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Successful people and organizations follow a certain set of rules that help them grow and set them apart from others. These rules are the core principles that greatly influence the way people and their organizations work. A principle can be defined as a rule that helps people understand the context around us and then, accordingly, suggests the best way to act in a given situation. In addition to guiding us in our daily lives, principles also help us to successfully accomplish our tasks.
For an NGO to be successful, there are certain fundamental principles that should be incorporated into its daily work.
Transparency and accountability: All NGOs should be transparent and accountable in their daily activities. This means that NGOs should be open and honest about their activities, funding and internal operations. Most NGOs follow a protocol that increases their credibility by making them more accountable and transparent.
Transparency: Your NGO should be open about the activities it carries out, the funding it receives and the people it helps. Information related to the work of the NGO should be easily accessible and available to relevant stakeholders. Transparency enables NGOs to appeal to donors, develop cooperation and improve efficiency.
Accountability: Accountability means the obligation of a person or organization to report on its activities, take responsibility for them and disclose the results in a transparent manner. Accountability is a very broad term that covers several issues of NGOs; some of them may include organizational management structure, financial procedures, human resource policies, etc. Accountability is a fundamental principle for any organization, you have to explain to your stakeholders how you have used resources and what impact your organization has had. Experts suggest the following four aspects of NGO accountability.
Upstream accountability: This refers to the responsibility of NGOs to be accountable to funders, donors and government agencies. As an organization you are accountable to donors and funders for how you will use their money.
Horizontal accountability: this refers to accountability to project partners, colleagues and related organisations. It also includes strengthening partnerships and collaboration with other organisations and stakeholders.
Downward accountability: this means that as an organisation you are accountable to your beneficiaries and target audience.
Internal accountability: one of the most important aspects of accountability is accountability to your staff and the mission of your organisation. This means having ethical standards and governance structures in place and living up to the core value of your organisation.
Benefits of transparency and accountability
Improved relationships with donors and funders: donors and funders become more accessible to transparent organizations.
Trust among communities: local communities tend to cooperate with NGOs that provide information and share information with beneficiaries.
Promotes partnerships and cooperation: transparency helps to develop partnerships with other organizations and institutions.
Better employment opportunities: your employees will continue to work with you because they feel safe working for an organization that is trustworthy.
Improved productivity: accountability and transparency tools help you monitor your operations, thereby increasing productivity.
Ways to ensure accountability and transparency of your NGO:
Registration: Make sure your organization has legal status and is registered according to the relevant legal framework. Registering your NGO will not only help you increase your accountability, but will also allow you to interact with government agencies and various donors.
Accreditations and certifications: This refers to an external agency confirming that your organization meets a set of standards and policies. Accreditation ensures that your organization has been evaluated by a third party and meets nationally recommended standards and policies.
Annual Reports and Financial Statements: Regular publication of your annual reports is a great way to ensure that you are carrying out the required activities responsibly. An annual report provides readers with detailed information about all the activities your organisation has undertaken in a given year. Another important tool to increase accountability is to regularly update and summarize financial reports. This report clearly indicates your income and expenses for the month, quarter and year.
Third party audit and evaluation: Many organizations rely on evaluation and external audits as an accountability tool. External audits help analyze and verify that you are in compliance with industry standards and regulations.
