The truth about NGOs

The history of NGOs is fascinating. I knew there are many, but I had no appreciation for the scope and magnitude of their involvement in corporate and government matters until …

An eye opener 👁️

I asked GROK:

🧶 What qualifies as an NGO and how many are there in the USA and Canada?

🕵️‍♂️ Definition of a Non-Governmental Organization (NGO)

A Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) is a private, typically nonprofit organization that operates independently of government control. NGOs focus on a wide range of issues, including humanitarian, social, environmental, or advocacy causes. They are generally mission-driven, aiming to address societal challenges such as poverty, human rights, environmental protection, or community development. Key characteristics include:

• Independence: NGOs operate outside government influence, though they may receive government funding without compromising autonomy.

• Nonprofit Status: Most NGOs are nonprofit, funded through private donations, membership dues, grants, or international institutions. Some may be for-profit but focus on social or humanitarian goals.

• Purpose: They can be operational (implementing projects like disaster relief or development programs) or advocacy-based (influencing policy or raising awareness).

• Scope: NGOs can operate locally, nationally, or internationally. International NGOs (INGOs) extend their work across borders, adhering to principles like neutrality and impartiality.

• Historical Context: The term “NGO” was formalized in 1945 under Article 71 of the United Nations Charter to describe organizations with a consultative role, distinct from government bodies.

Examples include Amnesty International, Oxfam, and the Red Cross. NGOs differ from political parties or criminal groups and are often part of civil society, promoting democratic participation.

Number of NGOs in the USA

Estimating the exact number of NGOs in the United States is challenging due to varying definitions and the overlap between NGOs and other nonprofit organizations. However, based on available data:

• The U.S. nonprofit sector includes approximately 1.5 million organizations, many of which qualify as NGOs due to their mission-driven focus on social, humanitarian, or advocacy issues. This figure encompasses organizations registered as 501(c)(3) nonprofits with the IRS, which include NGOs focused on public policy, human rights, environmental issues, and more.

• The U.S. Department of State notes that NGOs represent a broad spectrum of ideologies and causes, ranging from small community-based groups to large international organizations. There is no centralized registry specifically for NGOs, as many are categorized under broader nonprofit classifications.

• Candid, a major source of nonprofit data, provides a searchable database but does not specify a precise number of NGOs, as the term is not consistently distinguished from other nonprofits.

Given the broad definition, it’s reasonable to estimate that hundreds of thousands of these 1.5 million nonprofits function as NGOs, particularly those engaged in advocacy or service delivery. However, precise numbers are elusive due to the lack of a distinct “NGO” category in U.S. regulations.

Number of NGOs in Canada

In Canada, the landscape is similarly complex, with NGOs often falling under the broader category of registered charities or nonprofit organizations:

• The Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) oversees registered charities, which include many NGOs. As of recent data, there are approximately 86,000 registered charities in Canada. Additionally, there are thousands of nonprofit organizations that may not have charitable status but still qualify as NGOs if they focus on social or advocacy issues.

• Notable Canadian NGOs include CARE Canada, World Vision Canada, and the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS), which work domestically and internationally.

• The exact number of NGOs is difficult to pinpoint because, like in the U.S., there is no specific “NGO” designation in Canadian law. Many organizations are classified as charities or nonprofits, and some operate without formal registration. Estimates suggest tens of thousands of organizations in Canada could be considered NGOs, particularly those with social, environmental, or humanitarian missions.

Challenges in Quantification

** Definitional Ambiguity**: The term “NGO” overlaps with nonprofits, charities, and civil society organizations, making precise counts difficult. Some sources estimate global NGOs range from thousands to millions, but country-specific data is less clear.

• Data Gaps: Neither the U.S. nor Canada maintains a centralized NGO-specific database. In the U.S., the IRS tracks 501(c)(3) organizations, while in Canada, the CRA tracks charities, but these include entities beyond NGOs.

• International NGOs: Both countries host INGOs (e.g., Oxfam, Red Cross), which may be counted in global directories like WANGO’s, listing over 54,000 organizations worldwide but not specifying U.S. or Canadian subsets.

Conclusion

An NGO is a private, typically nonprofit entity independent of government control, focusing on humanitarian, social, or advocacy issues. In the United States, there are approximately 1.5 million nonprofits, with a significant portion functioning as NGOs. In Canada, around 86,000 registered charities and additional nonprofits likely include tens of thousands of NGOs. Exact numbers are hard to confirm due to definitional overlap and lack of specific registries. For precise data, you can explore Candid’s nonprofit search for the U.S. or the CRA’s charity database for Canada.

The evolution of Cronyism.

In the 1930s, when Benito Mussolini ruled Italy, his form of dictatorship was called FASCISM. El Duce, his nickname, struck deals with the leaders of that country’s biggest manufacturing and agricultural corporations to produce products that supported his political and military agendas. Today, we may refer to this as Crony Capitalism.

In the 1990s, I began to hear about Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs). They combined the political and public funding support of governments with the talent and resources of the private sector. These arrangements seemed innocent enough in theory, but those relationships seemed a little too cozy to pass my “sniff test”.

A landmark announcement was made in October 2018 when then Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a $595 million bailout fund to support legacy media companies as they continued to lose market share to Internet providers that benefitted from superior advertising reach and revenues. This was a first major Canadian government subsidy of its kind in the information services sector. It amounted to a bribe, using public money, to control political messaging to Canadians through established TV, radio and print media organizations.

Less obvious has been the growth of the NGO sector as a form of Public-Private Partnership that has grown to unimaginable proportions in the shady corners of national and international economies and politics. This is where the real power is today. It has been “engineered” to exist well beyond the reach of political elections. NGOs operate with little-to-no oversight or direct accountability to any member of the public 🙀.

The game of “democracy” ended sometime in the past 🥺.

When❓

I doubt that even GROK can answer that question 🤨

The story of how and when it ended is being explored and told in snippets by men like Mike Benz. 👏

ENJOY.