CC/external

Environmental Analysis
External environmental Analysis Canadian Voluntary Sector Analysis Canadian voluntary organizations work in a variety of areas, such as sports and recreation; religion; social services; grant-making, fundraising and voluntarism promotion; arts and culture; and development and housing. However, the size distribution of areas is uneven, most voluntary organizations are located in Culture and recreation (21%), religion (18%), social services (12%)and Grant-making and fundraising (10%). These four groups accounted for 62% of the total size of voluntary sector, while environment group only occupied less than 3%.
 * Distribution of voluntary organizations by activity


 * Financial resource of the voluntary organization

Distribution of the financial resource Stemming from the National Survey of Nonprofit and Voluntary Organizations 2004 (NSNVO), the size distribution of the sources is highly skewed. 80% organizations who reported revenues under $250,000, including 40% under $30.000, amount to only 5.4% of total revenues while 7% organizations who reported revenues over one million, account for 87.5% of to total revenue. 38.6% of total tax-receipted donations went to just 625 charities and 90% of charities only received tax-receipted income of $100 or less Government, most of it comes from provincial sources, provides the voluntary organizations the biggest financial resource. It accounts for 49% of all revenues reported by the voluntary organizations, followed by non-governmental sources, 35% and individual gift and donations, 13%. However, only small numbers of large organizations (accounting for 1% of total voluntary sector), get majority of government sources. Those organizations, who reported revenues over $10 million, depend on government sources for more than half (58%) of their total revenues, such as hospitals get 82% of total revenues from governments, followed by health-related organizations (70%), social services (66%) and universities and colleges (56%). While dominated small organizations, accounting for 80% of total voluntary organizations, account for only 12% of their total revenues from government. These small organizations rely more on earned income from non-government sources, including revenues from membership fees and gifts and donations that are considered to be 51% of total revenues.

As noted, gifts and donations account for the major financial sources for the most voluntary organizations. Therefore, understanding the profile of Canadian donors becomes a critical key success factor for those organizations. The following section begins by describing the extent to which Canadians donate money to charitable and nonprofit organizations. Next, it shows the way in which the social and economic characteristics of donors are related to giving behaviors. Finally, the section discusses the motivations as well as the perceived barriers donors cite for giving.
 * Canadian donors profile

According to 2004 survey, over 22 million Canadian, or 85% of the population aged 15 and older, gave money to charitable or other nonprofit organization throughout the course of a year. Nearly nine in ten (86%) made in-kind donations. Taken together, almost all Canadian (94%) made either a financial or in-kind gift donations over a year. However, the size of the distribution is uneven, a small group of donors provides most of the dollars. The NSNVO indicated that half of donors who gave $120 less in 2004 accounted for only 6% total value of all donations. In contrast, the top 25% of donors who gave more than $325, accounted for 82% of the value of donations.
 * The support that Canadian provide

The survey also provided the information about the size distribution of the Canadian donations support among the charitable and nonprofit organizations. Among those organizations, religious were the largest beneficiaries of charitable giving. It received 45% of the total value of donations, followed by health organizations, receiving 14% of the total value of donations, social services organizations, which received 10% of all donations.

Although religious organizations get more money from Canadian donors, other organizations get a wider base support in population. 57% Canadian made donation to health and 43% donated to social services, while religious organization only accounted for 38% Canadian.

Canadian donation could be influenced by a variety of factors, such as financial capacity, values and attitudes related to giving, and opportunities to give. This section illustrates the way in which giving varies according to age, education, sex, marital status, and household income.
 * The characteristics of Canadian donors

Generally speaking, the amount of donation increases with age. From the 2004 survey, the percentage of population who made donation was lowest among 15-24 years old (about 71%) and highest (90%) among 45 to 64 years old, while the donation made by individuals over 65 years was slightly lower than 45 to 64(87%). However, the pattern for the average amount is slightly different. It rises smoothly from the lowest $129 among 15 to 24 year olds to the highest of $572 among those aged over 65.

Giving also roughly increases with income. The donor rate is steadily increases from lowest (69%)among the population group whose gross household income is less than $20,000 to the highest (92%) among the group whose gross household income is over $100,000. Donors from high-income made larger contribution of the total value of donations, however, it gave the lower percentage of income. Those with household incomes under $40,000 contributed significantly greater percentage of their income than those with higher household incomes.

Higher levels of education are also associated with more giving. 93% Canadian with a university degree made average $694 annual donation while only 74% with less than a high school diploma made average $204.

Women were more likely to donate than men (88% of women vs 82% men). But, men gave larger average donation ($430 vs $374 for women).

Canadians in either marriage or common-law unions were more likely to donate (90%) than those who were single (75%), widowed (84%) or separated or divorced (85%). 61% of the population aged over 15 years old is married or in a common-law union, this group account for 71% of the total value of the donations.

There are six possible reasons for the giving. Feeling compassion towards people in need; wanting to help a cause in which they personally believed; desire to make a contribution to the community; and personally affected by the cause the organization supports. Comparatively fewer donors are because of fulfilling the religious obligations or receiving a credit on income taxes from the government.
 * The motivations and barriers to Canadian donors

The pattern of motivation for giving also varies with age. Senior Canadian, such as 65+ years old, made donations because of their religious belief. Canadian aged 45 over were also more likely than younger Canadians to donate because they felt they owed it to their community.

Furthermore, CSGVP 2004 explored a number of major barriers to donation as follows: First, the most frequently cited barrier to both donors and non-donors was their financial inability to afford it. Second, was addressed that the donors did not like the way in which requests were made. Third, was indicated that donors were concerned that the money would not be used efficiently Finally, no one asking, not knowing where to make a contribution and not finding a cause worth supporting also were accounted for some barriers to make donations.

More than 45% of the populations aged 15 and older volunteered their total 2 billion hours to the charities or other non-profit organizations. Volunteering is playing a significant role in Canadian society. Volunteer is a major human resource for many charitable and non-profit organizations.
 * Human resource of voluntary organization

The concentration of support Although the total amount of volunteering by Canadian is impressive, the size distribution of the volunteering is high skewed. Top 25% volunteers account for 77% of all volunteer hours. Furthermore, the distribution of the types of organizations that volunteering is directed to is also quite uneven. More than 10% Canadian volunteer their time to sports and recreation, social services, educations and research and religions. In contrast, only 2% people involved in the Environment organization and contribute 3% of the total volunteering time.

There are a variety of distinct personal and economic characteristics between active volunteer and none active volunteer. This section will summarize the found, from 2004 survey, about how volunteering varies according to age, household income, formal education and employment status.
 * The Characteristics of Canadian volunteers

The percentage of Canadians who volunteer generally decreases with age. However, the average number of hours volunteered rises with age. 55% of all youth (15 to 24 year olds) volunteered, but only contributed the lowest average number of hours (139) a year. In contrast, senior (over 65 years old) accounted for lowest percentage of volunteering rate (32%), but the highest average number of hours (245) a year. In addition, other two age groups 25 to 34 years old accounted for 42% and 35 to 44 years old accounted for about 51%.

The likelihood of volunteering increases as household income rises, but the hours volunteered display the opposite trend. The volunteer rate rises from a lowest of 30% for those whose household income is less than $20,000 to the highest of 60% for those whose household income is over $100,000.

Volunteering also increases with level of education. The individuals who had not graduated from high school only account for 37% volunteering rate while those with university degree account for 59%. The average hours volunteered show similar pattern.

More employed individuals than unemployed volunteer, however, those who were unemployed volunteered more time than those who were employed (235 hours vs 152 hours). According to the CSGVP, top seven reasons to motivate the volunteers were identified as follows:
 * The motivations and barriers to volunteering
 * 92% volunteers cited the reason for making a contribution to their community
 * 77% volunteers reported reason for using their skills and experiences
 * 60% volunteers addressed being personally affected by the cause the organization supports.
 * 49% volunteers mentioned the reason for exploring their own strengths
 * 47% said that they would like to network with people
 * 43% agreed the reason was friends volunteering at that organization
 * About 22% indicated the reason is to improve job opportunities.

What also keeps people from volunteering? Several barriers were defined:
 * 67% admitted that they lacked the time
 * 58% indicated being unable to make a long-term commitment.
 * 40% reported that no one asked
 * 49% said that they preferred to give money instead of time
 * 25% mentioned that they either had no interest or had health problems.

From 2000 National Survey, several trends are identified as follows:
 * The trend of voluntary sector
 * Few (10%) volunteers do the most jobs (75%).
 * The number of volunteer is increasing.
 * The average number of volunteering hours is declining.
 * The turnover rate for the voluntarism is also hiking. The Canadian average volunteering time dropped from 9 months to about 7 or even 6 months.
 * More young people and new Canadian volunteer to develop their work experience. More persons with disabilities were more likely to involve volunteering, but more seniors spent less time on volunteering.
 * Volunteer job design has become best defense for changing demographics and fluctuations in funding, such as risk management. And volunteering by contract.
 * Mandatory volunteer programs have create a new category of volunteer called “voluntolds”
 * Voluntary sector intended to adopt corporate and public sector management practice, such as standards, codes of conduct, accountability and transparency measurement and evaluation, outcome measurement.
 * Manager of volunteering resources must respond to the challenge of establishing professional volunteer management system and volunteer development process.

The intensity of public concern about the global environment has spiked sharply over the last decade as speed of the climate change. According to 1996 survey, the rate of public concern about the environment has jumped to the top forth, followed by employment, economy and crime. About 76% of Canadians indicated their intention to pay at least 10% more for “green products” and 87% of Canadians said they would pay more to avoid harmful household products. In the last federal election, over 20,000 local folks voted green party.
 * Public Concern about the Environment

Internet has changed human’s life style for the last decade. More and more Canadian have embraced the Internet into their lives. About 68% of the adult Canadians use the Internet daily for a variety of personal reasons, such as online shopping, online banking, online dating, etc. People are developing an increasing trust and reliance on the Internet, searching the information, doing the business and developing their personal social activities.
 * Internet affection for the Canadian daily life