Study Design 
The third sector observation project aims to improve understanding among the public, policymakers and voluntary organizations themselves as to the challenges facing the sector organizations, where they meet the pressures and the resources available to them, and as for innovative ways being nurtured by the organizations to deal with all of these changes apply them.  It is no longer a survey or a series of interviews with the managers of organizations.  The project is taking an innovative approach used in gathering information from below - the citizens and their organizations - in real time.  In this approach, known in English Listening Posts, the center will recruit a sample of third sector organizations at the forefront of social and civic activities in Israel, which will be used as observation positions to what is happening in the sector.  Every few months the organizations will be asked to give their opinion and share their center and other organizations regarding their experience in the sector or issue policies towards at hand.  For observation will participate not only in reporting but also in identifying the critical issues sector organizations, and participate in shaping these observations as. 

The project will improve the quality and timeliness of information regarding the skills, abilities and difficulties of the third sector bidders practice with the social problems most pressing of Israeli society, and bring this information to the attention of managers and activists, representatives of foundations, government officials and politicians, and the public.  This will enhance public awareness of their place in society sector organizations, and help distinguish between myth and reality sector and reduce the existing negative perceptions towards the Israeli public.  This information can improve their understanding of their environment organizations as their peers to experience it and deal with it and consequently improve the performance.  Living experience accumulated by the organizations that will be used as observation positions can also be used in training of leadership in the third sector and the development of strategies and tactics teams.

The project is designed to be a multi-year, and will track the different processes in society, the economy and the sector, how they affect the sector organizations, and whether the ways in which organizations face is indeed effective.  On the basis of the information gathered in the project along with the center key partners in the third sector organizations seminars and workshops participants, which will enable them to each other and enjoy their attempt to-peer learning opportunity.

Beyond the benefits to organizations by participation, Central rewarding organizations who join the project in various ways, including subsidizing participation in conferences, granting of publications, grant of information products on the basis of custom observations organizations, Networking (Networking), and more.

The first sighting was launched in May 2007 and it deals with the strategies of organizations to raise funds, and assessing their effectiveness and their benefit to the organization's budgeting. 



Join Research 
Until now joined the project about 100 observation posts.  We continue to recruit Project third sector organizations who wish to join.  Joining meaning in practical terms is making an hour-long introductory interview, and blowing two or three short questionnaires annually, ambush about 5 to 10 minutes, and will be transferred over the Internet. 
Organizations interested in joining the project should contact Hila Yogev-Keren or center staff 

 The research team 
 Dr. Hagai Katz 
 Hila Yogev-Keren, researcher 

Observation booklet third sector - the third sector dealing with the economic crisis , Dr. Hagai Katz and Hila Yogev-Keren(Hebrew)
 
The third sector and the economic crisis: Is it possible to do more with less?
Summary Observation No. 2, Dr. Hagai Katz and Hila Yogev-Keren (Hebrew)