Photo by Ryan Libre .
Ryan Libre explains how to start a successful NGO with style and zen.
I’ve worked with NGOs for most of my life, and even helped start a few. Now, I’m venturing out to start my own NGO, Documentary Arts, Asia.
The following steps will help get your own NGO up and running:
Step 1: Test the waters.
Many new activists are ready to commit their lives to “the cause.” Some are even willing to die for it. Most of these enthusiastic newbies are nowhere to be found a few months later.
There’s no need to turn down the volume of your enthusiasm, but before starting your own NGO, consider joining one that does similar work for a while.
If starting your own NGO really is right for you, the experience of working for an established NGO will only strengthen your resolve and direct your passion.
Maybe you’ll find that NGOs are not your life calling after all. Better to learn that early on, before making a big commitment.
Photo by Ryan Libre .
Step 2: Start on the right foot.
“The leader’s main job is to make themselves obsolete.” –Lao Tsu
Becoming obsolete should be the fundamental goal of all NGOs. You must constantly strive to work yourself out of a job.
Becoming obsolete works on two levels. In terms of your personal involvement, you should build the NGO to the point where it can function independently of your leadership. The long term goal of your NGO should be to solve a problem and thereby become unnecessary.
Put Lao Tsu’s advice into practice and you’ll be able to help more people in more profound ways, and enjoy every minute of the experience. If you try to maintain control, dependencies will develop, and once dependencies start they are hard to stop.
Dependency can leave NGO volunteers feeling trapped and sometimes even leave negative impacts on the people you are trying so hard to help.
Step 3: Clarify your goals.
Set clear and achievable goals for yourself and the NGO.
“Ending world hunger” is a great goal and looks good on your NGO’s t-shirt, but it’s not a problem you can seriously hope to solve.
Finding a niche is good place to start. Positive change usually comes from picking something small, doing it well and following through. A good example of this attitude in action is the Starfish NGO of Cambodia.
Step 4: Make an action plan.
A plan of action is your chance to make an NGO effective, address any potential negative impacts and make sure your NGO will attract donors and volunteers.
Make sure you are able to follow through with what you start. Think hard about your action plan. Hard work is important, but hard work without a good plan is a waste of time and money.
Step 5: Make a website.
Photo by Ryan Libre .
It’s never too early to make a website for your NGO. A good website helps you to spread the word, attract volunteers, secure funding and establish a professional appearance. An interactive website can also minimize your need for meetings and micro managing.
Attention spans on the web are very short. Be clear and concise.
Be sure to make an online profile for your NGO at Matador, where you can tap into a network of thousands of potential donors and volunteers.
Some hosting companies give free hosting to NGO sites. Ask around.
Step 6: Get in the know.
Local knowledge is indispensable to every NGO. Even if you grew up in the city where you want to start an NGO, you still need to research and make contacts. Making solid local contacts and understanding the locals’ worldview is especially important if you want to work in a foreign culture.
Good use of local knowledge can really make an NGO effective. Without local knowledge, you may do more harm than good.
Step 7: Assess your NGO’s financial needs.
Money, when it does come, usually requires great amounts of paperwork and sometimes has strings attached. The quality of the work an NGO does and the amount of its funding are often inversely related. That is to say, the NGOs with less money do better work per hour and dollar spent. The crucial point is to to minimize your NGO’s need for money.
That said, money can be really helpful sometimes. Here’s how to get it. Filing for 501c (official non profit) status is a pain and involves costly lawyer fees. No need to waste your efforts there.
Get an established NGO to accept you under its umbrella. Tax deductible donations and grants will go to them, care of your NGO. Setting up this arrangement could be as easy as a 30 minute talk with your local peace center.
Now you are ready to ask for money from businesses, grant foundations, and governments. A Paypal donate button is a quick and easy way to accept donations from visitors to your website.
Step 8: Network, network, network.
Make friends with people and organizations doing similar work so that you can learn from their successes and mistakes. Networking also helps you to know when to team up and when to divide your efforts for maximum effectiveness. The links below are good places to start networking:
UNDP’s guide to NGO networking
Matador’s Grassroots NGO network
Step 9: Find balance.
Photo by Ryan Libre .
Be realistic about how much time you want to give to your NGO. Taking on projects beyond your comfortable limits won’t yield much benefit in the long run.
You are worth more to your NGO as a part time activist for 5-20 years than letting your passionate burn out in two years. Finding balance between work and personal life is key to success.
Step 10: Re-evaluate everything.
Take a step back and look at what you have done and where it is all headed. Take joy in what you have accomplished, but also make sure your NGO is not becoming self aggrandizing.
How much time, effort and money are being spent on the NGO itself? This is the biggest problem facing all organizations, non-governmental or otherwise.
Your own awareness is the best tool to avoid over-emphasizing the NGO to the detriment of the cause, but don’t hesitate to ask someone from outside of your NGO for an evaluation.
With constant awareness, you can keep your focus and resources flowing to your original goals.
Conclusions
Any volunteer experience can be rewarding. Starting your own NGO can make you feel totally fulfilled.
You will learn and grow as an individual and receive a profound sense of satisfaction not easily found in modern life.
I hope my insights, experiences and mistakes were of benefit. If you have any questions or comments please post them in the comments and I’ll be happy to reply.
Don’t forget to check out my blossoming NGO: Documentary Arts, Asia
Community Connection
For a list of great NGOs and organizations, check out Matador’s searchable database of orgs.
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224 Comments... join the discussion!
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this ngo is to provide sirvice for former’s and oldman medicine spents.
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hi i want to start ngo for the former’s hep.
why i did start this ngo↵ -
We have formed N.G.O known as Community Human Resource Foundation
We tried several times to source Funding projects that we have outlined in our
programmes but we unable to get funding.Is there anyway you can asssit us.↵ -
Hi Ankit,
This is Ravi………. you can start a NGo, but its too tough to start it, but team work make it easy….. if interested then let me know.
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Hi,
It is really worthy information that you have given here,I admire you Ryan.Please share more information for my NGO.
Thanks,
Anil Jyothi.↵ -
hi
I’m jitendra i want to start new ngo for helps poor people and educate 40 above old people↵ -
Hello!
I have always been very interested in social work and social activities. My areas of interest are education for the underpriviledged children. I have no experience in social work as a profession. However, I am very keen on taking it up in the future. I need to know the basic courses that I need to take up before getting into this line so that I can give my best before actually starting an NGO. Also need to know the basic requirements for opening an NGO.
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i am very happy to see your site
we have an NGO at all India label working for poor,orphan& downtrodden children/people of the country for more please visit our site at http://www.vreesiindia.orgthanks with worm regards
vijayyadavgeneral secretary
VREESIINDIA.ORG↵ -
hi. i always been supporting pregnant women who have in
their mind to abort innocent children. at moment I
want start an NGO so that I can rescuer this children
ghana and africa. so I need basic requirement to
start up an NGO. This my e-mail add. freeinnochild@yahoo.com↵ -
our ngo is working for poor,orphan & downtrodden children / people of the country
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we are working for poor,orphan,downtrodden children / people of the country
↵ -
hi
Thanks a lot for the information . Your site ins an inspiration Im in the process of starting a NGO called gender intervention Africa and its in initial stages can you kindly send me more sites that can guide me further.
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Hello!
We are happy to see your web site and find a basic idea to run an NGO. We have an NGO at all India label and we are very much interested in social work, social activities and education for the downtrodden children. We don,t have any experience in social work as a professional. Need your valuable help, guidence and support to run this NGO. We have sort of fund also, please tell us how would we get.
Thanks & Regards
Sanjay Mishra
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Hi,
we gone through your web site and find the basic way or Idea to run an NGO. We open NGO in India on country basis but we don’t have professionally knowledge. We need your valuable help and guidence to run the of NGO. We are very much keen to help rural people in social work and activity with downtrodeen children We have short of fund so please advise us to how we work out for this.
thanks & Regards
Sanjay
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Thanks. The piece, though concise, is very informative
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I am starting an NGO which will focus on easing the burden of families in times of crisis,as well as strengthening families.Your 10 steps was very help and i will need any useful tip you think i will need. Thanks
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hi,
mera naam Akhilesh hai aur mai N.G.O. chalana chahta hu,
mujhe NGO ke baare me kuchh khas pata nahi hai lekin itna jarur pata hai ki NGO ki madad se hum dusaro ki madad kar sakte hai,Thank’s
Akhilesh dubey↵ -
Hi,
I am starting an NGO which will focus on moral education but I dont know how did work it↵ -
hi, i’ve to take over my dad’s ngo which is related to agriculture. but i don’t have any experience in this field. the ngo is not functioning for a long time due to lack of funds kindly help me or suggest me,how to run this dying ngo n make it a successful one.thank u.i’l b waiting for your reply.jessi
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