“Voluntary Sector-Rich” and “Voluntary Sector-Poor”: What Difference Does the Distinction Really Make?

Nonprofit organizations serve a distinctive role within American society. Collectively, nonprofits are viewed as major sources of social capital, contributors to the public good, and the value guardians within communities. Nonprofits also have a sizeable (and quite positive) impact on the nation\u27s economy. Despite the social and economic significance of nonprofits, though, research has shown that nonprofit organizations and resources are not always distributed evenly across communities. Indeed, Wolch (1990) has observed that some communities are voluntary sector-rich, while others are voluntary sector-poor. Therefore, many of the benefits often associated with the presence of nonprofits may not be actualized, or even attainable, in all areas. The purpose of this study was three-fold. First, this study was intended to examine how size and scope dimensions of the nonprofit sector differed across communities within a particular region. Second, this study was intended to test, at a local level, the relevance of existing theories and concepts that explain variation in the distribution of nonprofit activity. Third, this study was intended to explore whether, and to what extent, differences in the voluntary landscape of communities were related to differences in public attitudes toward nonprofit organizations. Findings from this study indicated that nonprofit activity varied considerably. Through the use of a series of Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression models, several theoretically-derived community predictors were found to significantly influence the distribution of nonprofit activity. Moreover, results of a cluster analysis procedure revealed three distinct voluntary sector community types in the study region: voluntary sector-rich, voluntary sector-mixed, and voluntary sector-poor. Significant differences were found to exist in public attitudes across community types. In particular, residents in voluntary sector-rich communities expressed the most confidence in, and demonstrated the highest awareness of, the nonprofit sector. Residents in voluntary sector-poor communities expressed the least confidence in, and demonstrated the lowest awareness of, the nonprofit sector. More residents in voluntary sector-mixed communities believed that government agencies did the best job of helping people and spending money wisely. Finally, results of several logistic and logit regression models indicated that a number of individual factors influenced public attitudes toward nonprofits in each area

Nonprofits and the Promotion of Civic Engagement: A Conceptual Framework for Understanding the “Civic Footprint” of Nonprofits within Local Communities

The literature suggests that nonprofit organizations provide civic benefits by promoting engagement within local communities. However, there exists minimal empirical evidence describing the ways in which nonprofits actually undertake this role. In order to address this omission, we conducted interviews with personnel of nonprofit organizations in one rural community in the United States. Our preliminary findings indicate that nonprofit organizations promote civic engagement through programs and activities that: 1) engage volunteers and donors; 2) bring community members together; 3) collaborate with organizations within and beyond the community; and 4) promote community education and awareness. Together, these findings help to develop a working model to understand the civic footprint of nonprofit organizations with methodological implications for future research that would seek to measure the extent to which nonprofits promote civic engagement

Introduction to the Issue

Introduction to the Issu

The Appreciated Sector: Public Confidence in San Diego County Nonprofit Organizations

From November 2007 to January 2008, a total of 1,002 adult San Diego County residents responded to a survey designed to assess their confidence in the ability of local nonprofit organizations to provide quality services on the public's behalf and to spend money wisely. At the beginning of this survey, participants were given an identification test to determine their awareness of nonprofit organizations. Additionally, respondents were asked several questions related to their confidence in San Diego County nonprofit sub-sectors (i.e., arts, human services, environment, etc.), as well as their involvement in the local nonprofit sector through giving and volunteerism.When comparing the nonprofit, for-profit, and government sectors, San Diegans had the most confidence in nonprofits to provide quality services, spend money wisely, and represent the public's interest. Other key findings in this report include the following:- Seventy-five percent of respondents expressed either a great deal or a fair amount of confidence in the ability of San Diego County nonprofits to spend money wisely- Seventy-five percent of respondents reported making a financial contribution to a nonprofit organization in 2007 Media coverage, opinions of friends and colleagues, and an organization's website were the leading sources of information consulted prior to making a financial donation- San Diegans expressed more confidence in the ability of local nonprofit organizations to spend money wisely than the American public has expressed in national surveys of public confidence- Persons demonstrating higher levels of nonprofit awareness were nearly three times as likely to express higher levels of confidence in the ability of nonprofit organizations to effectively provide quality services - Persons demonstrating higher levels of nonprofit awareness were nearly two times as likely to express higher levels of confidence in the ability of nonprofit organizations to spend money wisely- According to the survey results, more than a third of San Diegans (40 percent) indicated that they volunteered with a nonprofit organization in 2007- More than 86 percent of respondents had an overwhelmingly positive impression of the support provided by local nonprofits during the 2007 firestorm- Despite their generally positive view of the nonprofit sector, many San Diegans indicated that they were unlikely to choose a nonprofit service provider in the areas of education and healthcare.The Caster Family Center for Nonprofit Research which is housed in the Institute for Nonprofit Education and Research

The Appreciated Sector: Public Confidence in San Diego County Nonprofit Organizations

Do San Diegans have confidence in the nonprofit sector? How are you affected as a nonprofit leader? Read the results on the most comprehensive survey ever conducted on this topic!https://digital.sandiego.edu/npi-stateofnp/1010/thumbnail.jp

Positive effects of methylphenidate on hyperactivity are moderated by monoaminergic gene variants in children with autism spectrum disorders.

Methylphenidate (MPH) reduces hyperactive-impulsive symptoms common in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs), however, response and tolerability varies widely. We hypothesized monoaminergic gene variants may moderate MPH effects in ASD, as in typically developing children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Genotype data were available for 64 children with ASD and hyperactivity who were exposed to MPH during a 1-week safety/tolerability lead-in phase and 58 who went on to be randomized to placebo and three doses of MPH during a 4-week blinded, crossover study. Outcome measures included the Clinical Global Impression-Improvement (CGI-I) scale and the Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC-hyperactivity index). A total of 14 subjects discontinued the study because of MPH side effects. Subjects were genotyped for variants in DRD1-DRD5, ADRA2A, SLC6A3, SLC6A4, MAOA and MAOB, and COMT. Forty-nine percent of the sample met positive responder criteria. In this modest but relatively homogeneous sample, significant differences by DRD1 (P=0.006), ADRA2A (P<0.02), COMT (P<0.04), DRD3 (P<0.05), DRD4 (P<0.05), SLC6A3 (P<0.05) and SLC6A4 (P<0.05) genotypes were found for responders versus non-responders. Variants in DRD2 (P<0.001) and DRD3 (P<0.04) were associated with tolerability in the 14 subjects who discontinued the trial. For this first MPH pharmacogenetic study in children with ASD, multiple monoaminergic gene variants may help explain individual differences in MPH's efficacy and tolerability

Psychopharmacologic Treatment of Children Prenatally Exposed to Drugs of Abuse

Objective This pilot study compared the pharmacologic treatment history and clinical outcomes observed in pediatric outpatients with psychiatric disorders exposed to drugs of abuse in utero to those of an age-matched, sex-matched and psychiatric disorder-matched, non-drug-exposed group. Methods In this matched cohort study, medical records of children treated at an academic, child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinic were reviewed. Children with caregiver-reported history of prenatal drug exposure were compared with a non-drug-exposed control group being cared for by the same providers. Patients were rated with the Clinical Global Impressions—Severity scale (CGI-S) throughout treatment. The changes in pre-treatment and post-treatment CGI-S scores and the total number of medication trials were determined between groups. Results The drug-exposed group (n = 30) had a higher total number of lifetime medication trials compared with the non-drug-exposed group (n = 28) and were taking significantly more total medications, at their final assessment. Unlike the non-drug-exposed group, the drug-exposed group demonstrated a lack of clinical improvement. Conclusions These results suggest that in utero drug-exposed children may be more treatment-refractory to or experience greater side effects from the pharmacologic treatment of psychiatric disorders than controls, although we cannot determine if early environment or drugs exposure drives these findings

Evaluation of CSF neurotransmitters and folate in 25 patients with Rett disorder and effects of treatment

Background: Rett disorder (RD) is a progressive neurodevelopmental entity caused by mutations in the MECP2 gene. It has been postulated that there are alterations in the levels of certain neurotransmitters and folate in the pathogenesis of this disease. Here we re-evaluated this hypothesis. Patients and methods: We evaluated CSF folate, biogenic amines and pterines in 25 RD patients. Treatment with oral folinic acid was started in those cases with low folate. Patients were clinically evaluated and videotaped up to 6 months after therapy. Results: CSF folate was below the reference values in 32% of the patients. Six months after treatment no clinical improvement was observed. Three of the four patients with the R294X mutation had increased levels of a dopamine metabolite associated to a particular phenotype. Three patients had low levels of a serotonin metabolite. Two of them were treated with fluoxetine and one showed clinical improvement. No association was observed between CSF folate and these metabolites, after adjusting for the patients age and neopterin levels. Conclusion: Our results support that folinic acid supplementation has no significant effects on the course of the disease. We report discrete and novel neurotransmitter abnormalities that may contribute to the pathogenesis of RD highlighting the need for further studies on CSF neurotransmitters in clinically and genetically well characterized patients.Research in Rett syndrome is supported by FSE/FEDER and Fundação para a Ciência e Tecnologia (FCT, Portugal), Grant No. POCTI 41416/2001