What does NGO stand for? The NGO full form is non-governmental organization, a group that works on a public cause such as health, education, disaster relief or the environment while staying independent of any government. Many NGOs are nonprofits that rely on donations, grants and volunteers.
The phrase took hold at the United Nations, which needed a name for the outside groups it consults on world issues. Today you hear it in news reports about aid work, in college courses on international relations and on job boards for charity and advocacy roles.
Quick facts
Stands for
Non-governmental organizationAlso spelled
Nongovernmental organizationType
Initialism, said N G OPlural
NGOs, no apostropheUsed in
News, aid work, international relations, job listingsRelated terms
Nonprofit, charity, civil society, INGONot to be confused with
A government agency or a private company
What does NGO stand for, and what makes a group one?
Read the letters in order: N for non, G for governmental, O for organization. The defining word is "non." An NGO is not a ministry, agency or office of a state, even if it works closely with one or receives some public money.
Most groups called NGOs share a few traits:
- They are organized around a mission rather than profit for owners.
- They are run by their own board or members, not by a government.
- They are not political parties and usually do not run candidates.
- They are legally registered in at least one country.
There is no single worldwide legal definition, so the label is used a little loosely. A small local food bank and a large global relief group can both be called NGOs.
Kinds of NGOs you may read about
| Type | Main work | Example activity |
|---|---|---|
| Relief and development | Aid after disasters, long term help in poor regions | Delivering clean water after a flood |
| Advocacy | Pushing for changes in laws or policy | Publishing reports on prison conditions |
| Service | Running clinics, schools or shelters | Operating a mobile health clinic |
| Environmental | Protecting land, water and wildlife | Replanting forests |
| Professional or research | Setting standards, sharing expertise | Training nurses in rural areas |
A group that works in many countries is sometimes called an INGO, an international non-governmental organization. A well known example on our site is UNICEF, although it is actually a UN agency, not an NGO, which shows how easily the two get mixed up.
NGO vs nonprofit vs charity
In the United States, "nonprofit" is the usual everyday word, and it describes a tax and legal status. "Charity" is common for groups that serve people directly. "NGO" is the term preferred in international settings and in many other countries. The three overlap heavily: most American nonprofits that work abroad are also called NGOs.
What an NGO is not: a government body such as the CDC, or a business that sells products for profit. Groups like the ACLU or the NAACP are American nonprofits that people may also describe as NGOs.
How the term is used in news and jobs
Reporters often use NGO when a story involves outside groups in a crisis zone or at an international meeting. People who support a given group tend to describe it in terms of its mission, while critics may question its funding or influence. The letters themselves are neutral; they simply describe a group's place outside government.
In a job posting: "Program officer, education NGO, fluent Spanish preferred." This means a role at a non-governmental group that runs education programs, likely with work in Spanish speaking areas.
In a news line: "NGOs set up field kitchens near the border." Independent aid groups, not soldiers or officials, are serving the meals.
Saying and writing NGO
Say it letter by letter, "N G O." Unlike NASA, nobody turns these letters into a word, which makes NGO an initialism. The split is covered in what is an acronym. Write it in capitals, and make it plural with a small s: NGOs. Since the letter N is spoken "en," use "an": "an NGO in Kenya."
Both "non-governmental" and "nongovernmental" are correct. Many style guides in the United States drop the hyphen, while the UN usually keeps it. For more agency and policy letters, see our government acronyms list.
Questions people ask
What is NGO stand for, explained simply?
It stands for non-governmental organization. Put simply, the label covers a group working for a public good that is not part of any government.
Is an NGO the same as a nonprofit?
They overlap a lot. Nonprofit is a legal and tax term used in the United States, while NGO is the broader international label. Most NGOs are nonprofit, but the words come from different settings.
Can an NGO get money from a government?
Yes, many do, through grants or contracts for specific projects. What keeps them non-governmental is that a government does not run or control the organization.
How do you pronounce NGO?
Say each letter: "N G O." Reading it as one blended word would confuse most listeners.
Is the UN an NGO?
No. The United Nations is made up of member governments, so it is an intergovernmental organization. NGOs work alongside it, and some hold an official consultative role.