Research Guides: Non-Governmental Organizations: Finding NGO and Think Tank Reports (2024)

FAQs

Are think tanks and NGOs the same? ›

Most think tanks are non-governmental organizations, but some are semi-autonomous agencies within government, and some are associated with particular political parties, businesses or the military.

Many non-profits are affiliated with churches, boys and girls clubs, and alumni associations. An NGO, on the other hand, has broader and internationally driven footprint. They are often working in isolated lands with widespread famine and disease, military bases, and large scale disaster such as hurricane relief.

There are many advantages of NGOs, such as their success in small-scale projects, helping the poor, and being seen as trustworthy. However, criticisms of NGOs include their limited reach, reliance on government funding, and the fact that not all donations are given to projects.

Think tanks can also be referred to as think factories or policy institutes. The work of all think tanks includes conducting scholarly research, creating a space for debate, generating ideas, monitoring public policy and providing intellectual resources to the public.

Think tanks are distinct from government, and many are nonprofit organizations, but their work may be conducted for governmental as well as commercial clients. Projects for government clients often involve planning social policy and national defense.

When comparing an NGO vs NPO, it's useful to know that most NGOs are also nonprofits. However, only some nonprofits are NGOs. A nonprofit can be an NGO when it operates across borders. An example of this case is Doctors Without Borders.

Despite their independence from the government, many NGOs receive funding from local, state, and federal governments through grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements.

NGOs are nonprofit by definition but may run budgets of millions or up to billions of dollars each year. NGOs rely on a variety of funding sources, from private donations to membership dues to governmental contributions.

What is the biggest NGO? ›

Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) is the largest and most influential NGO in the world. Established in 1972, BRAC has grown into a mega organization with 107,259 employees. Its annual income is about US$ 1.08 billion.

Poor Networking and lack of coordination were identified as major challenges.

During the course of the 1990s and early 2000s, a clearly defined set of critiques of NGOs have appeared focusing on: (1) their performance and actual effectiveness, (2) accountability issues, (3) issues of autonomy, (4) commercialization, and (5) ideological and/or political interpretations of their rising influence.

2: Weaknesses of NGOs

Some NGOs may lack transparency and accountability, raising concerns about poor fund management and inefficient use of resources. 2. Addiction problem: In some cases, long-term NGO support can create dependency between communities, limit self-reliance and build local capacity.

Think tanks, also known as policy institutes, are research institutions that conduct academic research, provide policy advice and analysis, and, especially in recent times, engage in various forms of political advocacy. Modern think tanks first began to develop in Great Britain in the mid-19th century.

Most think tanks are nonprofit organizations, but many can be affiliated with universities, foundations, private organizations or government. Since not all think tanks are non-partisan or impartial, it's important to learn more about their mission and principles when considering them as employers.

Think tanks are dynamic research organizations that seek to influence policymaking on regional, national, and international scales.