NGOs

Extracted Attributes

Non-governmental organization

A non-governmental organisation (NGO) is an entity that is not part of the government. This can include nonprofit and for-profit entities. An NGO may get a significant percentage or even all of its funding from government sources. An NGO typically is thought to be a nonprofit organization that operates partially independent of government control. Nonprofit NGOs often focus on humanitarian or social issues but can also include clubs and associations offering services to members. Some nonprofit NGOs, like the World Economic Forum, may also act as lobby groups for corporations. Unlike international organizations (IGOs), which directly interact with sovereign states and governments, NGOs are independent from them. The term as it is used today was first introduced in Article 71 of the newly formed United Nations Charter in 1945. While there is no fixed or formal definition for what NGOs are, they are generally defined as nonprofit entities that are independent of government management or direction—although they may receive government funding. According to the UN Department of Global Communications, an NGO is "a not-for profit, voluntary citizen's group that is organized on a local, national or international level to address issues in support of the public good". The term NGO is used inconsistently, and is sometimes used synonymously with civil society organization (CSO), which is any association founded by citizens. In some countries, NGOs are known as nonprofit organizations while political parties and trade unions are sometimes considered NGOs as well. NGOs are classified by (1) orientation- entailing the type of activities an NGO undertakes, such as activities involving human rights, consumer protection, environmentalism, health, or development; and (2) level of operation, which indicates the scale at which an organization works: local, regional, national, or international. The number of NGOs varies widely by country. India has one of the largest sectors, with over 3.7 million NGOs registered on the government's DARPAN portal as of 2024. In contrast, the number of registered NGOs in Russia has seen a significant decline due to restrictive laws, with thousands being liquidated or delisted since the implementation of the "foreign agent" law. The United States, by comparison, has approximately 1.5 million NGOs; an NGO for every 227 people.

Web Search Results

• NGOs, the UN and APA - American Psychological Association

  The term non-governmental organization — NGO — is very broad and encompasses many different types of organizations. They include international charities such as OXFAM and Save the Children, research institutes, churches, community-based organizations, lobby groups and professional associations. Traditionally, NGOs are value-based organizations that depend in whole or in part, on charitable donations and voluntary service. The United Nations (U.N.) Department of Public Information (DPI) defines the NGO as “a not-for profit, voluntary citizen’s group that is organized on a local, national or international level to address issues in support of the public good. Task-oriented and made up of people with a common interest, NGOs perform a variety of services and humanitarian functions, bring [...] In wider usage, an NGO can be described as any non-profit organization that is independent of government. NGOs have become increasingly influential in world affairs, and the World Bank estimates that over 15 percent of total overseas development aid is channeled through NGOs. Many of the largest, most significant non-governmental organizations have relationships or official associative status with intergovernmental organizations such as the United Nations or the World Bank. An intergovernmental organization, or IGO, is an institution made up of the governments of member states. IGOs usually have a formal, permanent structure with various organs to accomplish is tasks. [...] a variety of services and humanitarian functions, bring citizen’s concerns to Governments, monitor policy and program implementation, and encourage participation of civil society stakeholders at the community level.”

• Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) in the United States

  In general, any group of individuals may come together to form an informal organization in order to jointly discuss ideas or common interests, and can do so without any government involvement or approval. If a group seeks particular legal benefits, such as an exemption from federal and state taxation, it may choose to formally incorporate and register as an NGO under the laws of any of the 50 U.S. states. they receive. If an NGO wants to receive exemption from income taxation from the U.S. Federal Government, the NGO applies to the Internal Revenue Service. There are many types of NGOs listed in the Internal Revenue Code that are eligible for tax-exempt status, and the type of benefits available depends on the type of NGO and the type of activities conducted. In general, NGOs organized [...] Approximately 1.5 million NGOs operate in the United States. These NGOs undertake a wide array of activities, including political advocacy on issues such as foreign policy, elections, the environment, healthcare, women’s rights, economic development, and many other issues. They often develop and address new approaches to social and economic problems that governments cannot address alone. Many NGOs in the United States operate in fields that are not related to politics. These include volunteer organizations rooted in shared religious faith, labor unions, groups that help vulnerable people, such as the poor or disabled, and groups that seek to empower youth or marginalized populations. Indeed, NGOs exist to represent virtually every cause imaginable. Their sources of finance include [...] type of activities conducted. In general, NGOs organized exclusively for educational, religious, charitable, scientific testing for public safety, literary purposes, and certain sports, that are non-profit and do not play a partisan political role (e.g., by supporting candidates for election or attempting to influence legislation), can apply to receive exemption from federal income taxation on all income related to these purposes.

• Nongovernmental Organization (NGO): Definition and How It Works

  Many NGOs also receive significant funding through government grants and contracts. Despite their "nongovernmental" designation, these organizations often carry out programs aligned with government priorities in international development, humanitarian assistance, or social services. Large international NGOs may secure funding from multiple government donors, including agencies like the U.S. Agency for International Development (U.S.A.I.D.), the U.K. Department for International Development, and their counterparts in other nations. [...] After successfully registering, many NGOs apply for tax-exempt status, which provides substantial financial advantages and greatly improves their ability to attract funding. In the U.S., organizations typically apply for 501(c)(3) status by filing Form 1023 with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). The application process often requires many hours to prepare and includes detailed information about the organization's governance, finances, and programmatic plans.10 1 [...] Registration requirements vary significantly by country but generally involve submitting documentation about the NGO's structure, leadership, and mission to the right government authorities. In most jurisdictions, this process includes filing specific forms with local or federal agencies and paying moderate registration fees. The complexity and timeline for this process can range from a few days to several months depending on the country's regulatory environment.

• IGO-NGO Cooperation - Non-Governmental Organizations (NGO)

  The term NGO is very broad and encompasses many different types of organizations. In the field of development, NGOs range from large, Northern-based charities such as CARE, Oxfam and World Vision to community-based self-help groups in the South. They also include research institutes, churches, professional associations and lobby groups. The World Bank tends to interact with two main categories of NGOs: 1) operational NGOs - whose primary purpose is the design and implementation of development-related projects, and; 2) advocacy NGOs - whose primary purpose is to defend or promote a specific cause and who seek to influence the policies and practices of the Bank. A growing number of NGOs engage in both operational and advocacy activities, and some advocacy groups, while not directly

• Non-governmental organization - Wikipedia

  NGOs also play a critical role in driving change by advocating for policies and practices that benefit disadvantaged communities. They often work in partnership with other organizations, including government agencies, to address complex challenges that require a collaborative approach. One of the key strengths of NGOs is their ability to work at the grassroots level and to connect with communities directly. This allows them to gain a deep understanding of the issues facing people and to tailor their services to meet the specific needs of each community.[citation needed] [...] Operational NGOs seek to "achieve small-scale change directly through projects", mobilizing financial resources, materials, and volunteers to create local programs. They hold large-scale fundraising events and may apply to governments and organizations for grants or contracts to raise money for projects. Operational NGOs often have a hierarchical structure; their headquarters are staffed by professionals who plan projects, create budgets, keep accounts, and report to and communicate with operational fieldworkers on projects. They are most often associated with the delivery of services or environmental issues, emergency relief, and public welfare. Operational NGOs may be subdivided into relief or development organizations, service-delivery or participatory, religious or secular, and public [...] Twentieth-century globalization increased the importance of NGOs. International treaties and organizations, such as the World Trade Organization, focused on capitalist interests. To counterbalance this trend, NGOs emphasize humanitarian issues, development aid, and sustainable development. An example is the World Social Forum, a rival convention of the World Economic Forum held each January in Davos, Switzerland. The fifth World Social Forum, in Porto Alegre, Brazil in January 2005, was attended by representatives of over 1,000 NGOs. The 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, attended by about 2,400 representatives, was the first to demonstrate the power of international NGOs in environmental issues and sustainable development. Transnational NGO networking has become extensive.