CCVO News

Sharing Services, Sharing Space

March 23, 2010
Charities and nonprofits from across the country are showing a growing interest in establishing or joining networks to share materials, resources, space, and back-office functions in order to reduce costs and increase impact. To help provide insight and develop expertise in these and other collaborative practices, the Calgary Chamber of Voluntary Organizations (CCVO) is undertaking a multi-phase project. CCVO's latest research report, Sharing Services, Sharing Space: Laying the foundation for increased collaboration in the voluntary sector, is the first phase of this initiative.
More than 200 organizations and sector leaders provided input into a comprehensive view of the shared service and co-location landscape in Calgary. Some interesting insights were discovered.
  • Of the 22% of survey respondents that currently share services, 97% reported that they were satisfied with current arrangements.
  • Cost savings and improved operations were cited as the primary reasons for sharing services, but additional benefits included improved access to knowledge and resources.
  • One third of survey respondents currently co-locate with another agency, and 81% of those indicate they have received the benefits they sought through co-location, including improved operations and program delivery and improved access to bigger or better spaces.
  • A recurrent theme in the findings was the soft cost of collaboration and how business models must take that into consideration.

The report helps shape a path forward with recommendations that include: developing a better understanding of working models and structural challenges; recognizing that developing these initiatives is more complicated and time consuming than expected; creating mechanisms for organizations to share their stories; and, although each project has elements unique to its own path, understanding motivations, having clear and comprehensive business plans and allowing for expansion and disengagement are critical to success.