Keywords

social capital, nonprofit organizations

Abstract

This study examines the extent to which various forms of social capital impact participation in nonprofit organizations. Previous research has focused on the importance of trust and engagement among social and political networks to form strong community ties that can cultivate the growth of social capital and promote participation in nonprofit organizations. The data analyzed in this study were derived from the Central Florida Social Capital Benchmark survey, collected at the University of Central Florida's Institute for Social and Behavioral Sciences. To represent social capital, related variables from the survey are combined to create indices that represent civic engagement and community trust. For the purposes of this study, participation in nonprofit organizations is defined by volunteerism and philanthropy. Results from this analysis provide evidence that (1) social capital assets are predictors of volunteerism and philanthropy and (2) higher levels of social capital are correlated with increased participation in nonprofit organizations. Although participation in nonprofit organizations can vary depending on a community's characteristics, social capital can be seen as an important element in the development of the nonprofit sector.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2006

Semester

Fall

Advisor

Wright, James

Degree

Master of Arts (M.A.)

College

College of Sciences

Department

Sociology

Degree Program

Applied Sociology

Format

application/pdf

Identifier

CFE0001382

URL

http://purl.fcla.edu/fcla/etd/CFE0001382

Language

English

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

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Included in

Sociology Commons

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