It is well known that the voluntary sector in modern society is large in   terms of economic activity - but how large? The authors of this pioneering book attempt   to address this problem by utilizing survey techniques, originally developed in   environmental economics, to place an economic value on the benefits provided by the   voluntary sector in the UK.     The authors comprehensively detail the analytical foundations of their survey   methodology, a stated preference approach, and the results which were achieved. The   economic value of the voluntary sector is elicited by discovering the general public's   willingness to pay, to maintain charitable services that are at a hypothetical risk of   closure. This willingness to pay is shown to be an important element of the economic   value of the voluntary sector. The authors move on to investigate the benefits provided by   the charitable sector in general and by housing and homelessness charities in particular.    The book considers how, if people are willing to pay more for charities than they actually   do, this economic surplus can be captured and turned into flows of income for the   charities themselves. Fiscal incentives, the efficacy of various fund-raising methods and   the benefits of population targeting are all examined as a means to this end. The book   also discusses whether the value of charities can be defined in a wider context in terms of   social capital.

The Price of Virtue: The Economic Value of the Charitable Sector PDF

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