[CivilSoc] Report on Survey of CivilSoc Members

[Moderator]

Dear CivilSoc members:
Civil Society International (CSI) thanks the 74 CivilSoc subscribers who
took time to answer the recent survey sent out to all members.  In many
cases their responses were very helpful and creative. The report on that
survey follows. It can also be seen at www.civilsoc.org/survey.htm or by
clicking a link titled "CivilSoc Survey" on the home page of the Civil
Society International web site (left side of page, under "CSI").
Holt Ruffin
CivilSoc Moderator
moderator at civilsoc.org
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REPORT ON SURVEY OF CIVILSOC MEMBERS
Feb 12-17, 2003
This report has two sections:
    A. The Survey and Responses
    B. Conclusions
A. THE SURVEY AND RESPONSES
74 CivilSoc subscribers responded to the survey, which was e-mailed to the
list twice, on February 12 and again on February 17. The responses were as
follows.
Question 1.  Volume of e-mail that comes from CivilSoc?
Findings: A large majority of respondents thought the volume was fine.  A
small number thought it was too much, and an equally small number, too
little.  Several respondents remarked that receiving messages in digest
form, that is, "bundled" into a single e-mail at the end of the day, made
managing the CivilSoc "inbox" significantly easier.
Question 2.  Mix of information that comes from CivilSoc? Too many job
announcements?  Too few?
Findings: On this question, answers varied more.  Some respondents
complained about too few job announcements, but more respondents felt there
were not enough.  Some wanted to see more information on grant
opportunities, conference announcements, or news of NGOs. Some wished
CivilSoc carried more postings that related to their particular country
(e.g,. Ukraine or Bulgaria) or region (e.g., Eastern Europe). A large number
of respondents expressed an interest in receiving more general news and
analysis on issues of civil society.
3.  Splitting CivilSoc into two: (a) job announcements and (b) all the rest,
e.g., news and analysis on civil society in the Eurasia and Eastern Europe
region, etc.
Findings: One respondent felt that the way this question was put biased the
answers.  A large majority of respondents indicated that they preferred
keeping the list as one.  Many thought that a quick scan of an e-mail's
subject line rapidly indicated whether a message was about a job opening or
not, allowing the subscriber to decide quickly whether to read or delete.
4.  How to improve the financial condition of CivilSoc?
Findings: A number of respondents suggested engaging a professional
fund-raiser.
a. Subscription fee for CivilSoc?
Findings: Many respondents, including some from the NIS or CEE region,
indicated a willingness to pay a subscription fee, but many also indicated
they would or could not. Some expressed a concern that if a fee were
imposed, many of the NGOs from the region-"the greatest asset of this
 list"-would have to leave the list.  Others worried that students and other
younger members of the list would have to leave, leaving only
"post-doctorates and professionals."
b.  Periodic (say, semi-annual) appeals for donations from members?
Findings: Most people who answered this question thought that asking for
donations once or twice a year was a good idea.  Two respondents disagreed.
One felt there are "too many abusive beg-a-thons all around already."
Another thought that appeals for donations might work "eventually," but at
present "CivilSoc does not have a focused enough identity."  This respondent
recommended a series of steps, including developing a stronger mission
statement, a board, a "strategic plan," and a method for measuring success
and informing others about it.  Then we could "ask for money and get it."
c.  Suggestions of foundation or corporations that might like to be a
sponsor of CivilSoc?
Findings: One or two respondents suggested working with Russian NGOs to ask
for support from corporations that have invested in Russia, e.g.,
Caterpillar, Ford Motor Co., American Express. Others expressed some concern
should CivilSoc find a corporate or commercial sponsor, since so many
subscribers are "very independent, third sector nonprofit types."  Several
suggested organizations to approach. These included: Ford Foundation,
Council on Foreign Relations, Heritage Foundation, Carnegie Endowment for
International Peace, IREX, Carnegie Corporation, Soros, World Bank, Center
for Strategic and International Studies, Microsoft, Eurasia Foundation,
USAID, "one of the credit card companies," etc.
4.  Other ideas?
Findings: This section had numerous encouraging statements of general
support for CivilSoc. For example:
"I can't imagine being in the field without CivilSoc as a resource, and I
imagine others couldn't either"
"I certainly think that you have been extremely successful in becoming one
of the premier information exchange points for a very diverse group of
people with interest in the former Soviet Union and the development of civil
society there."
"This digest has been an invaluable help to our graduates as they seek jobs
regarding issues in civil society.  I hope that many of our graduates are
prepared to meet the challenges that these positions present. We post these
jobs on our web site (www.gspia.pitt.edu) and in our e-newsletter, Career
Clips, so that the students see these opportunities. Thank you so much for
providing this help and connection."
"So, I am as a subscriber interested in many informations regarding
education, financed by international organizations. I think it will be
interesting not only for me, but for many, many other young people of the
world.  I wish CivilSoc many successes and prosperity. You are very
important for each of your subscribers! Thank for your work and efforts."
B. CONCLUSIONS.
Based on the survey of CivilSoc list members conducted in mid-February 2003,
Civil Society International has concluded the following:
1. CivilSoc is generally viewed positively as a useful service to many
people concerned with the NIS region (and to a less extent Eastern Europe).
It may only be partly an exaggeration to say, as one respondent did: "I
can't imagine being in the field without CivilSoc as a resource, and I
imagine others couldn't either."
2. Subscribers in general feel that the volume of announcements, which
averages between 1-3/day, is acceptable-not too high and not too low.
3. As to the "mix" of announcements, or the content of CivilSoc postings,
CSI will attempt to respond to that sizable number of respondents who wrote
that they would like to see more news and analysis of civil society issues,
and more information about the NGO sector, in addition to the job
announcements. (Others suggested giving more emphasis to, for example,
Eastern European countries, economic issues, and information on grants and
scholarships.)
It needs to be pointed out, however, that any enriching of CivilSoc content
comes down to a question of time and resources: time to seek out appropriate
items, time to research and check them, and time to write them up. If
CivilSoc subscribers, many of whom are themselves in "the field," would
themselves occasionally contribute news, stories, and analysis about
developments in their field of activity or their country, this would be one
solution to the time and resources constraint.
4. As to methods for improving the financial basis of CivilSoc, it is
decided that instituting a fee-for-subscription requirement on any list
members is not desirable, as it could drive too many people off the list who
may not be able to afford to pay--and yet who benefit greatly from being on
the list.
5. Civil Society International (CSI) will make appeals for donations for
CivilSoc twice a year to all members. To the extent that we can discover who
has benefitted materially from being on the list-by finding jobs, sources of
grants, partners for projects, etc.-we will especially target them for
donations.
6. CSI will approach foundations and organizations working in the NIS about
becoming sponsors for CivilSoc. Since it does not appear likely that
bi-annual appeals for voluntary donations will bring in the approximately
$15,000--$20,000 that CivilSoc costs to run-especially a CivilSoc that gives
more attention to NGO developments, news and analysis about civil society,
and economic developments that affect the third sector in different
countries-finding such support will be essential to the improvement of
CivilSoc content. If funding can be found through a short-term ad hoc grant,
CSI will consider engaging a professional fundraiser to help find long-term
sponsorship for CivilSoc.
If any list members have further ideas to contribute, please send me an
e-mail to moderator at civilsoc.org