NGOs: The Raison d'Etre

by Apathy is Boring Volunteer Jaclyn — April 22, 2008

NGOs work hard to promote or bring about further environmental, political, social or economic justice, either locally or internationally. An NGO’s activities may be very singularly focused or serve a variety of purposes, but all are with the intention of making our world a better place for us to live. Environmental organizations, like the Sierra Club of Canada, work to protect and improve the natural environment, while human rights organizations, like the Canadian Council for Refugees, are engaged in activities to create a better social environment for those in need. International development agencies, like HOPE from British Columbia, work to achieve economic goals in various developing countries. The lines aren’t so clear with a number of other NGOs, like Canada’s Make Poverty History, which has overlapping political, social and economic goals, inside and outside of Canada.

Whatever area of improvement the NGO that you’re interested in is involved with, the function of the organization will typically fit under one of the following categories. Many organizations activities fit both categories, and some start out working in one area and will move into the other, in order to better satisfy their goals. 

Operational NGOs have big goals, but plan to achieve small-scale changes directly and through projects. Very often, these organizations are development related and emphasize either service delivery or participation. Either way, the organization itself is instrumental in planning the changes it intends on making. Operational NGO's put a lot of effort into mobilizing resources, such as financial donations, materials, and volunteer labor, so that they may sustain their projects and programs.  Free The Children is an NGO whose function is mostly operational; it attempts to get children helping other children around the world through education and development programs.

Advocacy NGOs direct their efforts toward defending or promoting a specific cause, rather than making direct, hands-on changes. These organizations are more often associated with political and social causes, or others where the organization, or its volunteers can’t be responsible for making the changes. Instead of planning projects, the organization will often campaign and engage in other activities that raise awareness and acceptance, including event-planning and lobbying. Successful advocacy NGOs often need to focus on financing, and usually have the ability to mobilize large numbers of people. Often in this type of organization, persuading people to donate their time is the most important item on the agenda. DemocracyWatch is a web-based advocacy NGO that focuses on raising awareness, in order to make governments and corporations more accountable to citizens.


Sources:
Duke University Library
Sierra Club of Canada
Canadian Council for Refugees
HOPE International
Make Poverty History
Free The Children
DemocracyWatch