Abstract
It is not possible to speak about the nonprofit sector without mentioning volunteers, since they represent the principal asset that enables the third sector organizations to achieve their goals. According to the White Paper on Voluntary Activity published by the Irish Government in September 2000, volunteering is defined as, "The commitment of time and energy, for the benefit of society, local communities, individuals outside the immediate family, the environment and other causes. Voluntary activities are undertaken on a person's own free will, without payment". We can draw a parallel between this definition and the definition of philanthropy which is defined as "values, organizations and practices that entail voluntary action to achieve some vision for public good or the private production of public goods". According to these two definitions, volunteers give their time in order to make a difference. In Ireland, 37.1% of the total population (4,234,925) volunteers regularly, providing in-kind revenue from c. 200-600 million.
