Concepts & Functions of
NGOs
Not always will NGOs be involved in working with the downtrodden or underprivileged.
Some are very highly trained and offering specialized services. Some may be working on
more professional services providing health or eaucational services, economic uplifiment
through small loans and other entrepreneuri~lcc1;vities.
But, what is an NGO?
An NGO or a non-governmental organization is a private institution and as its name
suggests it is independent of the government. NGOs essentially are non-profit making
and purely service-oriented organizations committed tu the development and welfare of
the community. Some NGOs may be a group of volunieers helping to sustain individuals
or families, while others may emphasize the empowerment of communities to bring about
societal transformation or change.
There are other terms such as Community Based Organizations (CBO), Non-profit
organizations (NPO) or Voiuntary organizations (VO) which are frequently used to
describe such organizations. In fact, these terms describe their functions more directly
than "non-government." For instance, from these names you can see that they take up
co~nlnunityprojects, they are voluntary and hence do not work for profit.
The NGO community is quite a creative community! You will therefore see plenty of
creativity in the names used. Take for instance DONG0 or GONGO. : DONG0 is
Donor Organized Non-governmental Organization and GONGO: Government Organized
Non-Governmental Organization.
In this course we will utilize the word Non-Government Organization as this has become
widely used in India.
Whatever names you give to these organizations there are some elements that are common
to their goal. One main element is that i n principle they are not working for profit in a
commercial sense nor are they necessarily working for high salaries or selfish agendas
(most times!).
Also, NGOs will not be working for the benefit of a single individual, family or a small
group of individuals. They are normally concerned for the benefit of the whole community.
That is why we see the words "community", "non-profit" and "voluntary" in the terms
used to describe such organizatiohs.
1.3 DEFINITION
You are now ready to define an NGO and so let us make a start by looking at some
definitions:
The World Bank, defines NGOs as.. .
"private organizations that pursue activities to relieve suffering, promote the interests of
the poor, protect the environment, provide basic social services, or undertake community
development".
UN definition:
6
A non-governmental organization (NGO) is any non-profit, voluntary citizens' group which
is organized on a local, national or international level. Task-oriented and driven by people
with a common interest, NGOs perfor111a variety of service and humanitarian functions,
bring citizen concerns to Governments, advocate and monitor policies and encourage
of information. Some are organized around specific
political participation through provisio~~
issues, such as human rights, environment or health. They provide analysis and expertise,
serve as early warning mechanisms and help monitor and implement international
agreements. Their relationship with offices and agencies of the United Nations system
differs depending on their goals, their venue and the mandate of a particular institution.
In India, the voluntary sector or non-profit sector is an all-embracing term that can include
organisations, societies, associations, trusts and companies registered under various acts
such as the Societies Registration Act and the Indian Trusts Act.
The new Government of India Planning Commission policy (2007) defines them as
The policy specifies that NGOs should have the following characteristics:
They are private, i.e., separate from government
They do not return profits generated to their owners or directors
They are self-governing, i.e., not controlled by government
They are registered organisations or informal groups, with clearly defined aims and
Therefore, you can now identify an NGO as a non-governmental organization (NGO)
which is independent from government, non-profit, voluntary agency which is organized
on a lgcal, national or international level and undertaking a wide variety of services and
humanitarian interventions for the benefit of citizens and their communities.
Activity 1
There are various features that you may include in your definition, or you may
want to be more specific with reference to some activities that your own organization
is conducting. Write your own definition of an NSO:
..............................................................................................................................
...
.............................................................................................................................
....
..............................................................................................................................
.
........................................................................................................................
,.
1%)'.
.
,..
-. .
According to Voluntary Action Network 1ndia (VANI), an apex body of Indian
NGOs, the total number of NGOs in India is 1.2 million. Of these 53% is rural
based, and the remaining 47% is urban based. Interestingly 49.8% ofthe total are
unregistered organisations. Also, only 6.6% work in the health sector.
%
.
1.4
DOES THE GOVERNMENT RECOGNIZE
While we use the term "non-Government3'-wedo not imply that there is no relationship
whatsoever. For instance, to start with, an NGO must be a registered body registered
through the right Government agencies in a particular state. They will be therefore under
some restrictions from the government and you will read more about this in the other
Units of this Course.
In order tafully understand the relationship of the NGO and the government some historical
background will be'helpful. Although voluntary organisations have been working for
centuries, the phrase "non-governmental organization" only came into popular use with
the establishment ofthe United Nations Organization in 1945. Soon Governments began
NGOs :An Introduction
C o n c e ~ b Functions of
NGOs
to recognize the role played by such bodies in fulfilling the tasks that they were not able to
accomplish.
India has a rich tradition of social service and voluntary agencies. After our country's
independence Mahamata Gandhi was known for his service activities and even called for
dissolving the Indian National Congress (the political party which came into power upon
Independence), and transforming it into a Lok Sevak Sangh (Public Service Organization).
Although this was rejected, many Gandhians established voluntary agencies to work closely
with the governmental programs on social and economical issues. These agencies orga~iized
handicrafts and village industries, rural development programs, credit cooperatives,
educational institutions, etc.
It was only around 1980that the Indian Govern~nentbegan to define the role of voluntary
agencies and to recognize their importance.The Sixth Five Year Plan (1980-1985), identified
new areas in which NGOs as new actors could participate in development. These areas
included:
Optimal utilization and development of renewable source of energy, including forestry
through the formation of renewable energy association at the block level
Family welfare, health and nutrition, education and relevant community programs in the
field
, *
Health for all programs
Water management and soil conservation
Social welfare programs for weaker sections
Implementation of minimum needs program
Disaster preparedness and management (i.e. for floods, cyclones, etc)
1
Pron)otion of ecologj;.and tribal'developinent, and
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furthermori, 726 NGOs are unregistered but under the prior per~nissioncategory. One
problem hith NGOs in ~ l ~ d ias
a , with NGOs anywhere else in the world, has been the
Increasing dependency on goverrl~nentalfi111d.sor donations from external (foreign) donors
like the World Bank. This dependent relationship has resulted in a lack of flexibility on the
part ofNGOs to pick their missions and objectives si~iceInally are expected to perform
certain tasks in return for funding. But, further still, it has also created structures that
have become more bureaucratic in ~iatureand, hence, less effective in development.
Nevertheless, NGOs are here to stay and will continue to work in India on political.
economical or social issues, the task before them is how they will manage to produce
documentation.
change will keep track for gover~l~nental
i
Almost all Government ministries will have cgrtai11funds allocated for NGOs de~nonstrati~lg
their acceptance as well as dependence on N G 0 s to fillfill common missions. NGOs are
encouraged with fairly substantial grants for their activities.
Council for Advancement of People's Actio11 and Rural Technology - CAPART' is an
autonomous body within the ministry of kural development. It is the ringle largest
govern~hentagency ,upportiilg voluntary sector work for rural develup~nent.Several
fieilt
depart~nentsallocate funds for NGO projects.
central and state g o ~ t ~ r ~ i ~ ~tlirii~triesatld
- for instance of you are dealing with
You can visit the reievdnt offices of these ~ni~listries
health programmes go to the Ministry of Health, or visit their websites for further
information.
1.5
KINDS OF NGOs FUNCTlONING IN INDIA
There are various kinds of NGOs and it is difficult to categorize the1119ybtematically.
Some are concerned with special servlcss BLICII as education or health; others offer special
services sllch a's hdvoddcy or cunsultancy, while most operate on grassroots levels meeting
various nceds in the comnlunities they c l i o c , ~to opel*atewltl~in.
There are various ways in which 4011 t \ 171 li~idNGOS categorized, but liere below arc
kinds ofNGOs and their filnctions:
Grussroots Orgrmisrrtions
Many small NGOs work directly with tile comirrutllty on the grassroots levels. These
could be dealing with edUErition, health, mother and child issues ntc#There are many
Mahila Mandals, Balwadis etc that will 6Fyorking in a small way and receiving funds
from thcis activities from government sources & ti~rolighother charities. Such organizatio~ls
do not necessarily need to be operating in villages or slums, as same will be working in
~niddleclass housing communities.
Hetrltll rtttcl Eclucation
We will club these together as most NGOs working ill such fields of service will have
areas of overlap. An educational NGO may be working in literacy, adult education or
even at1 entire school for the poor. They will have a wide range of activities but will
pri~l~arily
be concerned to educate the masses to develop better attitudes and therefore
better conditions for living. A health agency may be working in a rural area, but will use
plenty of educatio~lal~nodelsto communicate basic health issues. Both education and
health organisations are taking up AlDS and HIV projects as AIDS is not just a health
problem; it is a social disease.
Advocacy
Advocacy is a term used to describe any organized activity on the behalfof an individual
or the community especially the task of pleading or arguing for rights and privileges ofthe
exploited or underprivileged. Such NGOs will speak out on issues of concern and may
NGOs : An Introduction
,
Concepts & Functions of
NCOs
even conduct an intensive campaign to change laws or policies. The NGOs who work on
advocacy or calnpaigning on issues or causes do not normally directly implement
programmes. They are a group of experts in their areas along with legal and communicatio~~
skills.
Consultnncy / Research ~rganisations
With the increasing challenges being faced by NGOs through globalization on the one
side and increasing local socio-political factors there is need for advice from experts.
Research & consultalicy organisations will assist NGOs right from the setting up to the
implementation levels and then offer assistance in evaluation. Some NGOs like to alialyze
their results using latest tools and these are useful in getting a picture of where we are in
our progress.
Training/Capacity Building Organisations
In the NGO Sector, training is frequently being referred to as Capacity Build~ng.But
capacity building is much more than training and includes human resource development,
organizational development, the streamlining of management structures, processes and
procedures for better result-oriented perforlnances etc. For an NGO, in its broadest
interpretation, capacity buiIding looks at human resource development (HRD) as an
essential part of development. Such functions are best performed by experts and some
NGO organisations are offering such expertise.
Religious NGOs
I11 India some of tlie earliest NGOs in the broad sense of the word were set LIP by
Christian missionaries in the 1800s. They primarily took up educational and health
projects such as scl~oolsand hospitals but also had some religious elelnelits within their
range of activities. Today Hindu and Musliln organisations are doi~?gthe same and
many functioning successfully in amelioration of poverty and developing ofco~nmunities.
Large percentage of NGO funding from outside India goes to religious based
organisations. While some look positively at religion or faith based orgar?isations,others
11kethe Bill Gates Foundation will not give money to ally organization having a religious
basis. A large number of NGOs in India have religious connections and opcrating
effectivcly and eficicntly.
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Here is tlie profi!. ofa typical NGO. Note how clearly they articulate ti_.::; l.lission
and their activi.' ,L ; I;crping with this mission. After carefully readill: t:,;,;, you
<:anbegin to 6 :scr : .vor;i-own organization in a similar way.
,'
"
.ilc Fount!:
'
proq '9s education among underprivileged children, aimingto
ce these cliil~:*.~.~i r --linstream in a sustained manner, facilitate thcm to
lcrge as prodilp" ns:.c*ls, and setting the foundation for nation building.
I C sile is conccrncd about welfare of children, their education, and their holistic
I
child health becolnes an integral part and health
development. Undc~g,{andably,
awareness forms ail i i n p o ~ i *component
~~lt
of child education.
Acknowletiging the value of a healthy child, therefore, Smile's silpport extends
over health carc intcrvcntionsfoci~sedon children. For the purpose, Smile's strategy
,
for support is two pronged:
Provision of health services, on regular basis, through static clinics as add-on to the
education project.
Camp approach, on regular basis, in virgin areas (where there is no Smile-supported
education project).
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NGOS : An Introduction
, "
The various health care services/activities supported by Smile on children's health
cover the following:
Health and hygiene awareness.
Health check-up including dental health.
Curative treatment including referral.
Immunization
Adolescent health education and counseling.
Pediatric and surgery camps.
As we have attempted to define NGOs and identify some of the types of NGOs, you are
now able to underline some characteristic features of NGOs. One of the most common
goals of NGOs will be their commitment helping people and benefiting society. In all
they provide services that include community mobilization for health, education and
environmental services, support services of various kinds and even small-scale financial
intermediation for the economic upliftment.
1.6 WORKING OF NGOs
NGOs Demonstrate a Sense of Commitment
Most NGOs Have started by commitment of an individual or a group concerned to
demonstrate this in action. Many times they are not experts but have a heart for helping.
For instance CRY was founded by a 25 year airline purser and his seven friends with only
Rs.50 and a dining table. They chose not to be a grassroots-level implementingorganization
working directly with children. Instead, CRY became a link between individuals who
could provide resources on the one hand, and the fieldworkers who were struggling to
function for lack of funding. They identify people with similar commitment and strengthen
their hands to accomplish tasks. You will see a commitment here that starts small and will
soon find all else that is required to function effectively.
NGOs Primarily Work with the Poor
.
There is wide recognition by governmentsand corporate bodies that NGOs have a significant
role to play in working with the poor. With recent experiences they know that this is not
just through giving aid but in assisting the poor to break out of their condition of poverty.
The term "empowerment of the poor" is commonly utilized to describe the key to the
.
transformation of the livelihood of these groups. We will study this concept later.
NGOs are Able to Reach Remote Areas of Need
NGOs are often able to reach sections of rural populations that governments either neglect
or do not target as a priority. Sadly, sometimes government agencies will claim to have
conducted programmes in such remote areas but there is little to prove it. It is their
commitment that takes them into remote rural areas to identify the poorest segments of
communities, identifying those who face acute poverty.
NGOs Possess First Hand Knowledge of Local Conditions
Most NGOs, being grassroots level operations make efforts to know as much as possible
about the local people and their conditions. This is not just the socio-economic and
environmental conditions of the area but also the attitudes of the local people. They will
also have som'e inside unwritten accounts of the experiences of the individuals, their
fainilies and the whoie community. It is for this reason that the Jawaharlal Urban Renewal
Concepts
NGOs
Functions of
Mission providing funds for state governmerlrs to engage in ~ I U I I Icleal.ances are advising
the involvement ofNGOs as they know the local conditions. NGOs tiom the farget area
can help provide baseline date and all kinds of information to help give a good start to a
project and avoid any major obstacles to develop~nent.
NGOs are Recognized for their Innovative Initiatives
Most NGOs will take pride in the fact that they have innovative programmes to tackle
development problems and issues. While tilost times this lnay not be completely true,
NGOs liave provided many ~iovelideas and models adapted in other setlings and situations,
Unlike routine government procedures and processes, NGOs, with their fairly flexible
organizational structure are able to experiment with new approaches that add value to
projects. For instance, tlie integrated farming concept which started by an NGO in the
Philippines has gradu~llymoved all over. Rather than having just a fish pond, the group
designed an integrated approacll where vegetation, goats, ducks, fish etc were all gown
and integrated with one another. Tlie greenery gave food to the goats, their dung provided
manure, tlie goats freely roamed around and swam in tlie ponds. Their excreta provided
feed for the fish and overall an innovative model was successfullq denionstrated.
NGOs Depend on Donors for their Funding
I
Most NGOs will depend on donors unless they liave been set LIPby their own founders
fi~ndprovisions. Some large companies are setting up their own NGO operations by
channeling their Corporate Social Respo~~sibility
funds. These are fi~ndsthat the company
sets aside in a show of cotnmitment to the community. However, by and large, NGOs will
seekvarious sources, including government grants to obtain their funding These could be
individuals, groups, national and international service agencies, business houses, or
charitable trusts specially set up to give donations.
Activity 2
Write a brief note on the features of an NGO, listing solsle of the feftures above
and adding others from your own experience.
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Asian Development Bank (ADB) on the Characteristics of NGOs
*
While developmental NGOs vary greatly in size and orientation, nlost share the
common goal ofhelping people and benefitting society. International and national
NGOs support larger scale activities ranging from social welfarc to environments\
and political advocacy. NGOs at the local level provide services that include
community organization, health, education, welfare support, str~all-scalefinancial
intermediation and environmental protection.
NGOs also help improve people's lives through ski1Is training and other livelihood
programs. NGOs prepare and implement development pro-jects and work to
strengthen local institutional capabilities and promote communi~vself-reliance.NGO
funding comes through donations, Gover~lmentassistance and a variety of other
soilrces.
NGOs make significaut contributions to socioeco~~o~nic
developmcnt. Often they
enjoy advantages over Government and private sector institutions and can deliver
services to hard-to-reach com~nunitiesin a more efficient, cost-effective'manner.
12
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,
Much of the success of NGOs comes from dynamic leadership and committed
staff. NGOs usually are more flexible and innovative and are affected less by
bureaucratic constraints.
NGOs also have limitations. Many NGOs are small in both size and scope of
operations and their impact sometimes is limited. NGOs can suffer from fina~cial
and technical constraints. Often focused on a specific concern or a specific location,
NGOs may lack a broader economic and social perspective. Many smaller NGOs
are loosely structured and may have limited accountability. Management and planning
may be weak or too flexible.