NGOs worldwide perform a wide range of services aimed towards human wellbeing and social welfare. These organizations relentlessly work towards development and bringing a positive change in the society. NGOs may have different structures, activities and policies, but all NGOs are committed towards their cause and perform their functions to achieve their respective goals.
NGOs facilitate government policies to reach remote areas and enhance the overall effectiveness of social welfare schemes. As discussed in the section above, NGOs perform a variety of services for social wellbeing either through implementing development projects or through policy advocacy.
Most NGOs contribute in the overall development of a community through their engagement in social issues and therefore s are recognized as the third pillar of development. Most NGOs have the following inherent features associated with them:
- Grass root linkages
- Participatory approach
- Community engagement
- Community trust
- Long-term commitment
Most experts recognize the role of NGOs in all areas of development and have classified their role into the following categories:
- Developing Infrastructure: Some NGOs primarily help in development and operation of infrastructure. These organizations purchase land and then use the land for construction of schools, hospitals, wells, public toilets etc. which is used by community at large.
- Research and Development: These NGOS conduct research and help in enhancing knowledge on current issues. They develop innovative solutions based on the research to deal with social problems.
- Advocacy: Several NGOs attempt to influence policy development in favor of poor and marginalized communities. These NGOs are most likely to conduct rallies, stage demonstrations, participate in policy formulation etc.
- Dissemination of Information: In areas where government is unable to reach out to people, NGOs help in disseminating information about government schemes, policies and programs. They help in generating awareness about relevant government projects.
- Training and Capacity Building: NGOs provide training and conduct capacity building courses to empower marginalized communities.
- Facilitate Dialogue: NGOs can facilitate both upward communication from people to government and downward communication from the government to the people. This two-way flow of information helps in designing better projects and effective policies.
Fundamental Principles/Values of an NGO
Successful people and organizations follow certain set of rules that helps them grow and sets them apart. These rules are the fundamental principles that largely influence the working style of people and their organizations. A principle can be defined as a rule that helps people in understanding the context around us and then accordingly suggests the best way to operate in the given condition. Along with providing guidance in our day to day lives, principles also help in successfully completing the given assignments.
For a NGO to be successful, there are certain fundamental principles that should be incorporate in its day to day working.
Transparency and Accountability: All NGOs should be transparent and accountable in their day to day activity. This means that NGOs should be open and honest about their activities, funding and internal operations. Most NGOs follow a protocol that enhances their credibility by making the more accountable and transparent.
Transparency: Your NGO should be open about the activities it undertakes, the funding it receives and the people it helps. Information related to NGO working should be easily accessible and should be available to relevant stakeholders. Transparency empowers NGOs to approach donors, develop collaborations and improve performance.
Accountability: Accountability refers to the obligation of an individual or organization to account for its activities, accept responsibility for them, and to disclose the results in a transparent manner. Accountability is a very large term and encompasses several issues of an NGO; some of these may include organizational management structure, financial procedures, human resource policies etc. Accountability is a fundamental principle for any organization, you must explain to the stakeholders how you have used the resources and what are the impacts your organization has yielded. Experts suggest the following four aspects of accountability for an NGO.
- Upward Accountability: This refers to the responsibility of an NGO towards being accountable to funders, donors and government institutions. As an organization you are answerable to donors and funders about how you will be utilizing their money.
- Horizontal Accountability: This refers to being responsible with project partners, peers and related organizations. This also includes enhancing partnerships and collaborations with other organizations and stakeholders.
- Downward Accountability: This means that as an organization you are responsible towards your beneficiaries and the target audience.
- Internal Accountability: One of the most important aspects of accountability is to be answerable to your own employees and your organizations mission. It means that you have ethical standards and governance structures and justify your organizations core value.
Advantages of being Transparent and Accountable
- Improved rapport with donors and funders: donors and funders are more accessible to organizations that are transparent.
- Trust amongst communities: Local communities tend to get involved with NGOs that provide and share information with the beneficiaries.
- Facilitates partnerships and collaborations: Being transparent helps you in developing partnerships with other organizations and agencies.
- Greater employability: Your staff will continue to work with you as they would feel secure to work for an organization that is credible.
- Improved performance: Tools to enhance accountability and transparency, help you to keep check on your activities thereby improving your performance.
Ways to ensure accountability and transparency in your NGO:
- Registration: Make sure your organization has a legal status and is registered under a relevant legal framework. Registering your NGO will not help you in enhancing your accountability but would also enable you to interact with government agencies and diverse donors.
- Accreditations and certifications: This refers to an external agency certifying that your organization complies with a set of norms and policies. Accreditation ensures that your organization has been evaluated by a third party and fulfills the nationally recommended standards and policies.
- Annual Reports and financial reports: Publishing your annual reports regularly is a great way to ensure that you are fulfilling the required activities responsibly. The annual report provides the readers with details about all the activities that your organization undertook a particular year. Another important tool to enhance accountability is to regularly update and compile your financial reports. This report clearly indicates your income and expenditure on a monthly, quarterly and annual basis.
- Third Party Audits and Evaluation: Many organizations rely on evaluation and external audits as an accounting tool. The external audits help you to analyze and see if you are complying with the industry standards and norms.
- Develop your own set of self-regulation procedures: This is considered to be one of the most effective ways to enhance accountability. Develop your own policies of keeping records, formats for reports, trip and field reports, internal minutes.
- Conduct due diligence before partnering with a new organization: Conduct in- depth research of a new partner firm before entering in a partnership. This will help you in selecting reliable partners who have a clean background and have not been involved in fraud or an anti-social activity.
- Appoint a rating agency or watchdog firm: Several organizations set up their own standards and rating systems to measure the performance of other organizations. The rating system can be applied to various activities and functions of the NGO.
Besides Transparency and Accountability, the Toronto declaration on NGO values suggests ten other core values to be adopted by NGOs. These core values are:
- Service beyond self: The very purpose of NGOs is to serve others. Integrating this value in the overall working of the NGO not only makes them socially acceptable, it also makes them more responsive to take up societal issues. It is important for NGOs to responsibly take up societal issues and serve the community.
- Respect for human rights: An NGO respects human rights and does not violate them in any form. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights endows all human with certain fundamental rights (which includes freedom, equality, freedom of thought, practice a certain religion, family integrity etc.) An NGO should recognize these rights and under no circumstance question or violate these rights.
- Maintain a vision: All NGOs irrespective of their size or area of work, should maintain a vision for their existence. This simple means that NGOs should have the potential to think beyond the reality and envision an ideal society. All the work that is carried out under the NGO should be target to achieve the vision.
- Responsibility: NGOs are entrusted with a responsibility towards the public and the society. As an NGO you have to take ownership of all activities undertaken by you.
- Cooperation beyond borders: Most NGOs work to address existing social ills prevalent in the society. As an NGO you should collaborate and cooperate with other NGOs to foster positive change. An NGO should work beyond borders to achieve its organizational goals in particular and societal vision in general.
- Public mindedness: Make sure that the funding you receive is strictly used for society and for the public. An NGO should be responsible and caring attitude toward the environment in all of its activities.
- Truthfulness: An NGO should be truthful in its dealings with its donors, project beneficiaries, staff, members, partner organizations, government, and the general public. An NGO under no circumstance should be involved in money laundering, bribery, corruption, financial improprieties or illegalities.
- Nonprofit Integrity: The organization should operate as a not-for-profit organization. In case of any surplus generated through its operations, it should be utilized solely to help the organization fulfill its mission and objectives.
- Comprehensive viewpoint: An NGO should follow a comprehensive approach towards problem solving.
- Voluntarism: NGOs are formed by private initiative, resulting from the voluntary actions of individuals who have chosen to pursue a shared interest of concern.
It is important for you to understand the basic concept of NGOs and their working so that you can establish an NGO. Make sure to integrate some of these values in your NGO procedures, to enhance overall effectiveness and success of the organization.