 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
Sign up to receive PND e-newsletters. |
|
| |
|
| Re: Looking for studies on non-profit statistics
Posted by Tony Poderis   on 3/11/2009, 2:09 pm, in reply to "Looking for studies on non-profit statistics"
VIP Poster
My guess is that there are no such studies and surveys---that is, of any real meaning. Settling on survey parameters, such as size of organization, type, duration of service, number included in the survey, etc., would be an exercise in futility, in my opinion---even in Academia. Plus, your search for statistics would be even less likely a success with the broad and very general categories you presented, such as wanting to know. “... number of years to raise varying amounts ...”
There are non-profits numbering in the hundreds of thousands (maybe near 1 million) operating at any given time. That is an ever-moving number comprising of non-profits failing, and non-profits emerging. And, operating budgets would range from in the thousands of dollars, to many millions.
Another big problem is that any meaningful survey attempt would not have a full range of non-profits with which to work with the absence of many organizations as survey candidates. Most surveys and studies rely on the IRS document, Form 990, and there the information given by non-profits is not always found or sound. From what I understand, about one-third of the charities recognized by the IRS must file one of two 990 forms. Religious institutions and charities having revenues below a stated minimum, are not required to file. The latter would result in a very large void in the search for meaningful data.
It is widely known that a significant number of Form 990s are filed each year which have omissions and errors. Studies by the General Accounting Office and other non-profit authorities say that more than half of all Form 990s submitted to the IRS do not meet requirements. So, gathering data, meaningful data, would be working with many missing and faulty pieces of the puzzle.
Tony
Tony Poderis
http://www.raise-funds.com
- Fund Raising Forum Library: 50 feature articles
- Exhibit & Document Library: 98 items
- Potpourri Library: 10 Incidental/essential articles
• Permission to reproduce any material is not required
|
| |
