The semiformal organization is identified as a neglected type of voluntary
nonprofit organization. It is characterized by having no defined members
or by treating as members any participants and by having an informal
leadership structure and operation. Data from qualitative and quantitative
research on local voluntary organizations in a small suburb confirm the
presence of semiformal organizations (36 percent of the fifty-nine organi
zations sampled) and indicate some of their correlates (including fewer
officers, more open membership, fewer affiliates, and younger partici
pants). The construct is especially important in measuring accurately the
size of voluntary organizations. It is important to find out whether semi
formal organization is a necessary phase in the development of voluntary
organizations and what affects the transition to a fully formal organiza
tion. For many semiformal organizations, informality seems an enduring
characteristic, not just a stage.
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