CHAPTER FOUR: FINDINGS

• 4.1 - Overview
• 4.2 - Participants' Profile
• 4.3 - Primary Research Questions
• 4.4 - Secondary Research Questions
• 4.5 - Summary of Findings
  

4.1: OVERVIEW (back to top)

This chapter presents the findings from this study involving a detailed analysis of data gathered revealing the key factors that contributed to the rapid growth of Community Volunteers Foundation and their relationship to existing literature of (1) lifecycle models, (2) capacity building and organizational effectiveness theories, and (3) high impact growth approaches.

The aim of this study was to identify and describe the elements that enabled Community Volunteers Foundation to achieve a remarkable transition from start-up to maturity stage.   The study is intended to assist the leaders of this organization to develop strategies for further growth and expansion while seeking further stability.  These findings may also shed light on past challenges that the organization faced as well as future roadblocks to sustaining its high impact.  On another note, the findings may empower the reader to apply the replicable success criteria in other organizations to accomplish similar astonishing results.  Such application of knowledge indisputably would impact the growth of nonprofit sector.

As introduced earlier, this study was guided by the following research questions:

Primary:  How did Community Volunteers Foundation achieve-early stage growth? What are the key factors that enabled this growth?

Secondary: What were the main difficulties faced during its growth? What are the perceived challenges in sustaining performance?

Answers to these research questions were found within the transcribed interviews of the “twenty plus one” participants.  Themes were derived from concepts identified by participants’ quotes and other identifiers. 


4.2: PARTICIPANTS' PROFILE (back to top)

The identities of the “twenty plus one” subjects will be kept confidential in this research. Following two figures provide a demographic breakdown of personal information gathered during the actual interviews based on visual observations and extracted from conversations.

Figure 4.1.1:  Gender Distribution of Research Participants

Of “twenty plus one” subjects, fourteen were male and seven were female.


Figure 4.1.2:  Age Distribution of Research Participants

Of the research participants, six were in the 25-34 range, five were in the 35-44, six were in the 45-54 range, and four were in the 55+ range.

As the subjects’ background and experience with the organization are crucial for the study, the researcher established eligibility criteria to find the most proper subjects to partake in this study.  As a result, the subjects were chosen from among people who met all of the following three conditions:

1. Has been involved with the organization since its first two years of existence.
   
   
2. Has been engaged in the organization for at least three years.
   
   
3. Has taken on a minimum of two different roles with the organization.

In addition to the twenty subjects, the researcher also interviewed with the Executive Director because of his experience resulting from his position in the organization. Therefore, the number of subjects is referred to as “twenty plus one” even though his interview weighed equal to the rest.  The following figures demonstrate the experience profile of the research participants.


Figure 4.2.1:  History of Research Participants (First Criterion)

Two-thirds of the subjects have been involved with the organization since its idea stage in 2002 while one-third joined within the first two years of its founding stage.  The only exception to this criterion is the Executive Director, who has been with the organization since 2005.


Figure 4.2.2: Duration of Participants’ Involvement (Second Criterion)

Of the subjects, fourteen were involved for seven years; four were involved for six years; and two were involved for five years with the organization.  There is only one subject with four years of experience.


Figure 4.2.3: Experience of Research Participants – Number of Roles (Third Criterion)

Of “twenty plus one” research participants, the majority had more than two different responsibilities: eight of them carried out four roles, four of them carried out three roles, and nine carried out two roles.


Figure 4.2.4: Experience of Research Participants – Roles (Third Criterion)

The vast majority of subjects (90.4 percent) considered themselves as a volunteer and/or supporter at some point in time.  Two-thirds (66.6 percent) made financial contributions as a donor and/or sponsor, whereas one-third (33.3 percent) provided paid services as a staff and/or consultant.  More than half of the subjects (57.1) are a founder and/or trustee.  Similarly, more than half (57.1) served as a board and/or council member.  Data suggest that these roles of research participants are not mutually exclusive.

These figures show that all twenty participants met and in some cases exceeded the eligibility requirements.  Therefore, their interviews carry significant insights accumulated over the years.  Even though the Executive Director was considered as “plus one,” and was exempt from this selection process, he still met two out of the three criteria.


4.3: PRIMARY RESEARCH QUESTIONS (back to top)

How did Community Volunteers Foundation achieve-early stage growth?

What are the key factors that enabled this growth?

In answering these questions, the participants focused on common themes.  The major thematic categories examined by the researcher were (1) needs assessment, (2) organizational design including vision, values, and goals; (3) leadership, (4) training, (5) model, (6) adaptive capacity, (7) transparency and accountability, (8) fundraising, (9) networks and collaborations, and (10) organizational culture.  All except one factor - networks and collaborations - were denoted as key factors that helped the organization achieve its successful transition from start-up to maturity stage.  In addition, participants commonly referred to (1) projects, (2) target population, (3) planning, and (4) professional staff in describing the components that enabled growth.

The researcher defined and used a scale to categorize the common themes:

Vast majority:  19 or more participants, more than 90 percent.

Large majority:  15 to 18 subjects, more than 70 and less than 90 percent.

Majority:  11 to 14 people, between 50 and 70 percent.

Some:  7 to 10 subjects, between 30 and 50 percent.

A few:  3 to 6 participants,more than 10 and less than 30 percent.

A couple:  2 or less people, around 10 percent.

Table 4.1.1: Common Themes Expressed by the Participants

CATEGORIES – FACTORS

Vast Majority (19 and more participants) Leadership Transparency and Accountability Organizational Design Vision, Mission, Purpose Values, Principles Need, Niche Market Goals and Objectives Adaptive Capacity Large Majority (15 to 18 participants) Target Population Model Projects Needs Assessment Planning Organizational Culture Training Majority (11 to 14 participants)  Staff Fundraising

1. Leadership

All participants identified the leader as one of the essential components in realizing growth, and each described the leader with different qualities.  The majority defined the leader as a highly trusted and respected figure with an established network of relationships.

While many participants attributed the success of the organization to its visionary leader and his charismatic personality, some emphasized the leader’s ability to listen to different opinions and receive criticism as well as his capacity to adapt based on feedback from others.  Several subjects referred to his ability to delegate responsibilities and share leadership in order to empower staff and volunteers, and a few claimed that the leader’s honesty and approachability increased the organization’s trustworthiness.  In addition, some underlined the leader’s devotion to the organization’s cause and also suggested that he became a role model to the rest of the team with his consistency, perseverance, and commitment to excellence.

The majority stated that the leader’s network of relationships and his capability to engage people with similar mindsets brought the organization needed financial and volunteer resources during its initial founding stage.  Some participants further asserted that his business background in the financial sector and his ability to set measurable objectives, coupled with an inspiring mission and specific projects, facilitated access to corporate donations, which is still the primary source of funding.

While many participants gave specific examples and shared anecdotes to explain the positive impact of the founding leader, a few subjects were concerned about the high expectations that he might set for his successors.  Overall, the majority of participants identified a charismatic and visionary leader with a good reputation, strong relationship capital, goal-setting abilities, and management experience as a vital factor in building a high-impact organization. 


2. Transparency and Accountability

Even though some participants mentioned the importance of values during conversations related to organizational design, the vast majority of participants particularly expressed transparency and accountability as critical components to achieve growth.

Most subjects referred to transparency and accountability together and shared many examples regarding their applications in day-to-day activities.  The researcher grouped these illustrations in two categories: financial and non-financial.

Financial: These applications included (1) being audited by a reputable and international audit firm since the beginning, (2) committing to sending donation receipts within 72 hours, (3) sharing the financial reports with the public regularly and frequently, and (4) keeping operational costs very low (less than 10 percent of total expenses).

Non-Financial: These practices consisted of (1) producing and delivering quarterly activity reports as well as comprehensive annual reports to stakeholders, (2) having regular meetings open to the public, (3) making meeting minutes, activity reports, and financial statements available online, and (4) responding promptly to public inquiries.

Participants expressed a direct link between transparency and accountability and the impact on building public trust.  They also stated that this trust helped the organization ultimately grow its resources through expanding its credibility, volunteer force, and corporate sponsorships.


3. Organizational Design

The vast majority of participants identified organizational design as one of the most significant factors that enabled rapid growth.  When asked to elaborate, subjects highlighted (1) vision, mission, and purpose, and (2) values and principles.  In addition, respondents stated that components of founding organizational design are (3) real need and niche market as well as (4) goals and objectives.

1. Vision, Mission, Purpose

Vision, mission, and purpose were used interchangeably.  Subjects defined these as the primary drive for the organization to create enthusiasm, recruit volunteers, and mobilize financial resources.  The mission was most often noted as channeling youth’s energy toward social good, while vision was stated as creating social change and leveraging Turkey’s growth.  Respondents described these mostly as “inspiring, clear, and compelling.”

2. Values, Principles

Values and principles were also used interchangeably.  Participants stressed the importance of being guided by strong values, and specifically mentioned (a) respect for differences and (b) transparency and accountability.  Subjects referred to values as “the soul of the organization, universal, and guiding,” and acknowledged the organization’s ability to firmly stand behind its values.

Furthermore, niche market and real needwere frequently used to describe youth as “the organization’s reason for existence,” and it is further explained in the target population theme.  A few participants underlined the significance of having specific and attainable goals and objectives in building trust and credibility, which is exemplified in the planning theme.


4. Adaptive Capacity

Many participants mentioned adaptive capacity as one of the unique abilities that dramatically impacted the growth process of this organization.  Those who referred to this factor defined adaptive capacity as (1) being flexible, (2) ability to maximize efficiency, (3) ability to take risks and implement new strategies, (4) giving power to youth to make significant changes, and (5) ability to make quick decisions.

(1) As was stated by some participants, the existing regulations do not permit university clubs to establish a formal relationship with external nonprofits.  Therefore, the organization had to allow university clubs to customize their own logo.  This flexibility is believed to bring forth the creativity of youngsters and to build a sense of ownership while enriching the organization’s public outreach.  Only one subject was concerned about how potential abuses of this policy might weaken or even hurt the institutional identity and the organization’s credibility.

(2) Several subjects described the organization as being able to maximize efficiency.  They described two examples of an ability to move away from less successful projects.  In one example, the organization closed its thrift store for second-hand clothes after five years of operation when it realized that the store was not creating enough revenue to be self-sufficient.  Another example was a project that collected donations from different apartment complexes to provide scholarships to students.  After a while, because the project was not growing at the intended pace, it was discontinued.  By choosing to move away from less successful projects, the organization was able to make an efficient use of its limited resources to maximize the social impact.

(3) A primary example that demonstrated the organization’s ability to take risks and implement new strategies was its collaboration with government institutions.  A few subjects described the organization’s drift from this mainstream attitude and its collaboration with the Education Ministry “to improve public libraries” as one of the risky changes that leveraged the organization’s resources and increased its impact greatly.  A couple stated that as this strategy of establishing partnerships with government agencies worked very well, the organization is naturally moving towards lobbying and advocacy rather than pure project execution.  Another illustration of the ability to take risks and implement new strategies is the organization’s decision to become international.  Instead of continuing to do what it had been successful with, the organization made the commitment to expand its programs abroad in order to leverage its social impact.

(4) Giving power to youth to make significant changes was illustrated with two examples.  First, the organization followed the leadership of its young board members and changed its organizational expansion model to allow more than one student club in each university.  This move from a university-based model to a faculty-based model was considered risky and burdened the organization with different staffing, training, and communication requirements, but it eventually paid off as it led to further creativity and growth.  The second example that was initiated by young board members was to establish different rights and privileges to youth clubs based on their history, number of members and number of accomplished projects. 

(5) Some participants also mentioned the organization’s ability to make quick decisions as an example of its adaptive capacity.  Even though they did not provide specific illustrations for this aspect, they found it worthwhile to note as they believed most other nonprofits miss opportunities because of their highly bureaucratic structures.

Many subjects called the organization “dynamic and brave” during their discussions about adaptive capacity, and they acknowledged the organization’s ability to change while at the top rather than changing strategies when there is a breakdown.  They suggested that the organization’s ability to understand its environment and lead change would not be possible without its ability to make quick decisions.


5. Target Population

Target population is described as youth aged 17-25 years old.  A large majority of participants referred to it as one of the vital components that led to the organization’s rapid growth. 

Respondents stated that the energy and dynamism of youth and the organization’s ability to convert these into concrete projects that created social change was one of the unique strengths of Community Volunteers Foundation. 

Many subjects emphasized that at the time, there were no other national organizations addressing the needs of youth as well as investing in its potential despite the fact that almost 60 percent of the population is under 30 years of age.  In this regard, subjects affirmed that the organization filled a significant need by providing a diverse range of opportunities for youth to develop their life skills and to take on social responsibility projects.

In addition to the youth’s need to be involved in meaningful activities, participants also described the youth’s need to be trusted and empowered.  In view of that, they highlighted the importance of the organization’s democratic governance model which allowed young people to actively participate in the decision making process as board members. 

A few respondents further claimed that the organization’s commitment to invest in youth, despite the risks associated with it, was a truly exciting vision as it could impact and change the future of the country in a positive way.  Therefore, it drew attention and support immediately, and became one of the key factors that contributed to the success of the organization.


6. Model

A large majority of participants mentioned the model as one of the key factors for the organization’s rapid expansion throughout the country. 

Respondents primarily referred to the model as the one used in expanding the organization to different cities through local chapters.  This expansion model was based on establishing university clubs, and channeling youth’s energy to serve local communities with the guidance of adult members and local advisory boards.  Subjects also commonly mentioned project models, and defined them as being replicable and adaptive. 

Some respondents also talked about the governance, fundraising and training models.  The governance model is to involve youth in decision-making; the fundraising model is to specifically target corporations; and the training model is to provide peer-to-peer trainings.  It was believed that having various models enabled the organization to expand itself by replication and increased its impact. 

Additionally, some participants suggested that having a nationwide organization targeting youth with the support of adults was a unique model that inspired adult members who wanted to help their sons and daughters, and also motivated young people who wanted to contribute to society and be trusted. 

Even though there was a variety of perceptions as to what a model is, some respondents asserted that the organization itself is a ‘role model’ that can be an inspiration to other nonprofit organizations with its commitment to transparency, democratic organizational culture, and ability to mobilize its stakeholders. 


7. Projects

A large majority of participants identified projects as one of the vital components that contributed to the success of the organization.  They referred to projects as “innovative, diverse, sustainable, inspiring, and empowering.”  In addition, projects were described as “serving real needs, designed by youth, and a platform for peer learning.” 

Some respondents used youth councils as an example of a platform to exchange know-how and develop new projects.  These subjects suggested that young volunteers come together to share their projects with each other, and replicate successful examples in different cities with slight adjustments.  Another aspect stated by participants was that most projects were designed by youth taking into consideration the local needs.  This created an empowering context and sense of ownership of the projects that allowed them to be more sustainable.

The sustainability aspect of the projects was highly emphasized by the participants and identified as a unique strength that set the organization apart from other nonprofits providing similar services.  For instance, it was stated that while some organizations had programs to visit orphanages or senior centers infrequently, on certain dates of the year, Community Volunteer Foundation’s projects emphasized continuity, and most projects that included serving local beneficiaries consisted of visits for twelve or more consecutive weeks. 

Since the projects were designed by youth from diverse backgrounds, they tended to be more innovative which enabled the organization to attract contributions from a diverse range of donors.  The organization received multiple nationwide and international awards acknowledging the creativity of its projects, and gained further brand recognition and visibility, which fueled the organization’s exponential growth.


8. Needs Assessment

A large majority of participants identified needs assessment as one of the essential components to achieve growth.  The respondents mainly referred to two types of needs assessment efforts.  These are (1) initial needs assessment done in the idea stage of the organization, and (2) ongoing needs assessment done regularly.

Initial needs assessment: A number of participants illustrated the importance of needs assessment in the idea stage with several examples.  These include the feasibility meetings that were initiated by the founding leader that helped establish a solid groundwork, and the first youth council that was done to strengthen the planned organizational design. 

Ongoing needs assessment: A majority of participants stated that the organization continues to have regular needs assessment meetings through annual youth councils in which the current needs of youth are identified and updated regularly.  Also, through nationwide and regional coordination meetings, staff members and volunteers come together to discuss the needs of the local chapters. 

Similarly, volunteers of local chapters hold their own needs assessment meetings to produce solutions to the issues of their own communities and to provide feedback to headquarters.  Additionally, a few subjects mentioned annual board meetings dedicated to needs assessment.

Participants expressed a direct link between needs assessment and the sense of ownership among stakeholders.  Some subjects asserted that those who contribute to the needs assessment processes are more likely to stay engaged with the organization in the long term, and assist the organization in accomplishing the goals that they set together. 


9. Planning

In relation to needs assessment, a large majority of participants highlighed the significance of the planning process and its contribution to the overall growth of the organization.  Subjects who talked about the planning process described this aspect as “guiding, clarifying, uniting, and inspiring.” 

Some respondents gave credit to the business background of the founding leader and the executive team in relation to setting successful multi-year goals and objectives that guided its growth. These participants articulated that even during the idea stage, an ad-hoc executive committee was established to develop an annual plan.  A couple of years later, the executive director initiated the first five-year-strategic plan which is continuously updated.  Subjects also stated that although there were clearly defined goals, there was enough flexibility to review and adjust them based on the changing environment.  Additionally, a couple stated that planning and goal setting was done not only at the headquarters, but also heavily practiced at the local chapters. 

It was also expressed that setting inspiring goals and exceeding their objectives led to an increased confidence in the organization’s ability to keep its promises, and positively impacted its fundraising efforts.  Moreover, sharing the goals and objectives that came out of the planning process openly with the public provided additional accountability  to the organization to achieve its goals.  Respondents affirmed that the organization’s ability to set clear goals and objectives helped unite its stakeholders around a common undertaking and empowered them to take actions as they were able to better understand what needed to be done next. 

A couple of participants compared this organization to the others that they are involved with,  and claimed that planning, both short-term and long-term, is not a common strength among other nonprofit organizations and is a key factor that enabled growth.


10. Organizational Culture

A large majority of participants elaborated on the organizational culture as one of the key factors in achieving exemplary growth.  Organizational culture was primarily described as democratic and participatory in which everyone’s contribution was welcomed.  Participants stated that these characteristics created a sense of ownership and belonging among staff, volunteers, and the board members.

While a majority of subjects perceived organizational culture as a key strength and an essential component to achieve growth, a few suggested that this aspect is still developing and not yet fully formed.  Those who emphasized the importance of organizational culture stated that it is horizontal and equalitarian.  Among the examples, they pointed at the flat management model of the organization that consisted of only a few executive team members. 

Furthermore, some respondents suggested that this organization is the only one that allowed young members to join the Board of Directors with equal rights to the adults, and to be part of the decision making process.  This characteristic was viewed as part of being very democratic and used as an example of “walking the talk,” meaning that the organization is not only serving the youth with their energy, but also with their own ideas. 

Additional characteristics that were brought up by a few respondents highlighted that the organizational culture was formed and strongly guided by its values.  For example, the respect for diversity principle created a harmonious environment and apolitical stand.  More importantly, the organization was commonly referred to as being brave, since it took on projects that were commonly considered challenging due to their less popular nature for funding, such as the democracy and human rights projects. 


11. Training and Empowerment

A large majority of participants emphasized the organization’s investment in training and empowerment of youth as a factor that led to expansion and success.  Participants also described this aspect as one that created consistency and brought standardization to its volunteers.  There are two types of trainings, internal and external.

Internal trainings: Respondents stated that these trainings are aimed at empowering and strengthening young volunteers.  It is referred to as key volunteer trainings and includes topics such as, volunteerism, project development, and teamwork.  These trainings are given to all volunteers in five different stages, and resulted in increased efficiency and productivity.

External trainings: The organization provides external training, including entrepreneurship training, reproductive health training, and democracy and human rights training.  These are offered to the organization’s volunteers and also to members of the general public.

  A few participants suggested that the internal and external training created direct value and was one of the important attractions for volunteers to join the organization.  It was also expressed that the organization’s “peer-to-peer” training model, which trained volunteers to be trainers themselves, led to a strong sense of ownership and contributed to the organization’s growth.  In this regard, participants suggested that the trainings bring together a diverse group of youth from different cities, creating further synergy and mobilization.


12. Staff

A majority of subjects identified staff as one of the driving forces in building a high-impact organization.  Those who emphasized the importance of staff shared many examples describing their qualities and demonstrating their influence. 

The most common descriptions of the staff were “young”, “devoted,” “volunteer spirited,” and “paid volunteer.”  Participants mentioned many instances that demonstrated the positive influence of staff on the advancement of the organization.  Some suggested that staff treats their responsibilities as if the organization’s success depends on them: They stay late without overtime pay, give up their annual vacation to complete projects, constantly take trips to the field, stay at volunteers’ homes rather than in expensive hotels, and continue thinking about how to achieve better outcomes during their personal time.

A few respondents mentioned that this level of commitment is also a challenge for the organization as hard-working staff get burned out and leave the organization to find more structured jobs in order to balance their personal and professional lives.  Even then, they continue to be involved with the organization as volunteers, and sometimes set up new partnerships between the organization and their new jobs. 

It was described that the organization has a very flat structure that does not offer many opportunities for staff to move up.  Even though this situation was considered to be a challenge, a few referred to it as a positive factor since the staff turn-over every couple of years brings diversity, new ideas, and perspectives that keep the organization “dynamic.”  In addition, some subjects stated that the business background of the executive director helped the organization establish professional standards and facilitated the results-oriented management methods, which brought about a multiplying growth in revenue.


13. Fundraising

The organization’s ability to mobilize financial resources was an important factor emphasized by a majority of the participants.  Fundraising was commonly associated with several other key factors like leadership; transparency and accountability; staff, particularly executive director; projects, communication; and adult volunteers.

Those who referenced leadership stated that the founding leader’s credibility and network of relationships brought the organization its initial funding.  Others who mentioned the link between successful fundraising efforts and transparency and accountability gave examples of the financial reporting and gaining the trust of donors.  Those who gave credit to staff highlighted the effective communication of the executive director with corporations. 

Some of the subjects who established a connection between the variety of projects and successful fundraising results suggested that corporations prefer to fund specific projects with measurable outcomes that are of interest to them and their markets.  Participants also expressed that the organization’s clear communication and ability to present its projects with the help of visual media was crucial for fundraising.  Some participants claimed that the organization receives more than 90 percent of its funding from corporate donors.  Additionally, they stated that these strategies brought sustainability since most corporate sponsors commit to multi-year donations.

A few respondents explained the role and importance of innovative fundraising events, organized primarily by adult volunteers. These subjects suggested that signature events, like high-end auctions and bazaars, were the first examples of their kind, and later, many other nonprofits started to organize similar fundraising activities.  A couple of subjects referred to the link between empowerment and the organization’s ability to train its volunteers to raise funds, as well as to receive in-kind donations from those who could not make cash contributions.


Various Other Factors

Various other factors were expressed by less than a majority of respondents. The researcher lists the most common ones below for reference:

Respect for differences: Diversity and mutual understanding played a role in creating a harmonious environment and strong teamwork. 

Sustainability: This was commonly associated with projects and funding sources.  It was claimed that the commitment to sustainability differentiated the organization from others.

Public Outreach:  Several subjects mentioned this factor and claimed that the use of visual communication greatly enhanced the organization’s credibility and visibility. 

Public Trust:  Many referred to trust as one of the significant factors in receiving funds and expanding the volunteer base.

Volunteers: Having very devoted young and adult volunteers helped the organization accomplish a great deal in a short period of time. 

Board of Directors: The active and engaged members of the Board, and their field visits, are considered to be influential in the organization’s ability to make informed decisions. 

Business background: The professional backgrounds of the Board members and trustees helped establish professional infrastructure and created access to corporate sponsors. 

Apolitical: The organization’s promise to stay above the political agenda enabled it to reach a broader audience and eliminated unproductive conflicts. 

Networks and collaborations: Local partnerships as well as corporate sponsorships brought access to in-kind resources as well as new networks of relationships.

4.4: SECONDARY RESEARCH QUESTIONS (back to top)

What were the main difficulties faced during its growth?

What are the perceived challenges in sustaining performance?

In answering these questions, the majority of respondents primarily focused on the perceived challenges in sustaining performance whereas only a few subjects shared their thoughts on the main difficulties faced during the organization’s growth.  Unlike primary research question findings, none of the challenges were agreed upon by more than a majority.  Participants focused on different kinds of issues and mentioned their worries in various areas.

The researcher grouped the perceived challenges in sustaining performance in two main categories: future and current challenges.  Among future challenges, many participants expressed concerns about upcoming (1) leadership transition and its potentially negative impact on the future of the organization.  In addition, some perceived the (2) external influences, specifically political polarization and economic crisis, as future challenges that may restrain the organization’s growth.

Among current challenges, several (3) volunteerism-related issues were brought up as challenges limiting the organization’s potential to grow exponentially.  These issues were gathered mainly as youth volunteer turn-over rate, volunteer profile, alumni volunteers, and adult volunteers.  Furthermore, some respondents referred to (4) communication issues while defining challenges in sustaining performance, and gave repeated examples for issues, such as know-how transfer, generation differences, and work styles.

The researcher organized the difficulties that were faced during the organization’s growth as (5) past challenges and explained the most common ones, i.e. uncertainty, risk of working with youth, not being known.  Finally, (6) various other challenges were listed under additional challenges as a reference to the issues that were expressed by only a couple of participants.


Table 4.2.1:  Common Challenges Expressed by the Participants

CATEGORIES – CHALLENGES

Future Challenges Leadership Succession External Circumstances Political Polarization Economic Crisis Current Challenges Volunteerism-related Issues Youth Turn-Over Rate Volunteer Profile Alumni Volunteers Adult Volunteers Communication Issues Know-how Transfer Generation Differences Work Styles Additional Challenges Past Challenges Uncertainty Risk of working with youth Not being known Various Other Challenges

1. Leadership Succession

The primary question in most subjects’ mind is the future leadership succession, and it has two main aspects:

Short-Term:  What will happen once the founding leader’s term expires as the Chairman, even if he continues to serve as a board member?

Long-Term:  What will happen when the founding leader completely disengages himself from the Board of Directors and governance of the organization?

The researcher grouped most of the leadership succession questions and concerns into a few categories, such as governance, human resources, fundraising, mobilization, and visibility.

Governance:  Who will take over his role and responsibilities?  Is that person going to be able to fill in the shoes of the current leader? Is the new person going to take the organization to a different direction? Will the organization be able to continue its growth?

Human Resources:  Will people who initially got involved with the organization because of its leader, stay or leave upon the leadership transition? How will this impact the outcomes?

Fundraising:  Are we institutionalized enough to continue attracting the corporate funders and maintain the network of donors that the founding leader brought in?

Mobilization: Are we going to be able to continue the drive and excitement that the founding leader has created?

Visibility:  How will the organization be recognized in the absence of this trusted public figure?

2. External Influences

The second most commonly expressed challenge is the political and economic environment in Turkey and its potential impact on the growth and stability of the organization.  These external challenges are mostly future oriented and described by the respondents as follows:

a. Political Polarization

A few participants stated that the rising polarization between secular groups and Islamic fundamentalists on the sensitive issues, such as wearing headscarf, could be a threat that may negatively influence the harmony amongst the organization’s volunteers, donors, and opinion leaders.  This may be a divisive issue as the organization’s stakeholders come from different backgrounds, and have different political opinions and religious beliefs.

b. Economic Crisis

A few respondents mentioned worries about the economic crisis and claimed that it may be difficult to sustain corporate funds during these financially challenging times.  This may be a challenge as the corporate donations and sponsorships have been the primary source of funding for the organization.

3. Volunteerism-related Issues

The third most commonly identified challenge is in the area of volunteerism and based on current issues.  The researcher grouped these per their repetitive themes as follows and used the subjects’ description to explain the perceived challenges:

a. Young Volunteer Turn-Over Rate

As the organization is primarily organized in the universities, some participants suggested that staff constantly needs to train new students and start over the learning curve in order to build trust and rapport, establish effective communication channels, and increase the productivity.

These subjects also claimed that there is a lack of consistency in the performance of the students clubs: A local student club loses its power and effectiveness when its senior volunteers graduate even though sometimes new students end up becoming more active and successful.  This turn-over rate is considered to be a challenge as it requires continuous attention and significant resource allocation.

b. Volunteer Profile

A few respondents asserted that generally the same profile of youth is engaging in volunteer activities of the organization:  A typical youth members is described as “from middle class families, relatively healthy and outgoing university students, and mostly studying at social sciences and education faculties.”

The participants claimed that these like-minded students sometimes do not include youth with different backgrounds, i.e. artists or engineers, and they may keep their local chapters small in order not to lose control and sense of ownership.  This is a challenge as it impairs the organization’s growth and its commitment to diversity.

c. Alumni Volunteers

Some participants stated that due to the nature of the organization and its commitment to youth between 17-25 years old, young adults lose their connection with the organization rather quickly, usually upon their graduation or end of their active involvement.

Those respondents viewed this as a loss of well-developed and active volunteers who may be great assets with their continuous contributions.  This issue is a challenge since the organization is not able to fully benefit from its alumni volunteers’ knowledge, experience, and commitment to achieve further growth and create more social value.

d. Adult Volunteers

A few subjects stated that adult volunteers have limited opportunities to get involved with the organization.  The most typical volunteer opportunities for adults were identified as serving on the boards and councils, organizing fundraising events, and participating in the mentorship project.

The respondents found these inadequate and they suggested that adults should be kept engaged with meaningful and diverse projects; otherwise, they may lose interest in the organization.  This concern is perceived as a challenge since the organization’s unique model is based on the collaboration between youth and adult.

5. Communication Issues

The fourth major challenge consists of communication issues that are inter-related and were repeatedly mentioned. These are grouped into the following categories:

a. Know-how Transfer

Some participants referred to lack of standard systems to capture and transfer the existing know-how to the next generation of staff, volunteers, or board members.  As the information is not centralized and there is relatively a weak collective memory, things need to be re-discovered continuously.  Subjects suggested that this situation causes a de-motivating feeling of “starting over” and is considered to be a waste of valuable resources.

A few subjects stated that communicating the founding design of the organization to newcomers, like board members, volunteers, or donors, is becoming more challenging as the organizations grows very rapidly and take on many diverse projects.  These claimed that sometimes new people bring their “own agenda”, and this situation creates tension, too.

b. Generation Differences

Many respondents identified generation differences as a challenge.  Some argued that when youth cannot connect with the older staff members, they become less motivated.  Therefore, the staff members, especially the ones that work at the field, are usually chosen among younger people and are changed regularly.  This is summarized as problematic relations with young volunteers vs. constantly changing staff related issues.

A few subjects exemplified the generation issue with the difficult interaction between adult and youth members during the Board meetings.  Sometimes youth feel managed by adult volunteers and overly react to them while other times, adults feel disrespected and lose motivation.  These participants stated that creating the space for mutual understanding is a constant challenge and a potential barrier in sustaining performance.

c. Work Styles

Some respondents shared their concerns about the differences in work styles in various levels.  A few claimed that non-executive staff members do not distinguish themselves as the professionals of Community Volunteers Foundation.  Instead, they view themselves as “youth professionals” and impose their own ideas on youth that may or may not be in line with the organization’s goals and objectives. 

These respondents also suggested that as most of the staff members are very young and this is their first job, they have a hard time understanding the job requirements (i.e. performance evaluation, hours worked) and drawing the line between their personal commitment to the cause and business responsibilities.  As the organization has a very flat management model and limited number of executive staff, this situation causes friction with the executive director and impacts the internal efficiency of the organization.

5. Past Challenges

A few participants shared examples from the challenges that the organization faced in the past, especially at the start-up stage.  These are summarized as follows:

a. Uncertainty

Those who mentioned past challenges stated that there was a serious uncertainty due to upcoming elections at the time.  These participants asserted that it was difficult to draw the general public’s attention and potential stakeholders' interest to the organization’s aspirations. 

b. Risk of Working with Youth

Some subjects claimed that they were worried about youth’s impulsive actions as well as external provocations that might have given the organization a bad reputation and jeopardized its efforts.  A couple respondents argued that working with youth was very risky for any organization due to a lack of trust in youth’s capacity and intentions; therefore, persuading people to invest in youth’s potential was challenging.

c. Being Unknown

Those who elaborated on the past difficulties said that they had to spend more time on explaining who the founders are and what their vision is than describing the organization’s purpose and projects.  These participants stated that they sometimes could not receive the support that they needed, which could be permission from a dean or in-kind donation from a vendor, until the organization gained nationwide brand recognition with its past achievements.

6. Various Other Challenges

There were various challenges that were expressed by less than a few respondents and had a diverse spectrum. The researcher listed the most common ones as reference points:

Protecting organization’s reputation:  As the organization becomes more visible, there is more chance for provocations and negative publicity.

Managing growth: Once the organization reaches its potential and growth starts slowing down, how will the organization handle this new plateau phase?

Measuring growth and intangible impact:  Evaluation and measurement of the projects, services, trainings, etc., would help the organization better utilize its limited resources.

Visibility:  Establishing more corporate relations and joining new networks could benefit the organization and bring further visibility and recognition.

Keeping passion alive:  The organization may be focusing too much on technical aspects of volunteerism rather than its inspirational and spiritually satisfying side for youth.

Staff burn-out and turn-over rate:  There is a constant circulation in staff due to lack of career advancement opportunities and over working themselves.

Outdated technology:  The limited use of technology and lack of strong technological infrastructure hinders the organization’s ability to grow.

Low operational overhead:  The efforts to keep the operational costs at a single digit percentage may prevent further expansion, and lower the quality of services.

Nonprofit regulations:  Laws restricting the ability to establish a member base and financial rules forcing foundations to spend unrestricted funds within the year are challenging.

4.5: SUMMARY OF FINDINGS (back to top)

The twenty one subjects who participated in this study provided valuable insights through the semi-structured interviews.  Those who met the eligibility criteria established by the researcher and accepted to take part in this evaluation have been involved with the organization since its start-up stage and have served in various capacities.  They, therefore, answered the open-ended interview questions and elaborated on the key factors that contributed to the exemplary growth of Community Volunteers Foundation.  In addition, the participants expanded upon the perceived challenges in sustaining performance as well as the main difficulties that were faced during growth.

The primary research questions intended to identify the factors that enabled the organization’s rapid growth and to describe how the organization achieved its transition from start-up to maturity stage. In this regard, more than 90 percent of participants pointed out four essential components in building this high-impact organization, explicitly  (1) charismatic and visionary leader, (2) commitment to transparency and accountability, (3) inspiring and well-thought out organizational design, and (4) adaptive capacity to manage change.  Additionally, more than 70 percent of respondents highlighted the importance of (5) energetic target population, (6) replicable model, (7) diverse projects, (8) ongoing needs assessment, (9) strategic planning, (10) democratic organizational culture, and (11) empowering trainings, whereas more than 50 percent of subjects emphasized the significance of (12) devoted staff members and (13) innovative fundraising strategies in realizing early-stage growth.

The secondary research question aimed at describing the past and future challenges. In their responses, the subjects predominantly addressed current and future challenges and shared their concerns around a diverse range of issues. The researcher grouped these as (1) leadership succession, (2) external circumstances, (3) volunteerism-related, and (4) communication issues, in addition to past challenges. A brief list of various other challenges was also provided as a reference.