How to decide which NGO to support?

 Non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are nonprofit groups of people or institutions that operate on a global, national or local level independently to advance socioeconomic objectives and welfare of the people.

There are two categories of NGOs:

Operational NGOs: These groups concentrate on developing and carrying out development initiatives.

NGO advocacy groups: These groups support or advance a certain cause.

Some NGOs can function as both operational and advocacy NGOs.

Since it is difficult to personally cater to the needs of vulnerable communities, many people donate to NGOs, making an indirect yet a very important contribution to the community in which they live. With lakhs of active non-profit organisations to choose from, it is advised to exercise caution while making donations to NGO fundraising efforts if you want to direct your financial resources towards a cause.

NGOs are crucial to society because they support a wide range of issues, including education, poverty reduction, environmental protection and human rights. NGOs frequently focus on tackling certain social, economic and environmental challenges and strive to improve society. An excellent method to make a difference and support the causes you care about is to support an NGO.

Supporting the right NGO is crucial—be it the pursuit of a cause that matches with your beliefs or be it having a positive impact on the world.

How to check the authenticity of NGOs?

Since non-profit organisations cannot turn a profit, they solicit donations in order to maintain or expand their programmes and continue making an impact. If you wish to donate money, you must first get well-versed with the cause; i.e., comprehend the seriousness of the problem the NGO is attempting to solve and the impact and importance of the solution.

In order to fulfil our moral obligation to those in need, it is our duty as humans to support the welfare efforts—one way of doing this is by assisting nonprofit organisations.

Here are some justifications for your support of NGOs. 

• The cause is honourable. 

• It is a means of contributing to society.

• You have the chance to assist those in need.

• You have the opportunity to express sympathy, empathy and compassion.

• Spiritual fulfilment is the result.

There are various NGOs that work in a variety of fields. Find an NGO that promotes a cause you can get behind and that resonates with you.

Here are a few questions that will help you decide which NGO you should support: 

1.What share of your donation is utilised for the cause?

 The NGO should devote at least 80% of your donation to the subject it supports.  

2.Do you have access the outcome of your donation?

Pay attention to where your money is going, even a little bit of it. Be ready to assess the results of your humanitarian work. A good NGO will always pay attention to transparency and accountability. It will put the details of donations received and programme/administrative expenditure in public domain through annual reports and official website to ensure that donors know how their money is being spent.

3.What are the qualities of a genuine NGO?

A true NGO should uphold the policies set by the administration.  It will also provide you with a receipt for your donations. You could use this receipt as proof that you recently gave money to an authorised, registered NGO. A real NGO would always register under 80G Certification, which may allow donors to simply acquire a tax exemption.  

4.What motivates donors to make donation?

A good and successful NGO has a clearly defined set of goals, guiding ideals and ethos that motivates donors to make donations.

5.What are the characteristics of a genuine NGO?

One of the key characteristics of a genuine NGO is having a positive relationship with the donors. A genuine NGO operates with complete accountability, transparency and democracy and will constantly consider the ideas and opinions of each group member during discussions and brainstorming sessions.  

Regardless of the niche they occupy or their operational scale, NGOs play a crucial role in ensuring the welfare efforts. However, they often find themselves relying on people’s inclination to give or do charity. That’s where your support comes into the picture. You may support NGOs like The Akshaya Patra Foundation that upholds the standard of its cause, making it one of the most trustworthy organisations in India to give to. With access to the two requirements of nutrition and education, your donation to the NGO will help children realise their full potential.