NCoC: Giving and Volunteering

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Giving and Volunteering

Service to community and to others are critical ways individuals give back to community. Acts of service including formal volunteering through and organization, and less formal ways of helping others, such as working with neighbors to fix a community problem. Another way many people choose to give back is through charitable giving and philanthropy.

NCoC believes to address community issues and challenges in any area, research must be collected, discussion must occur, and solutions must be proposed. Here, you can see research, discussion, and solutions associated with giving and volunteering. This is meant to help explain and animate that focus area, as well as facilitate the process of moving from information to action within it.

Giving & Volunteering Issues:Research | Discussions | Solutions

Giving & Volunteering Research

Title	Date	Type
Signs of HopeAmong all of our indicators of civic health, only a few show signs of civic re-engagement.	Sep 18th, 2006	civic health index
A 9/11 Effect?Signs of HopeMany believed that September 11 would spark the nation into a sense of community that had deteriorated over the last three decades.	Sep 18th, 2006	civic health index
Political Activity And Expression Are RisingSigns of HopePrivate volunteerism is dwarfed by public spending in areas that affect critically the character and provision of important needs. However, government works better and leaders are held more accountable ...	Sep 18th, 2006	civic health index
Signs of Civic DeclineCommunity connectedness has declined consistently and almost relentlessly since the 1970s. However, since the late 1990s participation in political activities and expression of political views have increased.	Sep 18th, 2006	civic health index
Signs of Civic StabilityWhile most indicators of our civic health show decline, charitable giving has remained steady over the last 30 years. Volunteering among adults has remained steady in the past two years at 28.8% of the ...	Sep 18th, 2006	civic health index
Appendix I.1: Connecting to Civic and Religious GroupsThe IndicatorsThis category comprises five indicators. All the components have declined with the exception of monthly attendance at religious services (shown separately below).	Sep 18th, 2006	civic health index
Appendix I.4: Giving and VolunteeringThe IndicatorsOver the long term, the rates of giving and volunteering have been remarkably stable. Americans always seem to give roughly two percent of their after-tax income to philanthropy. The DDB’s measure ...	Sep 18th, 2006	civic health index
Executive SummaryAmerica’s Civic Health Index for 2009 shows that the economic recession is causing a civic depression. The national survey finds that 72% of Americans say they cut back on the time they spent volunteering, ...	August 27, 2009	civic health index
Lower-Income People Serve in More Personal WaysThe Economic Downturn is Reshaping Civic EngagementAmong non-volunteers, respondents in the lower income brackets were more likely to have given food, money, or shelter to those who were in need. When combining all forms of service, the civic gap is much ...	August 27, 2009	civic health index
Americans are Turning Inward and Cutting Back Civic Engagement in Tough Economic TimesThe Economic Downturn is Reshaping Civic Engagement66% said that people are responding to the current economic downturn by looking out for themselves, while only 19% said people around them are responding to the recession by helping each other more.	August 27, 2009	civic health index

Giving & Volunteering Discussions and Commentary

Title	Date	Type
Volunteering as a Pathway to EmploymentCan volunteering be the difference-maker in your next interview?NCoC believes that when our citizens are engaged, our communities are stronger and more resilient—and we have data to back it up. Exciting new research released today by our colleagues at the Corporation ...	June 18, 2013
Because You Do the Things You DoA guest blog post by Diana Aviv, President and CEO of Independent SectorWhat is the economic value of an hour of volunteer time? While those who volunteer are, by definition, not in it for the money, attaching a monetary worth to the effort helps us put in perspective the ...	April 2, 2013
Get Ready for Global Youth Service Day, April 26-28A guest blog from YSA (Youth Service America)Global Youth Service Day celebrates and mobilizes the millions of young people who improve their communities each day of the year through service. Read more about GYSD and how you can get involved here.	March 25, 2013
CECP Releases Giving in Numbers: 2012 EditionCECP’s Director Margaret Coady answers our questions on their latest reportThe Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP) is an international forum of business CEOs and chairpersons focused exclusively on corporate philanthropy. We interviewed CECP Director Margaret ...	November 13, 2012
Giving USA 2012: Who Gave, How Much, and To Whom in 2011?Event Reflection by Ashby GainesOn Friday, June 29, the Hudson Institute released reports on charitable giving rates at their Giving USA event. Summer Associate Ashby Gaines offers her reflections.	July 24, 2012	event reflection
Fearless Founders Inspire Fearless CitizensWhen we look at the history of our great country, seven key political leaders and statesmen stick out as exceptional leaders in their time. These Founding Fathers took action and fought for their ideals, ...	July 3, 2012
Public Policy Chat: John BridgelandThis month, NCoC Communications Fellow Alice Murphy talks to John Bridgeland, President and CEO of Civic Enterprises, about service-learning and how the U.S. has progressed on its promise to be a service ...	May 17, 2012	discussion
Public Policy Chat: Julie MurphyIn this month's Public Policy Chat, NCoC Communications Fellow Alice Murphy talks to Julie Murphy about volunteerism and how the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act has progressed since President Obama ...	April 18, 2012	discussion
Discussion: Can Engagement Strengthen the Economy?6 Hypotheses on the Link Between Civic Health and UnemploymentResearch shows a connection between civic health and a community’s ability to weather a recession. We’ve posited 6 hypotheses about why this connection exists, and invite you to join in a discussion.	February 16, 2012	discussion
Mandatory service for the unemployed? Discuss.A recent, hotly debated proposed law in Georgia would require out-of-work residents to perform at least 24 hours of community service with a nonprofit in order to receive unemployment benefits. Supporters ...	December 15, 2011	discussion

Giving & Volunteering Solutions

Title	Date	Type
New “Service as a Strategy” BlueprintsService as a Strategy is designed to help mayors identify and implement high-impact service strategies that address pressing local challenges. NCoC supports the initiative and is excited to spread ...	August 26, 2011	publication
All Volunteer ForceCivic Lives of Our Newest Generation of Veterans“All Volunteer Force: From Military to Civilian Service,” a report written by Civic Enterprises, and underwritten by Target and the Case Foundation, finds that the overwhelming majority of ...	November 11, 2009	publication
Funding and Fostering Local DemocracyWhat Philanthropy Should Know about the Emerging Field of Deliberation and Democratic GovernanceAs the philanthropic community grapples with the question of how to support innovative and effective forms of democratic governance, PACE (Philanthropy for Active Civic Engagement) has released a guide ...	May 19, 2009	publication

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Volunteering as a Pathway to EmploymentJune 18, 2013 NCoC and Points of Light Begin Search for America’s Top 50 Community-Minded CompaniesJune 6, 2013 Texas Ranks Among Lowest in Nation for Political Participation and Civic InvolvementJune 4, 2013

Dave DelucaJune 21, 2012 Jacob SoboroffApril 11, 2012 Dev AujlaFebruary 28, 2012