HOW TO START AN NGO!

Starting any organization might seem like a hard and impossible task, however, there are four secrets to starting an NGO that can be followed by just about anyone.

1. Identify Your PASSION/PURPOSE
One of the easiest ways to start an NGO is by first identifying your passion/purpose. We all have at least one thing that we are passionate about, whether it is reading to the elderly, helping kids with their homework or providing mentorship for youths. Whatever it is, it can be the idea and basis for your organization.

2. WRITE It Down
Many times we think of great ideas but often forget about them because we did not write them down. Once you have discovered your passion, ensure you write it down. You don't need to be an expert at writing business or organization plans! You can begin by simply just writing your thoughts and ideas as they come to you. Things such as the name you would like your organization to have, what services you will offer and how you will offer these services, a mission statement, the goals and objectives of the organization, your target group and where you will offer your services. These are the essential elements that will help you to get your organization off the ground. Other important elements are your budget and how you will finance the organization, but remember you can always find someone to assist you!

3. Think BIG, Start SMALL
One of the number one reasons why many organizations fail is because the founders try to start big and at the top instead of starting small and growing the organization. One of the best ways to start an NGO is to start by creating a small community service project. This will allow you to test your idea, to see the impact it has on the people you are serving and also to see the support gained from the community, other organizations and most importantly people you will need to act as volunteers for your organization. Once your idea is having a positive impact on the lives of the people you are serving and on the community, the natural progression is for your organization to grow, as people, other organizations, schools and even companies, will start seeking you out to invite you to share and even make presentations about what you do for them. Additionally, individuals with similar passions like yourself will offer themselves as volunteers within your organization.

4. Ask For HELP
"No man is an island", we all need the help of others at some point in our lives to achieve our goals. Once you have written down your idea, start your search for individuals who have similar passions and purpose and have skills, especially those you do not have, but will need to make your organization grow. Note that once you start something meaningful, people will express their interest in wanting to become a part of your organization. Be aware however, that as your organization grows, you might need to create a screening process to help to determine those you accept into the organization. For your organization's sustainability, ensure you select the persons who share similar interests and have a genuine interest and passion for making a difference through the work of the organization. Lastly, if in doubt, don't be afraid to seek advice from individuals who have done what you are trying to do. There are many lessons that you can learn from them and more often than not, they are always willing to help by giving advice or sharing best practices.

Good Luck!

The Structure of NGOs

NGOs exist in many different forms and are called different things in various parts of the world. While it is good to know what these organisations are referred to worldwide, the names and differences in names are not as important as the purpose these organisations serve - to provide services that are beneficial to the general public.
Let's explore the varying names and structures of NGOs globally.

NGO - Many still refer to NGOs as only the large federations such as Red Cross, Salvation Army, that are internationally known to provide services to the poor...

Charities - the term charities is used widely across the UK and Europe for most organisations of a non-profit nature. They may vary in size, ranging from the very small to very large

CBOs - Community Based Organizations (CBOs) are usually referred to as the smaller organizations that are created and run by members of the community to aid in the development of the community members and the community as a whole. There has been recent adjustment to the term CBO to specify the type such as CBYO, which is Community Based Youth Organizations, those that are created, run by and provide services for youth and youth development within the community.

Grassroots Organisations - the term Grassroots is often used to refer to those Non-Profit Organizations that operate within a specific community but with less formalities than others such as CBOs. Grassroot Organizations are made up of the "common" or "ordinary" individuals with a common purpose and are usually found within the agricultural or rural areas of a country.

Non-Profit Organisations - this term is used to refer to an organization with a formal structure, registered and identified within a country or territory to provide services to the public or other beneficiaries and does not focus on generating profit. NPOs are often exempted from government taxes and do not pay dividends to directors, officers or members from the organization's income.

What are NGOs?

Have you ever been in a conversation with someone who repeatedly uses the term ‘NGO’ and you had to stop the person to ask ‘What is an NGO’?  I must admit, I am one of those persons who take it for granted that because I am familiar with the term NGO, that everyone else knows what an NGO is.

NGO is the acronym for Non-Governmental Organization, but the term is often used interchangeably with other terms such as Non-Profit Organizations, Charities, Community Based Organizations (CBOs) and even Faith-based Organizations. In fact there are existing debates about the similarities and differences among them.

It is quite interesting to know that the term NGO was actually coined by the United Nations (UN), for their own purposes, in 1945. While there was no specific definition, the UN stipulated several criteria that NGOs should follow, including: NGOs should not be classified as political parties and should be independent from government, they should not be profit-making and should not be criminal groups or participate in criminal activities (www.un.org).

There has been massive increase in the number of NGOs that have developed in recent years. There is still no specific definition for the term, however a fair conclusion can be drawn that the term NGO serves as an umbrella for many organizations ranging from Transnational Federations like Red Cross to Grass-root Organizations or Community Based Organizations (CBOs). A concise definition that I will use throughout this blog for NGO is “An organization that exists for charitable reasons, offering services to the public for social, environmental or community development; independent of government, with aims that are not political and non-profit in nature”. 

WELCOME!!!

Welcome to my blog on An NGOs Journey to Sustainability! This is where I will be sharing my thoughts and experiences about the NGO world, having founded and managed an NGO for the last five years (since 2009). I will be sharing the journey that I have been on, including the set-up and registration processes, recruiting and attracting volunteers and mentees, gaining funding and sponsorship for projects and just the remarkable story of how a small Community Service Project has evolved into an Internationally-funded NGO.

Most importantly, I will share with you the knowledge I've gained about Social Enterprises and Social Entrepreneurship by attending several Social Enterprise workshops and events, volunteering with a renowned Social Enterprise in London and through my Master's research on "The Capacity of NGO's in Developing Countries to become Sustainable by Creating Social Enterprises".

The blog will include updates of my current journey of trying to develop and launch a Social Enterprise that will not only help youths globally with their careers but hopefully will generate sufficient revenues to help the NGO YWOP/YMOP become sustainable and continue to execute its social mission in Jamaica and beyond.