Caught in the Middle: What Small, Non-profit Organizations Need to Survive and Flourish

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5. What Small Organizations and Agencies Need to Do Their Work Effectively: Advice for the VSI

As small organizations and agencies provide the grassroots programs and services that are needed locally, they face problems related particularly to their size. Solutions are needed to preserve the benefits of flexibility, responsiveness, accountability and appropriateness (meeting local needs) that are among the major advantages of being small and community-based. There is little distinction in policy or practice between better staffed and financed larger organizations and their grassroots cousins which are getting by on a shoestring. A common issue brought up by representatives of small organizations and agencies was the impact of downloading by governments to the voluntary sector, and the resulting stresses and strains of addressing local needs. At the same time, the terms and conditions of funding from public and private sources have become ever more arduous for small organizations and agencies. These include: less money (cuts to grants, more competition for available dollars, etc.) and more strings (contracts vs. core funding, short-term funding, more paperwork, etc.).

Advice to the six Joint Tables included:

Accord: An Accord Between the Government of Canada and the Voluntary Sector¹¹ sets out the values and principles that will be the basis for all relationships between the federal government and voluntary organizations. There was concern among small organizations and agency representatives that the intentions were noble and the words were nice, but there seemed to be no sustenance (final outcome or product) and there were no monitoring mechanisms; in other words, there was no concrete plan to move from theory to practice. It was also noted that the Accord does not talk about the context of the VSI - what changes have taken place in the non-profit sector over the past decade, particularly the negative impact of cutbacks. Concern was expressed that this omission will take the life "out of the initiative."

Recommendation:
Political will is needed to implement the good intentions.

Awareness Table: Awareness covers how well the public understands the contribution of the voluntary sector, its organizations, and its staff and volunteers. Because small organizations have few resources (both human and financial) to market themselves, they need help in the form of ongoing campaigns to let their constituency know who they are and what they do. This can take the form of awareness of the sector as a whole (the value and contribution of the voluntary sector) and, at the local level, of individual organizations. Because small organizations/agencies constitute the largest part of the sector, much more emphasis should be put on the important and cost-efficient work of grassroots groups.

Recommendations:
Information was a key issue for small organizations and agencies. They often didn't hear about resources or funding opportunities that might assist them in their work. "It seems that each group must re-invent the wheel with every project undertaken."

1. Community information centre: It would be helpful to have a central local publication or contact centre for people to find the services they need.
2. Resources: Individual organizations and agencies need more resources to enable them to promote their own work and issues.
3. More media coverage: General media coverage of the sector and specific profiles of small organizations are needed to raise awareness of the value and contribution of the voluntary sector.
4. Thank you: Acknowledge and thank small agencies and organizations and the volunteers who give their time for the services and programs they provide to their neighbours and the civic pride they help to foster.

Capacity Table: Capacity relates to the resources available to an organization to do its work. Resources include enough staff (paid and volunteer), sustainable funding, information and training. The observation by small agencies/organizations on the issue of capacity was clear. They say that if the government(s) appreciated, understood and were sincere in their efforts to promote the voluntary sector, they would be more likely to increase funding to this sector. The distinction between small organizations/agencies and large organizations/agencies must be identified and clearly defined. This has yet to be addressed adequately. Small organizations do not have the time and access to resources to adequately write increasingly complicated grant proposals, promote awareness, fill out all the forms, administer, evaluate, develop partnerships, and support their volunteers given their struggles for money, limited staff and volunteer time. They are often "out of the loop" in hearing about funding opportunities. They need help in the form of more accessible funding, information, equipment and training. Liability and legal issues are also a growing concern for small organizations and agencies.

Governments have reduced and downloaded services, and "…small organizations are caught in the middle … [There needs to be] recognition of building capacity when there are more expectations but less resources for non-profits." Small organizations/agencies need "morale boosters - a thank you from provincial and federal sectors for the work of the volunteer."

Recommendations:

1. Funding! More money is needed for core funding, project funding, and equipment and training. Small agencies need sustainable funding: multi?year, core operational funding to provide consistent services.
2. Grant applications: Well-advertised grant information and straightforward applications mean that the staff/volunteers of small organizations and agencies would hear about funding opportunities and have the skill level to apply for the grants.
3. Local resource centre: Small agencies and organizations need a local resource centre enabling them to obtain information on organizational development, funding opportunities, volunteer management, skill development (e.g., how to write grant proposals), and government services and structure.
4. Federal Information Centre: An information clearinghouse that offers services such as technical computer support, current funding sources, and volunteer recruitment information is needed.
5. Incentives for volunteers: It is not free to volunteer. Tax breaks or other supports may be useful incentives to encourage people to start volunteering their time and skills.
6. Liability insurance or limiting liability: Small organizations and agencies need assistance in acquiring appropriate liability insurance to protect their Boards, volunteers and staff.
7. Partnerships: Promote innovative ways to foster partnerships among agencies, government and business that is not coercive (a requirement to receive a grant) so that information and expertise can be shared.
8. Training: Free or very low-cost leadership and other training for staff and volunteers on organizational development and management issues is needed.

Volunteerism Table: Volunteerism refers to all the resources needed to support the work of volunteers. From the perspective of small organizations/agencies, the various levels of government do not sufficiently encourage volunteering. "Proof is in the absence of mechanisms to support volunteerism." An in-depth analysis of the political, economic and social changes that have affected volunteerism in our society is needed. The analysis should incorporate findings emanating from small organizations and the volunteers that work within this sector. After a solid understanding of small organizations/agencies and their volunteers is obtained, then concrete and useful steps to enhance this part of the voluntary sector will be unmistakable. Focus group participants identified the following as a starting point to help organizations/agencies gain and maintain a volunteer base: resources to recruit, train and supervise volunteers; information on policy development, including risk management; and promotion of volunteering.

Recommendations:

1. Resources: Government support is needed by community groups to support their volunteer base (recruiting, screening, training, supervising and acknowledgement of volunteers).
2. Policy development: Assistance is needed with developing policies around volunteerism (e.g., determining suitability, risk management, liability, and screening costs such as police checks).
3. Management: Information and ideas are needed on how to manage volunteers (e.g., determining appropriate tasks and developing skills), including holding them accountable (reliability) for completing tasks and how to keep volunteers.
4. Promotion: Better promotion of the benefits of being a volunteer (e.g., self?development, self-esteem) is needed.

Information Management - Information Technology Table (IM-IT): IM-IT is about the use of technology to further the work of small organizations. Some groups are doing fine without IM-IT; however, the general consensus and perhaps the reality is that they are necessary tools for small, non-profit organizations/agencies. Resources are needed to purchase computer equipment, make use of the Internet, maintain computers/hardware, trouble-shoot problems, develop and maintain a website, and acquire software updates and new technology. Access to computers and computer training is essential for small organizations as well as the people and families that utilize their services.

Recommendations:

1. Technology: Some small agencies and organizations need the basic technological infrastructure of computers, software, phones and Internet.
2. Funding: Money is needed to maintain the computer equipment and purchase the software that will simplify their work.
3. Training: Free skill training on how to use the hardware and software is an ongoing need.
4. Technical help: Small organizations and agencies need technical help when the computer starts acting up (viruses, etc.). One suggestion was a federal website with a technician available to answer computer questions.

Regulatory Table: The regulatory framework is not only about federal charitable tax status (who qualifies; what you can and can't do when you have it; and who administers it within government), but it also addresses the liability of directors. There is an urgent need to review rules/regulations/policies affecting small organizations and agencies in Canada. The Federal Charitable Status Act is archaic: it needs to be changed drastically. Liability, and the fear of lawsuits, is a growing issue that is jeopardizing the ability of small organizations and agencies to attract volunteers and to respond to community needs. Poor insurance coverage for small organizations was also cited as a problem. The government could play a key role in partnering for insurance.

Recommendations:

1. Liability: Provide federal help for non-profit agencies/organizations and their volunteers and staff against lawsuits.
2. Charitable tax status: Improve access to charitable tax status by bringing the act into the 21st century and make the forms more user-friendly.
3. Advocacy rule: Get rid of the 10% advocacy rule. Small organizations and agencies need to advocate on behalf of their constituents to do their job effectively and ethically.
4. Federal forms: Look at ways to make the regulations and forms with regard to employees less time-consuming and complicated for small agencies and organizations.
5. Tax relief for volunteers: Investigate initiating a tax incentive program (e.g., tax credit) for people who volunteer.