Role and Contribution of NPO-s to Regional and Civil Society Development: Baltic Sea Region case Helmut Hallemaa

This paper characterizes the development of Civil Society (CS), nonprofit sector (NPS), nonprofit organizations (NPO), nongovernmental organizations (NGO) and civil society organizations (CSO), but first and foremost role, possibilities and scope of NPO-s in and their contribution to civil society development (CSD), regional development (RD) and community development or local development (CD) of the Baltic Sea Region and . The paper presents results of the joint research carried out in 2000-2004. Table 1: Development and dynamics of nonprofit sector in Estonia, 1998 – 2004: nonprofit organizations* in total (NPO) – nonprofit associations (A), foundations (F) and churches and religious organizations (C & R) – registered in official state registers (Hallemaa, 2003, 2004b, 2004c, 2004d) Date A F C & R NPO Changes Number % Number % Number % ______01.01.1998 6 499 90,78 65 0,91 595 8,31 7 159 01.01.1999 13 669 93,94 247 1,70 635 4,36 14 551 + 7 392 01.01.2000 13 703 92,66 431 2,92 654 4,42 14 788 + 237 01.01.2001 13 817 93,14 379 2,55 639 4,31 14 835 + 47 01.01.2002 15 943 93,63 439 2,58 646 3,79 17 028 + 2 193 01.01.2003 17 808 94,11 505 2,66 700 3,71 19 013 + 1 985 01.01.2004 19 398 93,79 574 2,77 711 3,44 20 683 + 1 670 * Today is out of statistics of NPO very numerous number of informal societies or informal partnerships or non-registered societies We describe and characterize the development and sustainability of CS and CSO or NPO by the use of traditional SWOT – analysis method, well-known in strategic development planning and processing. For characterizing role, possibilities and scope of NPO in RD and CD, we have examined and made statistical analyses for indexes. For such we have taken relatively integrated indexes, describing the development potential, level and possibilities of regions on one hand and strength and development of NPO and CS on the other hand (Hallemaa, 2004b, 2004c, 2004d): (1) personal income tax received into local budget per inhabitant (PIT/inh) and (2) nonprofit organizations or civil society organizations per 1000 inhabitants (NPO/R). We have calculated average indexes as well as by Estonia, its regions (4), (15) and local administrations (241) and in different years 1998-2003, summarized in table 2. We have brought out diagrams and figures with maps of indexes on and for several administrative and development levels. For statistical analyses and data processing we use program STATISTICA 6.0. Normality of variables was checked by Lilliefors' and Shapiro-Wilk's tests. For all variables the distributions by local administrations were asymmetrical and skewed towards smaller values, hence nonparametric methods were used. We have calculated Spearman Rank Order Correlations between NPO/R and PIT/inh. The indexes NPO/R and PIT/inh were normally distributed by counties hence we partly used also a parametric method – linear regression and correlation analyses. We have arranged in groups regions, counties and local administrations of Estonia by the development level of NGO-s or CS and used resources or base for regional development (RDR), based on indexes NPO/R and PIT/inh (Hallemaa, 2004c, 2004d). We have fixed earlier, that there are some several understandings and conceptions, what is, what contains and how wide is CS scope (Hallemaa, 2002). The Estonian NGO- s, NPO- s and CSO- s prepared in the end of 1990’s Approval of the Estonian Civil Society Development Concept (hereinafter EKAK) (2001), adopted by 1st General Assembly of Estonian NGO Roundtable. Estonian parliament adopted it as state document and long-term instruction on 12 of December 2002 (Estonian …, 2002). But in processing of the EKAK in parliament in close cooperation with NPO-s and authorities there was made some compromises, which deformed description and understanding of scope and content of Estonian CS. Regional differences in development levels are typical both to the developed and to the underdeveloped countries. During the period of once-independence Estonia has progress in development, in generally. But the differences in development levels between social groups and different regions have grown abnormally great. It influences also the regional development of CS, NPS and NPO. There are extremely big differences between regions of Estonia by structure, number and characteristics of development of NPO and NPS (Table 2). The same tendencies we can see in RD and CD of Estonia. NPO and CSO have played essential role in RD and CD. This role has grown rapidly during the few last years and must continue to grow up, particularly in CD. All European and other countries use regional policy in several ways. In Estonia, today is needful to increase essentially size and capacity of stimulating regional policy. Tabel 2: Indexes by Estonia and its local administrations (valid N) in 2000-2003 - NPO or CSO per 1000 inhabitants (NPO/R) and personal income tax received into local budget per inhabitant (PIT/inh) (Hallemaa, 2004b, 2004c, 2004d)) ======Mark & year Valid Average index Minimum Maximum No N under average (index) N by Estonia by local administrations number % NPO/R 2000 241 10,78 0,00 38,10 162 67,2 NPO/R 2001 241 10,85 0,00 51,59 171 71,0 NPO/R 2002 241 12,51 0,00 56,68 175 72,6 NPO/R 2003 241 14,02 0,00 60,98 175 72,6 PIT/inh 2000 241 2675,6 531,3 5216,6 211 87,6 PIT/inh 2001 241 2883,9 546,1 5482,8 210 87,1 PIT/inh 2002 241 3194,6 654,8 6743,8 205 85,1 PIT/inh 2003 241 3619,3 672,6 12140,4 203 84,2 Statistical analysis and data processing revealed that the Spearman Rank Order Correlations by counties of Estonia between NPO/R and PIT/inh were significant (p<0.005) and varied between 0.654 (2000) and 0.846 (2001). The correlations by local administrations of Estonia vary between 0,415 (2000) and 0,535 (2002). Hence they are not so strong, but highly significant. Also by local administrations the relationship is with trend to be stronger. We found also linear relationship between the variables and evaluated Pearson correlation coefficients and coefficients of determination. When Harju , including the capital of Estonia and its urban field of influence was excluded, the relationship became significantly stronger: Pearson correlation coefficient 0,745 versus 0,358 in 2000, 0,785 versus 0,568 in 2001 and 0,739 versus 0,664 in 2003. There exist significant and relatively strong relationships between the indexes NPO/R and PIT/inh. There are different several participants, social partners and doers in CD. We shall treat acting groups in CD (AGCD). We have examined and described several models and types of cooperation forms, networks and roundtables of NGOs and CSO-s of Estonia (we fined 14 several types). As the good example of participation of NGOs in RD and CD and CSD and implementing of these principles on international level and by international regions we have taken the Baltic Sea Region and are the Baltic Sea NGO Network and Forum.