Over the past decade, the third sector has had tremendous growth worldwide in both size and importance. As many countries struggle to address this changing reality, many have adopted policy initiatives aimed at changing the ways the third sector is addressed. It is a complex process, involving different fields of practice, different levels of government, and different types of third sector organizations. The contributions to this timely volume detail the process as carried out in eight diverse countries: US UK, Canada, Hungary, Germany, Ireland, Israel, Japan, all of whom have recently enacted policy initiatives towards the third sector. The studies are comprehensive: from reviewing the current policy, enacting new laws, supervisory mechanisms, and modes of funding. Featuring a postscript from Helmut Anheier (UCLA School of Public Policy, Los Angeles, CA, USA and Hertie School of Governance, Berlin, Germany), the thorough analysis in this volume will provide a new understanding of the policy initiatives in the eight countries studied, as well as guiding principles for other countries that may implement such initiatives in the future. The resulting work will give researchers in sociology, social work, third sector research, and international economics a new framework for understanding the Third Sector: its role in society, and its relationships with government, the market, and the citizens of the country.

Government-Nonprofit Relations in Times of Recession brings together contributions by international scholars to examine how the relationships between governments and nonprofit organizations have shifted as a result of the global recession. Each chapter provides a detailed analysis of the impact of the recession on government operations and on the nonprofit sector. It is essential reading for academics and practitioners interested in the current policy agendas with regard to the nonprofit sector. This book is the sixth volume to emerge from the Public Policy and Third Sector Initiative in the School of Policy Studies at Queen's University, and is based on the Tenth Annual National Forum of the Initiative, which brought together public servants, experts, and practitioners to discuss the evolution of government-nonprofit relations. Contributors include Nicholas Acheson (University of Ulster), John Butcher (Australian National University), John Casey (City University of New York), Gemma Donnelly-Cox (Trinity College), John A. Healy (Atlantic Philanthropies), Rachel Laforest (Queen's University), Barbara Levine (Carleton University), Carmen Parra (University Abat Oliba Ceu), Colin Rochester (University of London), Björn Schmitz (University of Heidelberg), Steven Rathgeb Smith (American University, The University of Washington), Marilyn Taylor (University of London), Evren Tok (Hamad Bin Kkalifa University), and Meta Zimmeck (Roehamptom University).

Presents a collection of comparative studies of civil society around two main issues: the comparison and analysis of civil society regimes in relation to different constructions of citizenship and welfare states and the role of civil society in governance and active participation of citizens.

The relationship between the state and the voluntary sector has changed significantly since 1948 when Beveridge’s major report, Voluntary Action, was first published. Sixty years later, a group of historians analyse and reassess the impact of Beveridge’s ideas about voluntary action for social advance in this timely volume. Using examples from the UK, Australasia and Canada, this book clearly articulates the importance and significance of Beveridge's ideas on voluntary action within an international context. With the emphasis of governments on the importance of the voluntary or 'third sector' and the development of policies and practices to enhance social capital, build civil society and engage communities, this book will be invaluable for those interested in how the third sector has evolved over time. It will be of interest to historians, social policy researchers, political theorists, economists and educationalists.

The Politics of Charity examines the contemporary political role played by charity, as legally defined, in the developed democratic nations. It considers how this has come about, why it is now significant, what it is that is integral to the content and role of ‘charity’ that allows it to hold such a pivotal political position and why this would seem to be non-transferable to undemocratic nations. It also identifies and assesses the political relevance of different types of charitable activity.

Israel is considered a developed country yet both security issues and its frequently changing demographic makeup set Israel apart and imply that Israeli policy analysts must operate in a unique environment and grapple with exceptional challenges. This volume, part of the successful International Library of Policy Analysis series, brings together for the first time a comprehensive study of policy analysis in Israel. Following an introductory chapter that discusses the paradoxical history of policy analysis in Israel by Yehezkel Dror, leading figures from both the Israeli public and academic spheres discuss different aspects of policy analysis in Israel. While Israeli policy analysis is in some respects unique, Israel also represents a broad category of states that could be considered as policy analysis "late developers". Hence, while Israeli policy analysis is fascinating in and of itself, its study also holds important lessons for other countries.

The chapters in this collection offer compelling and candid analyses of the realities of nonprofit funding in Western Canada.

The Profits of Charity examines the contemporary law governing the involvement of charity in commerce, explores the reasons why this involvement is dramatically changing and considers the resulting implications for charities and the nonprofit sector. From a perspective familiar to charity lawyers, NGO managers, and scholars, Kerry O'Halloran identifies the concepts and the law underpinning charities and their profits by tracing legal developments in the field and identifying the resulting opportunities and challenges for the future. At a time when many leading nations are confronting economic recession, the threat of terrorism, and the retreat of the 'welfare state,' this book explores how and why governments are now turning to charities in their quest to cultivate social capital, consolidate civil society, and promote civic engagement. In The Profits of Charity, Professor O'Halloran undertakes a comparative analysis of the balance struck between government, charity, and commerce in the EU and leading common law nations, including the United States, Canada, England and Wales, New Zealand, and Australia. He uses analysis of legislation, outcomes of charity law reviews, and recent case law to illustrate jurisdictional differences, and concludes with an assessment of the extent and significance of the recalibrated relationships and considers the overarching issues that arise for charity law and social policy.

An analysis of the features of both governmental regulation of non-profit organizations and self-regulation by non-profit sectors themselves.

This book examines de facto regulation frameworks and methods in a variety of areas, such as banking, transportation, cyberspace, the non-profit sector, and more. Authored by experts in the field, this book deals with the “big” questions about the idea of regulation. It reveals the tentativeness of current regulatory schemes, the difficulties in balancing between the shared objective of protecting the public interest and other interests such as market stability, and promoting competition. The case studies point to the need for better planning and for more coherent policies. This collection offers to students of public policy, management and law, policy makers and practitioners a broad spectrum of insights—theoretical and practical—and contributes to the ongoing deliberations on the ways that regulatory arrangements could serve the public interest more efficiently.