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
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.
