Our quantitative work helps to explain the distribution of third sector organisations, analyse their contribution to society and the economy and understand their dynamics.
This research stream is designed to improve our understanding of the third sector through a large-scale programme of quantitative work. We are interested in data on third sector organisations and their resources, as well as financial inputs to the sector (funding flows), and human inputs (e.g. the paid workforce and volunteers).
Current work
We are working to establish robust quantitative databases on organisations and resources in the third sector. We are conducting high level analyses of these and other datasets so that policy makers and practitioners have a better understanding of trends in the sector and a better basis to predict future developments (TSRC
Working Paper 62 gives an overview).
Our very substantial panel dataset on registered charities was used by Peter Backus and David Clifford to measure growth and change in the charity sector, looking at changes in the concentration of resources (see Working papers 38 and 39).
Using data from the National Survey of Third Sector Organisations (NSTSO), we have analysed the exposure of third sector organisations to public funding, as well as the distribution of local voluntary organisations, and have been looking at how these relate to area deprivation and type of organisation (see
Working Paper 45 and
Working Paper 65)
Our work on volunteering and participation uses the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) to assess the extent to which individuals move in and out of volunteering “states”, and attempts to quantify the relative contribution being made by different groups of the population. (See working paper 73: the idea of a civic core)
Other research
Quantitative analysis feeds into research throughout the Centre. Some examples of quantitative research in other streams include:
Next steps
Work is continuing on:
- the development of our large-scale database of third sector organisations, in conjunction with NCVO;
- survey datasets on volunteering, including work on longitudinal analysis;
- organisations operating at the neighbourhood scale
In addition, we will work on the panel of registered charities and other third sector organisations. This includes longitudinal work on the growth and distribution of third sector resources over time.
Research contacts