Background to the Research

• Networks have recently acquired a heightened importance as part of the future funding and development strategy of government, particularly in relation to attempts to promote sustainability and the infrastructure of the voluntary and community sector. This is part of a general attempt to introduce greater precision and definition when it comes to funding and the development of policy within the sector. Despite this there is a lack of information available about the size, scope and contribution of networks as part of the overall sector. There is a greater lack of information and agreement when it comes to defining what a network is and the relationship between this type of organisation and networking as an essential part of the activity of community development.
• Despite the confusion caused by these unanswered questions, this research provides a summary of the main differences between network groups and the rest of the sector. This is a starting point for the development of a working definition taking into account the current data and previous work in the field.
  

Research Approach

• The research was in part based on a re-analysis of State of the Sector III (NICVA, 2002) data where organisations had indicated their inclusion under one of five different network categories.
• An in-depth literature review was conducted to examine the development of the concept of networks and how the prominence of networks in the infrastructure of the voluntary and community sector has increased.
• A number of short case studies were undertaken for each of the different network groupings.
• Finally, a discussion group was convened to discuss an early draft of the document and in particular the working definition of what constitutes a network organisation.
  

Main Findings

• The culmination of these different research methodologies generated the following definition of a network:
• A network is any formal organisation whose main focus is the promotion and development of the sector itself, a sub-sectoral grouping, a defined membership or a specific issue.
• Another area that is developed in the research is the concept of a continuum of network groups which operate under this overarching definition. The continuum ranges from resource/support bodies whose principal function is allocation of resources and services, to umbrella/membership organisations whose principal focus is the promotion of a defined membership. At the other end of the continuum are networks that may incorporate elements of the activities of the other two types but whose main focus is very much group networking at the macro level of the voluntary and community sector.
• The report concludes by stating that it is essential at this stage to seek feedback from the sector and its partners in government and other areas about the value of a definition of networks, its potential accuracy and use, and how it can be further developed.