Civil Society Glossary

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In the summer of 2004, the UIA partnered with the Europhil Trust to edit, publish and host its Civil Society Glossary. This is the most recent version which appeared online in 2006.

The Civil Society Glossary is a resource of terms and definitions used when working in and with the civil society sector.

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Term Definition
Scholarship
A grant for learning at a school, college or university or research establishment.
Science
Branch of systematised knowledge accumulated on a certain subject. (Often used to denote particularly the physical or natural sciences).
Security

Property held to secure a loan.

Unencumbered assets.

Seed Money
Funds given with the purpose of starting the growth of a fund.
Seminar

A group meeting for study or research under the guidance of a qualified leader.

A meeting for giving and discussing information.

Service
A form of identification and grouping of various human service programs by some key common element, objective, or subject. Thus, for example, programs under "financial aid services" have in common the element of furnishing financial aid to those in need.
Service Linkage

The system of interrelationships that develop between discrete service programs to enrich and enhance each other and to provide fully, more comprehensive service to the consumer.

The development of inter-agency connections that bring more available resources more readily to the consumer in need of services. Linkages may include such diverse approaches as:

  • Interagency referral agreements;
  • Consortium agreements among agencies to provide services in one location easily accessible to the consumer;
  • Consolidation of two or more agencies into one service deliver agency;
  • Merger of one agency with another to improve services through possible reduction in overhead costs.
Service Systems
A formal identification and grouping of services having some common objective or subject matter. Thus, for example, various services" listed under a "consumer protection and safety services system" have the common objective of consumer protection and safety.
Settlement
A sum of money settled upon another person, organisation or charity.
Shrinkage ("Bad Debts" Reserve)

(Refers particularly to the USA)

A special reserve set aside by an organisation to offset budgeted donations or fees that are not realised.

Social Welfare
Organised efforts by a community for social betterment and general improvement of a group in society.
Spending
Paying out or distributing from a fund. Used to denote the process of distribution of grants by foundations.
Sponsor

(Verb) To offer or provide the whole or the principal part of the finances of a charitable project, hence sponsor.

(Noun) One who so provides.

Statutes
See Constitution.
Succession, Law Of
The law relating to the passing of property on a person's death.
Symposium
A conference or discussion usually involving a collection of opinions delivered or series of articles contributed by a number of persons on a common subject.
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