The
Working
Group
on
Financing
The
Working
Group
on
Financing
(WGF)
was
one
of
two
groups
in
the
VSI
whose
membership
was
comprised
solely
of
voluntary
sector
representatives.
Their
mandate
was
to
understand
how
the
voluntary
sector
is
financed,
identify
issues
of
concern
and
to
develop
strategies
to
enhance
its
capacity,
efficiencies
and
long-term
sustainability.
To
address
how
the
sector
accesses
and
manages
financial
resources
from
all
sources,
including
government
and
non-government,
the
Group:
worked
within
the
voluntary
sector
to
explore
issues
and
concerns
of
unique
interest
to
the
sector
and
independently
present
perspectives
on
federal
funding
to
Ministers
and
to
the
sector;
partnering
with
Capacity
Joint
Table
to
examine
financial
capacity
issues;
and
served
as
a
reference
group
to
the
Treasury
Board
Secretariat
Federal
Funding
Study.
Until
recently,
the
term
voluntary
sector
"capacity"
was
a
synonym
for
"funding."
The
issue
of
Capacity
now
encompasses
much
more
than
funding
alone.
On
a
broader
scale,
financial
capacity
is
the
ability
of
voluntary
organizations
to
mobilize
their
financial
resources
from
all
sources,
for
and
within
the
sector,
and
at
the
same
time,
attain
their
missions
and
be
accountable
to
their
stakeholders.
Work
Completed
and
Next
Steps
Research on sources and mechanisms
of funding and their impact on sustainability of voluntary organizations:
This research project was led by the Canadian
Council on Social Development (CCSD) and the Coalition
of National Voluntary Organizations (NVO). This project's
primary goal was to study the impact of funding sources and mechanisms
on the long-term sustainability of Canadian voluntary sector organizations
(VSOs). Through interviews with voluntary sector organizations,
funders, and experts in the field, the Working Group studyied
the links between the sources and mechanisms of funding that contribute
to - alternately hinder - the financial capacity of VSOs and developed
recommendations for effective funding reform.
A
series
of
focus
groups
and
in-depth
case
studies
were
conducted
to
generate
both
qualitative
and
quantitative
information
exploring
the
experiences
of
VSOs
with
different
funding
sources
and
mechanisms
and
how
they
have
navigated
the
changing
funding
environment.
The
Final
Report,
entitled
Funding
Matters:
The
Impact
of
Canada's
New
Funding
Regime
on
Nonprofit
and
Voluntary
Organizations
was
released
in
June
2003.
Financial
management
and
accountability
tools
and
resources:
Information
on
existing
resources
have
been
collected
and
an
inventory
is
being
compiled.
This
inventory
will
be
available
over
the
fall
of
2003
and
available
on
this
website.
Treasury
Board
Secretariat
(TBS)
Federal
Funding
Study:
The
WGF
coordinated
and
participated
in
consultations,
and
worked
in
collaboration
with
TBS
on
the
development
of
TBS
Guide
for
Improving
Funding
Practice.
A
strategic
investment
approach
to
funding
has
also
been
developed.
Next
steps?
