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 perform a variety of service and humanitarian functions, bring citizen
concerns to Governments, advocate and monitor policies and encourage political participation
through provision of information. Some are organized around specific 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.
An NGO is defined as an independent voluntary association of people acting together on a
continuous basis, for some common purpose, other than achieving government office, making
money or illegal activities.

Types of NGOs
There are numerous possibilities to classify NGOs. The following is the typology the World
Bank uses 1:
Operational NGOs
Their primary purpose is the design and implementation of development-related projects. One
categorization that is frequently used is the division into relief-oriented or development oriented
organizations; they can also be classified according to whether they stress service delivery or
participation; or whether they are religious and secular; and whether they are more public or
private-oriented. Operational NGOs can be community-based, national or international.
Advocacy NGOs
Their primary purpose is to defend or promote a specific cause. As opposed to operational
project management, these organizations typically try to raise awareness, acceptance and
knowledge by lobbying, press work and activist events. Nongovernmental organizations are
heterogeneous group. A long list of acronyms has developed around the term NGO.
These include:
INGO stands for international NGO, such as CARE;
BINGO is short for business-oriented international NGO;
RINGO is an abbreviation of religious international NGO such as Catholic Relief
Services;
ENGO, short for environmental NGO, such as Global 2000;
GONGOs are government-operated NGOs, which may have been set up by governments to look
like NGOs in order to qualify for outside aid;

Purposes
NGOs exist for a variety of purposes, usually to further the political or social goals of their
members. Examples include improving the state of the natural environment, encouraging the
observance of human rights, improving the welfare of the disadvantaged, or representing a
corporate agenda. However, there are a huge number of such organizations and their goals cover
a broad range of political and philosophical positions. This can also easily be applied to private
schools and athletic organizations.