Research contributes to improved policy and practices to strengthen the nonprofit sector, volunteerism, and citizen engagement.
Thanks to important collaborative relationships in the sector, there are many active applied research programs that produce valuable research and statistics.
We have gathered some key findings that shed light on different ways that volunteering contributes to and affects society—in Alberta, across Canada, and around the world. Research can include surveys, internal data, and collected outcome measures. Research can also be informed by broader-based sector statistics.
We monitor social trends, explore statistical information, and gather inspiring research in cooperation with other leading organizations to better help Alberta build healthy and resilient communities.
Recommended Reads
In the nonprofit sector, truly great stories of impact start with research and statistics. Applying research and statistics can improve your programming and services and can be used as evidence to back up or inspire your story.
Profiling the Nonprofit/Voluntary Sector in Alberta
The Alberta Nonprofit and Voluntary Sector Initiative (ANVSI) led the development of a paper that explores the core functions of the nonprofit/voluntary sector, and outlines the history of sector/government relationships. This paper includes statistics about the sector, and examples of how nonprofit organizations improve the3 quality of life for Albertans in every community.
Volunteer Canada’s Recognizing Volunteering in 2017
Volunteer Canada and Investors Group have been working together for the past 15 years to gain insights and to develop tools that support and recognize the full spectrum of volunteer engagement in Canada.
This report highlights our findings and analyzes them through the lens of Individual Social Responsibility (ISR) with the aim of equipping organizations, individuals, government agencies and businesses with knowledge so that we can find new ways to support, promote, and celebrate the myriad of ways Canadians put their values into action.
Volunteer Canada’s Bridging the Gap
A pan-Canadian study by Volunteer Canada and Manulife Financial focused on four volunteer groups: youth, families, baby boomers and workplace volunteers. This study informed a picture of today’s volunteers, and illuminated the barriers and challenges to effective engagement.
Volunteer Canada’s 2013 Volunteer Recognition Study
A national study exploring best practices in volunteer recognition and key drivers that lead to volunteer retention. This report shares the most effective ways of recognizing volunteers and common ways organizations recognize their volunteers.
Imagine Canada’s The New Narrative
Imagine Canada is working in partnership with other organizations to start a New Narrative about the impact of the nonprofit sector in Canada. Organizations have an important story to share and are a vital voice in shaping social policy – the Core Resource provides data on nonprofits in Canada to help inform this story.
Capacity Canada’s Story Telling Guide
Transforming research, data, and impact into stories that people connect with is a valuable strategy. This report and guide shares how to tell these stories, with seven chapters plus resources throughout, examples from the for-profit and nonprofit worlds, and an upcoming tools supplement to the guide.
More Capacity Canada Research & Resources
Vital Signs 2015 – Understanding BelongingWhat is ‘belonging’ and how can we create belonging for all people? Vital Signs explores and shares the history and data on ‘belonging’ in Canadian communities.
Vital Signs 2016 – Sports and Belonging
How can sport – when grounded in fairness, excellence, inclusion and fun – strengthen belonging to each other and to our communities?
Volunteerism Statistics
Survey of Giving, Volunteering, and Participating
Every two years, Statistics Canada conducts a national survey on Giving, Participating, and Volunteering in the nonprofit sector. Developed through partnerships with federal government departments and nonprofit sector organizations, this survey provides an overview of charitable giving and volunteering. This data can be applied on a national or provincial level, depending on the story you would like to tell.
The 2010 Canada Survey of Giving, Volunteering, and Participating (CSGVP) is the most recent survey featuring robust data on Canadians giving, volunteering, and participating.
The 2013 General Survey of Giving, Volunteering, and Participating (GSGVP) offers more current data on some of the areas covered by the CSGVP.
Volunteering in Canada, 2004 to 2013
Earlier this year, Statistics Canada, as part of their survey series on Giving, Participating, and Volunteering, released a report on the Canadian volunteer landscape. The report can help organizations with their volunteer recruitment, engagement, and retention strategies by exploring the patterns and trends currently affecting Canadian volunteers.
Volunteers and Donors in Arts and Culture Organizations in Canada
Volunteer time and financial donations given to Canadian arts and culture organizations, based on statistics that Hill Strategies Research queried from Statistics Canada’s 2013 General Social Survey on Giving, Volunteering, and Participating (GSS-GVP).
Alberta Nonprofit Sector Data
A Volunteer Alberta factsheet about volunteers in Alberta based on the data from the latest survey on Giving, Participating, and Volunteering in the nonprofit sector.
Alberta Nonprofit Sector Fact Sheet
In 2014, the Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations (CCVO), in partnership with Volunteer Alberta and Edmonton Chamber of Voluntary Organizations (ECVO), created a Nonprofit Fact Sheet providing an overview of the nonprofit sector in Alberta.
The Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations (CCVO) conducts an annual Alberta Nonprofit Survey focused on the health and experience of Alberta’s nonprofits and charities, and captures information on finances, demand for services, staffing and the future economic outlook of organizations.
Pulling from their Alberta Nonprofit Surveys, the Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations (CCVO) provides an annual snapshot of the Alberta nonprofit sector. The most recent data that matters to your organization is at your fingertips – filter, explore, and compare!
More CCVO research on the State of the Sector in Alberta.