Publications & Reports
Here you can access and download The Wheel's reports and publications, including factsheets and special briefings.
No advocacy campaign is effective without robust evidence to support it. Before deciding to advocate, lobby or campaign publicly, you will need to gather the information that supports your case.
How do community, voluntary and charitable organisations conduct and commission research?
- Quantitative and qualitative research conducted in-house
- Commissioning a third party to carry out a piece of research
- Partnering with universities.
The Wheel is in partnership with the Irish Research Council and is involved in the Campus Engage initiative, operated by the Irish Universities of Ireland Association.
Both organisations facilitate and promote collaboration between Higher Education Institutes and civil society organisations.
Contents:
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Good Practice Resources: Funding & Finance
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Good Practice Resources: Governance, Risk and Management
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Good Practice Resources: Sustainability
See also: Annual Reports
Member Survey Reports
Below you will find the full reports of our most recent member surveys.
Member Survey Report - 2021
Impact of the COVID-19 Crisis: Survey Report - September 2020
Research Reports
We publish a range of research and analysis reports that help policy-makers, academics, funders, the media and people in the voluntary sector. These reports serve to increase understanding about how the sector works, how impact and change happens and how active citizenship lies at the root of everything the sector is and stands for.
We offer these freely in the public domain and welcome your feedback.
This significant report for the nonprofit sector in Ireland contains the results of new and extensive qualitative research into the training and support needs of the sector.
This landmark study, carried out by Indecon on behalf of The Wheel, quantifies for the first time the levels of training and upskilling undertaken by people in the nonprofit sector – paid and unpaid.
Examines the role of the community and voluntary sector as a vehicle for active citizenship. Published in 2018.
(One of three ‘Enabling Citizens’ publications, in association with the Carnegie (UK) Trust as part of the Peoples Conversations project 2015 to date.)
Examines the economic barriers to active citizenship and how to over-come them. Published in 2018.
(One of three ‘Enabling Citizens’ publications, in association with the Carnegie (UK) Trust as part of the Peoples Conversations project 2015 to date.)
Explores the ‘missing piece’ in the citizen-participation narrative, namely the role of the public servant. Published in 2018.
(One of three ‘Enabling Citizens’ publications, in association with the Carnegie (UK) Trust as part of the Peoples Conversations project 2015 to date.)
This summary document provides a 4-page overview of each of the detailed ‘Enabling Citizens’ reports. Published in 2018.
Download Coming Soon
Valuing the community and voluntary approach to human, social and community services. Published in 2016.
An executive summary of the ‘Let’s Commission for Communities’ report. Published in 2016.
This report represents the culmination of a 2-year project that aimed to bring the European dimension alive in our national discourse and to encourage and enable greater engagement between citizens and the European Parliament. Published in 2018.
This report provided badly needed information about the scale and scope of Ireland’s nonprofit sector. For current data on Ireland’s nonprofit sector see: www.charityregulator.ie.
Published in 2014.
Explores how to make Ireland a place that involves people more. (The final report of the Peoples Conversation project, in association with Carnegie (UK) Trust). 2015.
Published in 2015.
Social Enterprise
Since 2009 we have worked to advance policies which support social enterprise in Ireland. As we earn a significant portion of our own organisational funding through trading, The Wheel can also be understood as a social enterprise, as well as a charity. Consequently, we understand and support those charities and nonprofits, which like us in The Wheel, are adopting social enterprise methods to achieve their organisation's impact.
In our representative work in this area, we work as one of the founding partners of a coalition of 12 organisations and key stakeholders, called the Social Enterprise Taskforce (SETF). Formed in 2009 this coalition has provided an effective voice promoting the development of Social Enterprise in Ireland.
These publications, which we have published through the SETF, help to aid understanding for and appreciation of social enterprise in Ireland.
This is the submission made by the SETF to Forfás on the potential of social enterprise in Ireland for jobs creation. Published in 2012.
This publication describes the work done by The Wheel (and others) as part of the SETF.. Published 2012.
Good Practice Resources: Funding and Finances
A series of good practice guides and reports, covering aspects of funding your organisation, as well as managing your finances.
A funding handbook for community-led groups, produced in partnership with the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). Published in 2016.
The Wheel's guide to the Irish fundraising landscape, providing a wealth of information about the latest and most innovative methods of income generation. Published in 2015.
An overview of the EU funding landscape and what Irish nonprofits can do to maximise their chances of accessing EU funding programmes. Published in 2015.
Good Practice Resource: Governance, Risk and Management
A series of good practice guides providing an in-depth examination of how to effectively govern your organisation, how to analyse and manage risk for your nonprofit, as well as a wide array of management-related issues and concerns.
Please note the publication date for each of the following guides. Note that some information contained in the older guides - particularly in relation to regulation and legal requirements - may be out of date.
However, we believe that the core advice is as relevant as ever in this era of increased transparency, governance and regulation, and these publications continue to be informative and useful resources for managing our organisations.
Produced in partnership with the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA). Published in 2016.
A Risk Management Good Practice Guide. Published in 2013.
A Collaboration Good Practice Guide. Published in 2012.
An Impact & Outcomes Good Practice Guide. Published in 2012.
A Human Resources (HR) Good Practice Guide. Published in 2010.
An Introductory Good Practice Guide from The Wheel. Published in 2012.
Good Practice Resources: Sustainability
Sustainable Toolkit
We have developed an online toolkit to support local communities across Ireland to awaken awareness, deepen understanding and activate participation in sustainable development with a view to living better by using less.
Visit www.sustainabletoolkit.ie now.
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See too: Engagement with PPNs - Effective Consultation for Sustainable Communities |
Pay & Benefit Surveys
Produced by the Community Foundation for Ireland, the following survey reports aim to assist those seeking to have a reference point for pay and benefits within the sector.
Update on 2022 Pay & Benefits Survey
A report by the Community Foundation of Ireland and The Wheel on the gender pay gap for managers in the community, voluntary and charity sector.
An exploration of the gender pay gap for managers in Voluntary, Community & Charitable Organisations. March 2018.
A case study in the Community, Voluntary and Charities Sector. June 2018.
The 4th edition of the National Guide to Pay and Benefits in Community, Voluntary and Charitable organisations in Ireland, published in 2019.
The 3rd edition of the National Guide to Pay and Benefits in Community, Voluntary and Charitable organisations in Ireland, published in 2017.
The 2nd edition of the National Guide to Pay and Benefits in Community, Voluntary and Charitable organisations in Ireland, published in 2015.
Read also this briefing note comparing 2017 and 2015 reports.
The 1st edition of the survey was launched in 2008 by The Wheel.
Briefings & Factsheets
Download any of these resources which are created to bring you practical advice and briefings on specific focused areas that many of our members have questions on.
Note that the Charity Regulator’s website has an ever-increasing number of guidance notes and advice related to running charities which you should read and share among relevant board or staff members.
Books
Civil Society:
Perspectives and Reflections
Inspired by our 20th anniversary (1999 - 2019), The Wheel has published a new collection of essays, papers and personal reflections which explores a variety of perspectives, experiences and issues related to civil society in Ireland and beyond.
The book, Civil Society: Perspectives and Reflections includes contributions from a number of key figures in civil society, including Dr Shana Cohen (Director of TASC), Dermot McCarthy, Dr. Fergal O'Ferral and Justin Kilcullen. The collection also includes a paper by The Wheel's founder, the late Dr. Mary Redmond. The paper, which was originally presented at the Céifin Conference in 1998, includes the seeds of ideas that would lead to the foundation of The Wheel in 1999.
The book is available in print and digital format (PDF).