What is ngo mean

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Key Takeaways NGOs, or non-governmental organizations, play a major role in international development, aid and philanthropy. NGOs are non-profit by definition, but may run budgets of millions or up to billions of dollars each year.

As such, NGOs rely on a variety of funding sources from private donations and membership dues to government contribution. Article Sources. Investopedia requires writers to use primary sources to support their work. These include white papers, government data, original reporting, and interviews with industry experts. We also reference original research from other reputable publishers where appropriate.

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A nongovernmental organization NGO is a not-for-profit organization that is independent from state or international governmental organizations. They are usually funded by donations but some avoid formal funding altogether and are run primarily by volunteers. NGOs are highly diverse groups of organizations engaged in a wide range of activities, and take different forms in different parts of the world.

Some may have charitable status, while others may be registered for tax exemption based on recognition of social purposes. Others may be fronts for political, religious, or other interests. NGOs are difficult to define, and the term is not always used consistently.

In some countries the term NGO is applied to an organization that, in another country, would be called an NPO nonprofit organization , and vice-versa. The website Charity Navigator is a useful resource for this.

This, however, is not an inherent flaw of NGOs but rather a symptom of failing to acknowledge the importance of local expertise within the NGO framework. Because NGO funding commonly comes from developed nations, a particularly effective model for NGOs includes using local in-country staff to plan and implement programs on the ground while working with an international board focused on fundraising, outreach, and strategic group planning.

For example, NGOs working to bring amnesty to political refugees will often face intense political adversity, and even violence during their in-country work.