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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186 Comments... join the discussion!
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Hi. My name is Parmanand Patel ,i want to open a new NGO and do the work on the rural women development in the sector which thos cases are gose in divorce in the cour. give me the best suggestiong
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Hi,
My name is Kumar Purushottam,I want to open a NGO.
So plz help me how to open a NGO in India.Rgds
Purushottam
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hi my name is Rajkumar, i m from Alwar Rajasthan, I am MBA, i want to open a NGO and do the work for 4-14 yrs child through providing education which will be based for mostly Brain Development and give the classes for all boys and girls who they wants to get more knowledge about marketing, sales and management base study at free of cost.
Plz help me out how can i do it?
Regards,
Rajkumar↵ -
Ryan, thanks for this informative article! I’m considering starting an NGO and this is a great starting point. I really appreciate the advice!
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Respected Madam/Sir,
My name is Prabhat Thapa, resident of Kathmandu Nepal. It’s my pleasure forgeeting ur contacts to gain the ideas and suggestions for opening the NGO and to run successfully.
Our concept is working on Tourism Sectors, Women empowerment, Labour Child Disabled and poor as well as Invirommental sectors
I am planning to open a NGO in a near future. So i would be very grateful and thankful if u could give the ideas and suggestion for opening a NGO and its tecniques of Implementation.
so please suggest How could I open and implement it ?hoping of a fruitful response ASAP.
Also Merry Xmax and Happy New Year.Urs Sincerly
Prabhat Thapa
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Hi i,m amjad i,m a pharmacist
i want start an ngo in rural area i want to do
health chechup camp and free medical camp
and vaccination in rural area . what will i do
please gide me↵ -
My name is Rajkumar, i want to open my own NGO, in education field so that i will give the education for child…….
Kindly inform me How can i open?
my mail id is:- rajgopaliya29@gmail.com,
9694098221
9414788944↵ -
hi sir i prashant kotian i and my friend like to start an ngo we are20 to 25 friend pl help how to start
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Hi, I am Deepak Jena from Orissa.I am a IT Professional working in MNS at Mumbai.
I am too much intersted to start my own NGO.
Could you please help guide me how to start ngo in rural areas.
Regards
Deepak jena
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Hi,
Thank for sharing your experience with us,I am a social worker and from past 4 years I am working in an NGO now I want to start my own NGO but worried about organization sustainability and funding.I am in this profession with the desire to help people in need but these thing value less but still I want to work honestly and provide maximum benefit to the need.can u please help me and suggest some idea for sustainability and donar funding.I am from India and our NGO is situated in West Bengal I hope u might Know Darjeeling.Once more thank u and please help and Happy New Year.Sincerely
Sania↵ -
Hello, I am Chery.
Thank you for the information on how to start an NGO. I have already gone through the first step, “tested the waters” and I realy understand what it is to work in the communities and for the communities.
I would like to start up an NGO in my area to help the disadvantaged girl children to access education and stay in school until completion because many girls especially in rural areas are pulled out of school especially at upper primary level for marriage, to perform house hold chores among other things . A case is a thirteen year old girl who was married off by her father to a seventeen year old man in a near by village in exchange for a few gifts(bride wealth). I have a heart felt drive to start up an NGO to pull out the community out of this trap and mentality so a sto empower the girl child.
that is a little bit of my concept.
i need some more guidance to build up on my idea and help me start an NGO.
looking forward to more information.
Happy new year.
Miriam
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Hello
I am really interested in starting up a charity school in nigeria. I would like to know more on how to set one up. If you have any suggestions or advice, I would much appreciate it.↵ -
Dear sir,
I must thank you for the good writeup up there,am a federal government worker,i want to start an NGO.my main focus is to provide clothing and food for the ophanage babies,pls kindly give me guideline on how to go abut it…thanks for your advise.here is my e-mail-(chilax4adc@yahoo.com).
thanks,↵ -
Hello ..
I am Poulami. Want to start an NGO on my own. Im a student of home science,so i want to create an awareness about food and health among children and women. Please give me guidance about this topic as early as possible.↵ -
hi,
I want to open my NGO, where I can help poor and needy children, senior citizens and physically depended person..
I want to give them knowledge and encourage them to fight with life..
For senior citizens I really want them to share there experience with needy children by giving them knowledge and love…. in respect they will get satisfaction from their life… I want to encourage children for different type of field just like singing dancing sports and all…
i really want your suggestions regarding my this step..
At last i want all that people who want to do something for GOD and their personal satisfaction by helping others…
PLZ HELP ME IF YOu can…..Aparna Saxena
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i want to help young girls who can,t get sanitary pads stop early
marrages and female FGM among others↵ -
We are a team of young proffesionals, based at Kolkata(India)..
I am Management Graduate and my wife has done MSW in Labour Welfare and Personnel Management..
We are keen to work for global warming and want to open my own NGO…this will be based at Eastern India and will work globally.
Need suggestion and guidence to open the NGO.. and how we will get help from Government and other communities.
Regards,
Sudip Srivastava↵ -
Best article thank for sharing.
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Dear Sir/Madam,
I am Zulfikar Ali Channa Graduate in Mechanical Engineering and belongs to District Naushahro Feroze, Sindh, Pakistan. I pleased to see your valuable suggestions regarding setting up a new NGO.
I am interested to work in education sector for needy and poor people.
Please help me if u can……….
Regards,
Zulfikar Ali Channa
Sindh – Pakistan↵ -
Hallo sir/madam,
GREETINGS.
I AM A POST GRADUATE IN PHARMACY AND CURRENTLY WORKING AS A LECTURER IN PHARMACY INSTITUTION. I WISH TO OPEN A NGO AT MY OWN PLACE AND INTERESTED TO CREATE AWARENESS REGARDING HIV/AIDS AND CANCER . I WISH TO OFFER MEDICAL SERVICES TO POORS AND FREE TREATMENT FACILITY TO CANCER PATIENTS.
PLEASE HELP ME IN THIS REGARD
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Hi,
Greetings!
I am working with good private company in chandigarh.
I want to open a NGO to help poor and disable people. but i don’t know how to start. can somebody help me in sharing the details.Thanks & Regards
Ravi Baghla↵ -
Good afternoon Sir, I have found your website by google i am really get great attention and interest in your website that provide guideline about successful tips in creating a successfully NGO. Currently, i and my friends willing to creat an NGO in project of Health Care for mother and children in remote area of city. I am new person if i talk about NGO. So i would need some comment and ideas from you in creat successful NGO. Thanks you very much.
I look forward to hearing from you.Have a nice working day
Sokhey↵ -
Thanks a ton My dear friend Ryan,
I don’t have any experience of NGO, So i should get some experience first by working with some NGO. Any friend of mine from chandigarh who read this and want to do similar work, please reply.Thanks & Regards
Ravi Baghla↵ -
My name is arvind kumar shukla,I want to open a NGO.
So plz help me how to open a NGO in India.↵ -
Hi Friends,
I am basically from nilgirs dist .in sate of tamil nadu,india.I am working in a private concern.Willing to start up an NGO at my home town.Being an hill station and a tourist place too,the climate has been changed drastically .Cutting down of trees and building huge houses has completely destroyed the environment,Since i m very much concerned with the environment from my child hood i am earger to start up and NGO and work for a welfare of the nation.With help of few friends we had started planting tree saplings in and around me place.If anybody is thre to help me out in Starting up an NGO and fund rising.Please contact me at kbthiagu123@gmail.com.
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HELLO
IM Umair from Pakistan.i newly reg my orginization that will work for specials and disable persons.But i have no money to launch our prog.Because its need money.i request to ALL OF MY FRNDS if they can donate me plz contect me↵ -
i am a social worker , i am a worker of sudarshan seba sangha , i am a member of social welfare forum 2004 , i want to know how to protect global worming . please help me .
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dear sir
i want to open ngo so plz help what can i do
plz i requst u↵ -
Sir
I want to start an ngo, and want to spread computer education in rural areas. I am new to this feild so plz guide me about fund raising and proposal writing
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hi,thank you for the information,its gonna go a long way to help me and my boss. i work partially for an NGO and we are basically a youth and economic empowerment body,my boss has great ideas and workable policies but there is a major lack of funding which is affecting our producivity.so far promises have being made but no real actions taken,this i know is due to the fact that our stuctures and policies are new,people find it difficult to put their money where their mouth is.please how can this problem be resolved.thanks again.
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Sir
I want to start an ngo, and want to Start a school & Computer education in rural areas. I am new to this feild so plz guide me about fund raising and proposal writing
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our organization any support for ngo’s net work organization , you may be net work member of our organization . we support you if you may be net work member of our organization .
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thank you for your successful advice sir.actually i am going to start an NGO in rural place.but i am very new for this field.so please help me if there are any steps except those 10 steps
warm regards
koushik boruah(assam,guwahati)↵ -
Hi,
Thanks for that great artical. Soon am registering a Youth NGO with my friend in Uganda. It is Changing Lives Youth Organisation (CLYO), we are looking forward to helping youth participate in their countrys social, economical and political affairs Through advising the community members, teaching them, and practically being part.We are looking forward to mentoring our fellow youths become good citizens who can give the needy, share with the poor, conserve the enviroment (planting Trees) Preserve and promote the countries culture and traditions, etc
in case of any advise please help and pass it on. I believe by the end of February it will be ready with its offices in Kampala.
God bless You.
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hi, am instrested to start a NGO on village infrastructure development …..please help me in processing it .
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hi, I am shalendra singh, I started a new ngo in mar 2008. I want work on rural development & Environment & Computer Education Plz help me
Give me detail how supported new ngo’s↵ -
dr sir thanks for dat it will go a long way for me because am about starting an NGO in discreamination among poeple living with HIV/AIDS in nigeria i will be so greatfull if u can help me more
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am starting an NGO on discreamination among those living with hiv/aids in nigeria hop to get more words from u.
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Hello!
Thanks for your steps, very inspiring. olajumoke is my name, I am Nigerian, am 21 years old and will be a graduate after 2yrs from now. long before now, i had this vision of NGO. I want to reach out to the young females who are dieing silently in their minds, who have lost self value, worth, esteem and confidence. I want to recreate their mind set on that and set them on track, show them the reality of the life they have been called to live. I have a very strong passion for this, this is what i want to do for life, it is my life. i have it has a group on facebook and i am very convinced that the time to start is now.↵ -
Hello Sir,
I am from dehradun(india). I have a desire to help the poor childens living in the slum next to my place……i want to teach them how to learn……according to my knowlegde most of them go to schools……but honestly speaking sir here in india Govt. schools are not so effective. At the end of the day what they learn is zero. I seek your guidence that is it necessary to open an NGO……as it is matter of small scale……They look to me the same as i was in my childhood…..i dont know about the world but i know about them they need help n even me.
If you can it would be so kind of you to assist me.Thanking you,
Yours Sincerely
Shanu Sourabh↵ -
Hi,
Thank for sharing your experience with us,I am a social worker and from past 6month I am running my own NGO but worried about organization sustainability and funding.I am in this profession with the desire to help people in need but these thing value less but still I want to work honestly and provide maximum benefit to the need.can u please help me and suggest some idea for sustainability and donar funding.I am from India and our NGO is situated in Utter Pardesh (PILIBHIT) I hope u might Know Pilibhit.Once more thank u and please help and Happy New Year.Sincerely
kamran↵ -
Please Sir, I have set up an NGO with the aim of reaching rural communities for christ and also to inspire and assist the youth of the various communities to understand their calling into christ kingdom. please help me to get affiliate NGO to team up with them for Christ to rule the world.. Hoping to hear from you soon. thank you.
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Hello Sania,
As adviced before please go through Banker to the Poor by Mohammed Yunis. His ideology can be of great help.
Regards,
Manish Gupta
+919886848756↵
