San Luis Obispo Non-Profit Support Center Feasibility Study

San Luis Obispo
Non-Profit Support Center Feasibility Study
1998-99

Cuesta College Institute of Professional Development

Study underwritten by PG&E Diablo Canyon Power Plant, Los Padres Customer Operations

Analysis of Survey Data

There were three parts to the feasibility study questionnaire: a demographics section; an organizational needs and methods section and a section on usage of a nonprofit support center. The analysis of the survey data is organized into these same three parts. Seventy-seven surveys were returned. Each agency was told to complete one survey per agency and combine the answers of several people from their agency if more than one person wanted to reply. Below is a break out of the 92 people who indicated that they completed the 77 surveys. There were 14 surveys returned that indicated that more than one person contributed to the answers.

Exhibit 1: People Who Completed Survey

People	N
Executive Director	44
Board Member	22
Support Staff	19
Volunteer(s)	7

Demographics Section

Agency Services
Agencies provided 14 types of services (See Exhibit 2). Over half of the agencies offered education and community services. Forty-five per cent offered human services and 32% offered health services. Twenty-three percent of the agencies offered "other" services. These included very specific services such as vocational training and placement, fundraising, food, sports, credit/debit counseling, coordination of services, child care, cremation membership, and mentoring. Three agencies that offered "other" services indicated advocacy and two indicated transportation.

Exhibit 2: Number of Agencies by Type of Service Offered
N=66

Type of Service	Number of Agencies
Education	38
Community Services	35
Human Services	30
Health	21
Recreational	18
Multicultural	15
Other	15
Arts/Culture	13
Environment	10
Public Sector	9
Economic Development	7
Spiritual	4
Animal Welfare	3
Agriculture	1

Exhibit 3:

Analysis
Education was the most frequently reported service which may indicate that education is seen as an integral part of providing service in this community where there is a constant an influx of newcomers to the community. With the highest percentage of services being community oriented (education, community services and human services), it can be said that the San Luis area believes in supporting and caring for its community members.

Over three quarters of the agencies offered more than one service while 24 % offered only one service. Over a third of the agencies (38%) offered two or three types of services and an additional 24% offered four or five services. Fourteen per cent offered six or more services.

Exhibit 4: Number of Services Provided by Agency
N=66

Number of Services Reported by Agency	N	Percentage
One Service	16	24%
Two Services	11	17%
Three Services	14	21%
Four Services	8	12%
Five Services	8	12%
Six Services	4	6%
Seven Services	2	3%
More than Seven Services	3	5%

Analysis
Since most of the agencies reported offering more than one service there could be a duplication of services that some agencies are unaware of and a central data base in a Support Center could help link agencies for funding and resources.

Geographical Areas
Exhibit 5:

The majority of agencies indicated that they provided services in all areas. Eighty per cent of the agencies indicated that they served the North county. Both South county and San Luis Obispo were chosen by 79% of the agencies. However, there were slightly fewer agencies (74%) that indicated that they offered services in the Coastal area.

Analysis
These differences were very small considering the size of the sample. Overall it seemed as though the agencies responding to the survey provided services in almost all of the areas with very few providing in only one area.

Funding
Of the agencies surveyed, twenty-six percent had budgets of under $50,000 and 40% had budget ranges of $100,000 or less. Twenty-seven percent had budgets between $101,000 to $500,000. Fourteen percent have budgets between $501,000 to $1.5 million and 18% had budgets between $1.5 million to over $3 million. Budget ranges of the agencies returning surveys are shown in Exhibit 6.

Exhibit 6:

Financial Support
There were five sources of financial support identified: individual contributions and fundraising; government funding; private foundations; special events and an "other" category including fees and tuition (see Exhibit 7). Individual contributions and fundraising was the most common category with 89% of the respondents identifying it as a funding source. This was followed by government funding at 70% and special events and the "other" category (including fees and tuition) at 49% and 48% respectively. Only a third of the agencies had indicated private foundation funding. On average 55% of all agencies' funding came from government funding. Only 13% of all agencies' funding came from foundations. There were four agencies that did not respond to this question so that the total number of responses was 73.

Exhibit 7: Sources of Financial Support
N=73

Sources of Funding	Number of Agencies Using Funding Source	Percentage of Agencies Using Funding Source	Percentage of Agencies Budget Using Designated Funding Source
Individual Contributions /Fundraising	65	89%	32%
Government Funding	51	70%	55%
Private Foundations	25	34%	13%
Special Events	36	49%	22%
Other (fees, tuition, etc)	35	48%	37%

Analysis
This low percentage of foundation funding may be due to the scarcity of foundations in the area and the fact that agencies may not be aware of available funds from this particular funding source. The low percentage of foundation funding also suggested that foundation money was underutilized, and that efforts could be made to encourage non-profit organizations to seek this type of money as an alternative source of funding.

Staffing
Seventy-five percent of the agencies indicated that they use paid staff with a range of one to three hundred, and a median of six. The remaining 25% of agencies functioned solely on the efforts of volunteers. The number of people volunteering for the various agencies ranged from none to 5,000 with the average number of volunteers for all agencies being 233 and a median being 50. Ninety-two percent of the agencies have Boards of Directors with an average of 13 Board members and a range of six to 51.

Analysis
The large number of volunteers suggested that the area had community members who were willing to offer their time and skills to those in need. It may also explain why individual contributions and fundraising were such a major source of funding for so many agencies. The large number of volunteers may substantiate the interview data that suggested people in the San Luis Obispo community wear several hats and volunteer at several agencies and that newcomers in the community use volunteering as a way to establish ties with the community.

Proceed to the Analysis of Survey Data: Organization Needs and Methods Section.

Return to the Feasibility Study Table of Contents.

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