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Nonprofit & NGO Research: Home

Definitions

NGO

"A non-governmental organization (NGO) is any non-profit, voluntary citizens’ group which is organized on a local, national or international level. Task-oriented and driven by people with a common interest, NGOs perform a variety of services and humanitarian functions, bring citizens’ concerns to Governments, monitor policies and encourage political participation at the community level. They provide analysis and expertise, serve as early warning mechanisms and help monitor and implement international agreements. Some are organized around specific issues, such as human rights, the environment or health. Their relationship with offices and agencies of the United Nations System differs depending on their location and mandates."

Via the UN NGO Relations and Liaision Service

Nonprofit

A nonprofit organization  "is dedicated to furthering a particular social cause or advocating for a shared point of view. In economic terms, it is an organization that uses its surplus of the revenues to further achieve its ultimate objective, rather than distributing its income to the organization's shareholders, leaders, or members. Nonprofits are tax exempt or charitable, meaning they do not pay income tax on the money that they receive for their organization." 

Via Wikipedia on Nonprofit organizations

They can also be known as a non-business entity, not-for-profit organization, or nonprofit institution. 

Resources

Directories of NGOs

The resources below can help you identify a possible NGO to research and will often link out to the main webpage for those NGOs, some NGOs will publish information there that you can use in your research.  For more information, you can use the resources on the next two tabs.

Free Websites

Databases

Other Tips for Searching

Nonprofits and 990 Tax Forms

Using Google Advanced Search: 

With Google Advanced Search, you can specify the file type for the search. Most nonprofits publish their annual reports or any sort of official documents as a PDF file, by searching the name of an organization and the PDF file type, you are likely to find relevant documents.

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Irwin Library: 317-940-9227
Science Library: 317-940-9937

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