A non-governmental organization (NGO) is a non-profit, citizen-based group that functions independently oಞf government. NGOs are organized on local, national, and international levels to serve economic, social welfare, and civic purposes. Despite their indepe🌼ndence from the government, many NGOs receive significant funding from government entities. However, this may change with the Trump administration.

Understanding NGOs and Government Funding

NGOs are private organizations, managed by private individuals and operated in🅷dependently of government. 

Some NGOs focus on developmental projects, such as clean water, while others promote awa🅘reness of speci🔜fic causes.

Many NGOs receive funding from local, state, and federal government entities through grants. A grant is a financial award given to an organization with a specific purpose. Grants help provide funding for medical research, economic development, educational advances, and various projects that provide public services. Grants are essentially gifts that do not need to be repaid.

Other forms of funding for NGOs include:

• Annual membership dues or fees
• Donations from individuals
• Donations from charitable 澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果体彩网:foundations, which are funded either by public donations or private donors, such as a corporation, an individual, or family
• Revenue or income from the sale of goods and services
• Contracts and cooperative agreements with governments 

Special Considerations

Government funding of NGOs may provoke controversy when public officials and/or constituents disagree about the NGO's goals or the purposes of the funding. Some NGOs prefer not to be identified or associated with the government and eschew funding from any ꦗgovernment or national or international governmental organization.

For example, the environmental NGO Greenpeace does not take any funding from the government or corporations. Greenpeace is prohibited from being involved in politics, by virtue of being registered as a charity.

Examples of NGOs and Government Funding

Examples of NGOs that currently receive gover♛nment funding, or that have received government funding in t🎀he past, include:

Doctors Without Borders

Doctors Without Borders is an NGO that provides medical assista🍷nce and access to medicines to those in ne🅷ed throughout the globe, which includes fighting malnutrition, HIV/AIDS, malaria, and many other medical issues.

The vast majority of their revenue is raised through donations from individuals, corporations, and foundations. The organization receives some government funding internationally but limits that funding to less than 20% of the total amount of funds raised. As of 2025, it's at 2%.

Doctors Without Borders has not received or solicited any funding from the U.S. government since 2002.

American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)

The 澳洲幸运5官方开奖ꦏ结果体彩网:American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) is an organization that helps peಌople age fifty and older by providing education and information. Some of the issues that AARP focus𝕴es on include financial education, caregiving for older adults, and fraud protection.

AARP receives some grant funding from the federal government through the AARP Foundation, which helps to fight poverty for older citizens. Otherwise, the organization receives the vast majority of its funding through membership dues, donations, and advertising revenue from its publications. AARP also earns royalty income by allowing third-party firms, such as financial institutions to use the AARP brand name.

World Wildlife Fund (WWF)

The World Wildlife Fund's mission is to conserve nature and promote the diversity of life on Earth. The WWF focuses on renewable energy, sustainable food systems, forest conservation, and ensuring that there's an adequate amount of freshwater. In 2024, 14% of the WWF's funding came from government grants.

The Bottom Line

NGOs are non-profit, citizen-based groups that operate independently of government. They may aim to serve a variety of different social, economic, or civic causes. Despite their lack of government affiliation, they may receive financial support from an array of sources, including through grants. Some prominent NGOs, such as the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) have received grant funding, while others like Greenpeace, may deliberately eschew it to avoid association with the government.