info: Find your Topic - Becoming a Registered Charity - Operating Day-to-Day - Keeping your Registered Status - Policy - Forms and Publications - Lists of Canadian registered charities - Joint Regulatory Table - Consultation on Proposed Policy - Contact us
CCRA Policy updates posted September 15, 2003:
- Policy Statement : Political Activities (Effective September 2, 2003)
- Registering Charities that Promote Racial Equality

Policy Internships and Fellowships (PIAF): Bridging the Policy Dialogue
Between Voluntary Organizations and the Federal Government (PDF file - 750K, 29 pages)
June 2003
"This final report on the PIAF Pilot Program provides useful information on the history of the program, its objectives and outcomes achieved through the nine interchanges between federal government departments and voluntary sector organizations. The report captures the highlights of the experience of interns and fellows as well as their insights
into the effectiveness of PIAF and ways of enhancing inter-sectoral collaboration. (...) ...the PIAF Program began as a pilot, with nine enterprising interns and fellows, who spent the better part of a year in a host organization in the federal government or voluntary sector."
Source : Centre for Voluntary Sector Research
Policy Internships and Fellowships (PIAF) Program
For Voluntary Sector & Federal Government Employees
"The Policy Internships and Fellowships Program (PIAF) was initiated by the Capacity Joint Table of the Voluntary Sector Initiative. Its purpose is to develop policy knowledge, experience and skills in both the voluntary sector and the federal government and to enable the voluntary sector to become a more viable partner in the development of public policy.(...) PIAF is managed by the Centre for Voluntary Sector Research and Development a joint initiative of the University of Ottawa and Carleton University as well as in collaboration with the University of Victoria's Centre for Public Sector Studies"
Related Links:
Voluntary Sector Initiative
Pillar : Voluntary Sector Network - "...an interactive volunteer referral website for communities in Southwestern Ontario"

NVO-CCP Agree to Co-Found a New Organization
May 13, 2003
"The Coalition of National Voluntary Organizations (NVO) and the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy (CCP) agreed to co-found a new organization 'to strengthen communities and advance social development through collective effort'. The new organization will be established by June 2004, after which the two existing organizations will be wound-up."
Related Links:
Coalition of National Voluntary Organizations
Canadian Centre for Philanthropy

Volunteerism in Canada
"Welcome to volunteer.ca – Canada’s site for information on volunteering.
The Canadian voluntary and nonprofit sector is made up of more than 180 000 organizations, 6.5 million volunteers and 1.3 million paid staff. In Volunteerism in Canada find out the facts and trends, read the latest research, learn about national events, search the directory of organizations, find answers to your questions and more."

2003 Canadian Forum on Volunteerism (volunteer.ca)
April 14-16, 2003
Toronto
"The 2003 Canadian Forum is a unique opportunity for volunteers across Canada to come together to debate issues designed to generate new insights and energy around voluntary activity in Canada. Hosted by the Volunteer Canada Board of Directors, the 2003 Canadian Forum on Volunteerism will bring together leadership volunteers from the greater Toronto area and across the country to provide input into volunteering in Canada."
Click on the link above to see more details on the Forum, information on accommodation and general information on Toronto, to download a copy of the application form, or to apply online.
For more information on the 2003 Canadian Forum:
E-mail : volunteercanada@pinngroup.com
Toll-free telephone number : 1-800-670-0401 ext. 240

VolunteersOnline.ca
"ITAC Ontario partnered with the Ministry of Citizenship of the Government of Ontario to launch the Making IT Work for Volunteers initiative. We are establishing strategic online and offline components, including a knowledge network and resource library housed at VolunteersOnline.ca. The program will create opportunities for the high-tech sector and the voluntary sector to assist one another to bridge, and ultimately close, the digital divide."
[this site works better for me using Internet Explorer 6 than Netscape 4.75]

Voluntary Sector Evaluation Research Project
"The Voluntary Sector Evaluation Research Project (VSERP) is a three-year initiative to improve the capacity of voluntary organizations to evaluate their work and communicate their effectiveness to their funders, stakeholders and the public. "
Source : Centre for Voluntary Sector Research and Development

GPI Atlantic - Genuine Progress Index for Atlantic Canada
"GPI Atlantic is a non-profit research group, founded in 1997, to develop an index of sustainable development and well being - the Genuine Progress Index. The Nova Scotia GPI consists of 22 social, economic and environmental components, including: Time Use - Natural Capital - Environment/Quality - Socioeconomic issues - Income Distribution - Social Capita"

New National Centres and Local Networks will Support Volunteerism in Canada
News Release
December 5, 2002
"Minister of Canadian Heritage and Minister Responsible for the Voluntary Sector Sheila Copps today announced the establishment of three new national centres to support volunteerism across Canada. In addition, local networks will be established in each province and territory to ensure that the Centres' programs meet the needs and priorities of voluntary organizations and volunteers."
Source : Canadian Heritage

Voluntary Sector Initiative (VSI)
This Web site is an important tool in our dialogue with Canadians on the voluntary sector. The VSI is a joint initiative to strengthen the capacity of the voluntary sector and to enhance the relationship between the Sector and the Government of Canada. (...) The Voluntary Sector Initiative (VSI) is a joint undertaking between the voluntary sector
and the Government of Canada. It is a unique opportunity to focus on the voluntary sector as one of the three pillars of Canadian society, equal in importance to the public and private sectors.
- incl. links to : About the VSI - Management Structure - Reports - Speeches - Joint Tables - Related Working Groups - News - Calendar - Subscribe

Government Of Canada Welcomes Report To Help Canadian Voluntary Sector Innovate (VSI)
February 28, 2003
"Industry Minister Allan Rock welcomed today the report and recommendations of the Voluntary Sector Initiative's Information Management/Information Technology Joint Table, for improving the technological capacity of voluntary organizations and enabling them to better serve Canadians."
Strengthening Voluntary Sector Capacity Through Technology
HTML
PDF (857 K, 28 pages)

Public Policy and Advocacy Toolbox
April 25, 2002
Commissioned by Canada's Voluntary Sector Initiative, this set of Web-based resources includes sections on how government makes policy, non-profit initiated policy development, knowledge and skill sets necessary for successful policy intervention, effective advocacy, and hundreds of resources on think tanks, funding sources, information sources, and much more.
-incl. links to : Policy Making in Canada - Voluntary Sector Directed Input - Knowledge and Skills - Government Relations and the Policy Development Process - Resources
-16 public policy case studies
-50 documents for downloading
-23 Canadian foundations that fund policy development
-100 Canadian public policy institutes and lobby groups, plus dozens of American resources
-21 online advocacy resources
-138 links to general and government information
Source : Ginsler & Associates Inc.
NOTE : the Ginsler site is rich with content about the non-profit sector and homelessness and affordable housing
Free Resources - large collection of links to articles and reports about homelessness and affordable housing (incl. five links relating to resources for non-profits and charities)

Nothing left to give : Cuts to jobs and services are strangling volunteerism, just when we need it the most
"Last year was the International Year of the Volunteer, acknowledging important contributions people make to their communities. This year, cuts to jobs, services and freedoms in the public and private sectors threaten the very conditions fostering those contributions."
Source : UVic Ring("University of Victoria's community newspaper") - February 7, 2002 issue
- Go to the UVIC Ring website (you can read back issues of the Ring from 1995 to date...)
[University of Victoria]

Charity Village
Megasite for the Non-profit sector
Charity Village, Canada's supersite for the nonprofit sector --- 3,000 pages of news, jobs, information and resources for executives, staffers, donors, and volunteers. If philanthropy and volunteerism are part of your world, this is your place.
Check out the Resources section and the collection of links to organizations - very extensive, very impressive...
...but don't stop there - see also: Main Street | NewsWeek | Jobs | Suppliers | Library | Volunteer/Donate | Learn | Search | Contact Us

Canadian Centre for Philanthropy (CCP) - "We're on your Side"
"The Canadian Centre for Philanthropy is a national, charitable organization with a mandate to advance the role and interests of the charitable sector for the benefit of Canadian communities. The Centre accomplishes this mission through various programs, including Public Affairs, Research, Imagine, and Membership. Information about these programs as well as resources, tools and information are available on this site."
CCP Voluntary Sector Links - 100+ links divided into 4 categories: Nonprofit organizations(Canada), Resources and Tools, Nonprofit Management Education, and U.S. and International sites.
CCP Resource Centre - info and articles about : Board & Governance - Nonprofit Management - Fundraising - Legal & Regulatory - Volunteering - Trends & Statistics - Foundations/Corporate - Article Index
"Please also visit other sites in the CCP family for additional information on research (www.givingandvolunteering.ca and www.nonprofitscan.ca) and corporate social responsibility (www.imagine.ca)."

GivingandVolunteering.ca
"GivingandVolunteering.ca is designed to provide you with the statistics and resources developed from the 1997 and 2000 National Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating (NSGVP).

www.nonprofitscan.ca
"Managed by the CCP's Research Program, this Web site is designed as an information portal serving anyone who works in, studies or has an interest in the Canadian nonprofit sector."

www.imagine.ca - A New Spirit of Community
"Imagine is Canada's national program to promote public and corporate giving, volunteering and support to the community. Imagine is the only program in Canada that is specifically geared to encourage and promote partnerships between the corporate and charitable sectors."

Coalition of National Voluntary Organizations
The Coalition of National Voluntary Organizations (NVO) is a not-for-profit organization which promotes volunteerism and enhances the profile of Canada's voluntary and charitable sector. NVO is an umbrella coalition that has as its members 130 national voluntary charities active in a variety of fields ranging from health and social services to the environment, justice, education and international development.
Great resource site for people working in or with the voluntary sector...

Building Momentum: Putting Social Development at the Centre of the Public Agenda
Conference/Workshop
September 20-21, 2002
Ottawa
"The Coalition of National Voluntary Organizations (NVO), in partnership with Canadian Council on Social Development and United Way Canada, is hosting a conference/workshop in Ottawa in September - Building Momentum: Putting Social Development at the Centre of the Public Agenda."
Conference Agenda (PDF file - 256K, 8 pages).
Canadian Council on Social Development
United Way of Canada/Centraide Canada

Canadian Policy Research Networks (CPRN)
Beth De Long, Project Coordinator of London's Voluntary Sector Initiative, says : "Follow the link.....some good stuff for the non profit sector."
NOTE: The CPRN site uses frames and the individual files aren't well linked back to the home page navigation frame. That's why it's better if you check out the site starting on the home page link. The "Publications"section contains over 100 reports and studies...

British Columbia : Nothing left to give : Cuts to jobs and services are strangling volunteerism, just when we need it the most
"Last year was the International Year of the Volunteer, acknowledging important contributions people make to their communities. This year, cuts to jobs, services and freedoms in the public and private sectors threaten the very conditions fostering those contributions."
Source : UVic Ring("University of Victoria's community newspaper") - February 7, 2002 issue
- Go to the UVIC Ring website (you can read back issues of the Ring from 1995 to date...)

Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) Canada
"VSO enables men and women to work alongside people in poorer countries in order to share skills, build capabilities and promote international understanding and action, in the pursuit of a more equitable world."
NOTE: this site works better for me in Internet Explorer v.5.5 than in Netscape v. 4.75

Free Management Library(SM) (U.S.) - "Complete, highly integrated library for nonprofits and for-profits"
- links to resources covering everything from advertising and promotion to managing volunteer programs

IMPACS - INSTITUTE for MEDIA, POLICY and CIVIL SOCIETY
"IMPACS is a young and dynamic registered Canadian charity, filling an important niche in civil society. We work to strengthen communications between not-for-profit organizations, government and the media, both in Canada and internationally."

Let Charities Speak : Report of the Charities and Advocacy Dialogue - IMPACS (PDF file - 935K, 35 pages)
March 2002
[version française - fichier PDF, 1445KB]
IMPACS and the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy are leading a national effort to fix the Revenue rules affecting the ability of charities to perform an advocacy role.
"Canada’s charities are limited in their ability to participate in public policy debate or to advocate for changes to legislation, regulations, or government policy. Activities of this kind may be deemed “political” by the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency (CCRA), which interprets the common law and the federal Income Tax Act and applies them to charities. The CCRA enforces a “10 Percent Rule” which forbids charities from using any more than 10 percent of their resources annually for “political activity,” which is how they categorize advocacy. This limit on charities has been recognized by many as a serious impediment to modern Canadian democracy, for it limits the voices of charities and the people they serve, very often the most vulnerable members of society."
Source: IMPACS and the Canadian Centre for Philanthropy

Community Services Council of Newfoundland and Labrador
Excellent collection of resources for the voluntary sector!

Community Council Launches Giant Vortal
Media Release
ST. JOHN’S, February 6, 2002 – enVision.ca, a vast vortal for the voluntary sector, was launched today at the Community Services Council Newfoundland and Labrador (CSC). enVision.ca is a venue for knowledge sharing, information gathering and skills-enhancement, designed to strengthen and advance the important role of the voluntary, community-based sector in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Launch of PolicyLinkNB project
Family and Community Services
Nov. 16, 2001
FREDERICTON (CNB) -- A group of voluntary organizations in New Brunswick will undertake a project that will focus on building the capacity of the voluntary sector to influence the policies that affect their organizations and the people they represent

Isuma (summer 2001) - incl. several articles on the voluntary sector...
For example:
What We Should Know About the Voluntary Sector but Don't
- Other sample articles from this issue : Les forces et les limites du bénévolat - Canada’s Civic Core: On the Disproportionality of Charitable Giving, Volunteering and Civic Participation - Maîtriser un mouvement, dompter une idéologie—l’État et le secteur communautaire au Québec - Harnessing a Movement, Taming an Ideology On the State and the Third Sector in Quebec - A Government Voluntary Sector Accord - Promoting Voluntary Action and Civil Society Through the State - Volunteers and the Paid Labour Market - Volunteering Parents: Who Volunteers and How are Their Lives Affected? - Old and New Civic and Social Ties in France - La pratique de la contrepartie pour les personnes exclues du marché du travail. Ici et ailleurs - Reciprocity Mechanisms and the Unemployed in Canada and Abroad - and much more...
PDF version (919K, 11 pages)
- Go to the Isuma Home Page

Putting People at the Centre: Voluntary Action Shaping Social and Economic Change
Speech by Lucienne Robillard,
President of the Treasury Board, Minister responsible for Infrastructure and Member of Parliament for Westmount-Ville-Marie
August 20, 2001

Canada's International Year of Volunteers 2001Home Page
Together with Canadian Heritage and Human Resources Development Canada, Volunteer Canada has created The International Year of Volunteers 2001 (IYV 2001) Web site to demonstrate how the value of one is the power of many.

Partnership with the Voluntary Sector - Health Canada
March 2001
Volunteers are fundamental to the social and economic landscape of Canada. This web site describes the voluntary health sector, its contribution to the health and well-being of Canadians, and explores the Health Canada's partnership with the sector. It outlines Health Canada's specific involvement with national voluntary organizations working in health.
A deceptively simple-looking home page offers you information under the following headings : Voluntary Health Sector - Benefits of Volunteering - Building Partnerships - Joint Initiatives - Knowledge Base - Beyond Health Canada - Glossary

The Early Childhood Development Initiative : Challenges for the voluntary sector
Perception: Volume 24, No. 3 - December 2000
"...the level of funding is clearly insufficient, and there is a lack of clarity about exactly how the funds will be spent and how governments will report back to Canadians"
Source : Canadian Council on Social Development

Charity Channel Forum Launchpad (U.S., some Canadian content)
This is your launch pad to CharityChannel's world-famous forums -- dozens of them, with thousands of your nonprofit-sector colleagues sending nearly a million and a half messages a month. From here, you can join or leave forums, view rules and procedures, get answers to frequently-asked questions, get help, and even get your daily update of news and information of interest to nonprofit-sector professionals.
Source : CharityChannel - The oldest and largest online community of nonprofit professionals in the world™

Nonprofit Good Practice Guide (U.S.)
-incl. links to : Fundraising and Financial Sustainability - Governance - Staff Development and Organizational Capacity - Accountability and Evaluation - Volunteer Management - Communications and Marketing - Management and Leadership - Advocacy - Technology

United Nations Volunteers Page
The United Nations Volunteers programme (UNV) was created by the General Assembly of the United Nations in 1970 to serve as an operational partner in development cooperation at the request of UN member states. It is unique within the UN family and as an international volunteer undertaking. It reports to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and works through UNDP's country offices around the world.

World Volunteer Web - international site, includes National reports on the International Year of Volunteers (over 60 national reports) and Global Evaluation of the International Year of Volunteers
- incl. links to : News - Events - Initiatives - Development - Policy - Research

Voluntary Sector Links

Liens au secteur bénévole