Posted on December 11, 2024
Over 95% of Organizations Conduct ‘Courses and Training’; 67.1% Actively Engage in ‘Policy Recommendations
The Japan NPO Center has conducted its first organizational survey focused on theme-based networks* and has published the findings in the 2023 Report on the Actual Conditions of Theme-Based Network Organizations.
*Theme-based network organizations are defined as nonprofit organizations comprising multiple groups working on the same social issue (theme), operating on a wide scale, leveraging their networks to share knowledge, conduct joint training sessions, and engage in nationwide research and advocacy activities.
Purpose
This study aims to understand the realities and activities of network organizations, which play a crucial role in Japanese civil society but often face low public recognition. Our goal is to promote greater support for these organizations, enabling corporations and foundations to provide more effective assistance across various fields and themes.
Survey Overview
- Implementing Organization: Japan NPO Center (JNPOC)
- Survey Period: February 22 to March 8, 2024
- Survey Request Method:
- Target organizations were selected from among member organizations and network organizations with which JNPOC has partnered, as well as from the JNPOC’s NPO database, NPO Hiroba and other databases related to public interest corporations.
- A survey request was sent via email to 150 selected organizations.
- Survey Method: Web-based questionnaire
- Number of Responding Organizations: 43 organizations (response rate: 28.7%)
- Cooperation: Professor Yuko Suda (Faculty of Sociology, Toyo University), Students enrolled in Sociology I, Faculty of Sociology, Toyo University, 2024
- Download Report (PDF): 2023 Report on the Actual Conditions of Theme-Based Network Organizations (in Japanese only) (1,725KB)
Key Survey Findings
About the Organizations
- Establishment: Among the 43 organizations that responded, 72.3% have been established for over 10 years.
- Legal Status: 46.5% are specified nonprofit corporations, followed by 18.6% which are unincorporated associations.
About Network Participation
- Number of Participating Organizations: Regarding the number of organizations participating in the network, “1-50 organizations” was the most common at 41.8%. Meanwhile, “over 100 organizations” accounted for 11.6%.
- Geographical Scope: 69.8% of participating organizations had a nationwide scope.
About Income
- Revenue: 27.9% of organizations had an income exceeding 50 million yen, the highest percentage. This was followed by 5.01 million to 10 million yen (18.6%) and 10.01 million to 30 million yen (18.6%).
- Revenue Sources: 90.7% of organizations received membership fees, and 86.0% conducted some form of independent business. Furthermore, 58.1% received corporate donations, while 76.7% received donations from the general public (individuals).
About Human Resources
- Full-time Staff: 32.6% of organizations had no full-time staff, the highest percentage. Additionally, nearly half of the organizations had one or fewer part-time staff.
About Activities
- Activities: The most common activities were “courses and training” (95.3%), followed by “events to promote inter-organizational exchange” (83.7%), “publishing newsletters and magazines” and “research” (both 72.1%), “policy advocacy” (67.1%), and “providing information and guidance on grants and training” (51.2%).
About Desired Knowledge and Skills for the Future
- Skills Development: The most desired skills were “fundraising” (60.4%), followed by “organizational management” (58.1%), “public relations” (53.5%), and “human resource development” (51.1%).
Special thanks: JNPOC would like to express our sincere thanks to Professor Yuko Suda of the Department of Sociology, Faculty of Sociology, Toyo University, for her invaluable assistance in tabulating the survey data. We would also like to thank all the participating organizations for taking the time to participate in our study, despite their busy schedules.
Original Japanese text by Eiji Ueda (JNPOC’s Deputy Managing Director), initially posted on November 28, 2024; edited and translated by JNPOC.