Global Water is an international non-profit organization that provides water and sanitation services to rural communities around the world. It is governed by a Board of Directors and overseen by a Program Manager. Global Water operates in over a dozen countries, partnering with local NGOs, but does not have its own country offices. It is headquartered in Oxnard, California and relies on donations from private organizations and the US federal government for funding. The Program Manager publishes progress reports evaluating project successes and sustainability.

1. International Organizations: NGOs2/14/2009Paper 1: Case Description of the Structure of an INGOThe following short paper is a narrative that describes the characteristics of International NGO, Global Water. The purpose of the narrative is to identify the organization’s governing structure, funding source, and office locations in an effort to analyze an INGO for course P11.2216.Akua A. Apraku aa1560@nyu.edu<br />International Organizations: NGOs<br />Paper I: Case Description of the Structure of an INGO<br />INGO: definition / Global Water’s mission<br />In Lecture I, Dr. Spiro defined an International NGO as a non-profit organization that works across national borders for social improvement services or purposes and addresses a specific crisis or issue in a manner that is outlined in a mission statement. The ability to be a vehicle of change, independent of government and private agendas, nimble, non-bureaucratic and assist marginal populations are the characteristics of an INGO. Global Water exemplifies the definition and characteristics of an INGO. With the slogans, “Overcoming hunger disease and poverty…with water,” and “We’re changing the world-one village at a time”, Global Water provides water and sanitation consulting services to global citizens in rural villages and townships all over the world. Governed by a Board of Directors and a Program Manager, this INGO provides services in Central America, South America, Eastern Europe, Africa and Asia in an attempt to radically change the progress of small towns within these regions.<br />Founded in 1982 by U.S. Ambassador John McDonald and Dr. Peter Bourne, Global Water’s current mission statement is the following:<br />Global Water is based upon the belief that the lack of access to safe drinking water is the primary cause of hunger, disease and poverty throughout the world. Founded in 1983, Global Water is an international, non-profit humanitarian organization focused on creating safe water supplies, sanitation facilities and related health programs for rural villagers in developing countries. Our program is designed to provide safe water supplies in rural villages to enable the rural poor to help themselves. <br />Since 1982, Global Water’s mission has not changed but the organization has identified failed projects and strategic plans followed by processes put in place to avoid future mistakes. As an INGO based in the United States, Global Water is not bound by international law, however internally the organization is governed as an NGO with donors, Board of Directors (BOD) and a Program Manager.<br />Global Water’s main program activities are investigating and identifying local non-governmental organizations in a developing country that are currently working on rural water projects, providing partial or full funding for water projects, and inspecting completed water projects to maintain continuity and sustainability.<br />Organzational structure – headquarters<br />Global Water’s Organizational Structure<br />Global Water does not explicitly identify the role of the BOD; however, the organization of the website and its emphasis on Board members and their involvement in program services suggests members’ direct involvement in the INGO’s services. There is no Chief Executive Officer title; however the function of a CEO is carried out by the Program Manager, who is a member of the BOD. The relationship between the Program Manager and the Technical Advisory Committee resembles a management team model because of the technical expertise the latter entity possesses. It would be difficult for the Program Manager to assess and choose projects without the direct budgetary and engineering input of the experts on the Technical Advisory Committee. <br />In my professional opinion, Global Water is not structured in the usual NGO fashion; yet the organization thrives because of the close relationships between the BOD and Program Manager who are colleagues that have worked together years before the inception of Global Water. This can prove to be a negative characteristic in the future of the organization. If certain BOD are resign and are subsequently replaced, will this pose tension within the BOD? It appears that Global Water would benefit from a steering committee that will address future problems in the organization’s governance.<br />It is not clear as to how many employees the organization has at headquarters in Oxnard, California; however, the organization clearly states its involvement with local NGOs around the world. The strategic planning process is clearly documented on the organization’s website and involves a process of the following: surveying, analysis, funding and sustainability. As an objective party reviewing the structure of the organization, all details are not explicitly clear.<br />International Structures (Head Office, Field Operations, and Other Organizations)<br />Global Water operates in the following countries: Brazil, Guatemala, Honduras, Kenya, Laos, Nicaragua, Nigeria, Romania, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan, Togo, Zaire and Zimbabwe. As part of the organization’s strategy there is an affiliate identified in each country as part of the surveying process; however, the organization does not have country offices in either local. During the implementation of a water project, a liaison is identified and is responsible for communication between headquarters and the local NGO. Global Water acknowledges the infrastructure expertise of NGOs already working in developing countries and implements its model, Rural Outreach Water Supply Program (ROWS Program) to enhance the efforts of water advocacy NGOs. Some of the water-advocacy NGOs identified by Global Water are Aqua Para La Salud (Guatemala), Aqua Para Las Vida (Nicaragua), By Provision (South Africa), and El Porvenir (Nicaragua).<br />Finances<br />Global Water has three large donors from the private and federal sectors, Clearly Canada, Combined Federal Campaign and PureTec Industrial Water. Overhead costs are documented on their website for donors to view and provide funds. Please review an example of the organization’s list of project costs.<br />On the website, donors are encouraged to donate funds based on specific projects in specific countries. Without an annual budget it is difficult to determine how great of an impact donor funding has on the INGO.<br />communications mechanisms and evaluations<br />There is no public relations department; however the organization prints white papers to express its views on the global water crisis in developing countries. Its website, www.globalwater.org, also contains information regarding the INGO. The Program Manager publishes a project progress report for each project of Global Water. It is not clear to whom the progress reports are addressed to, however the tone infers they are addressed to donors and the BOD. Within the reports, the Program Manager evaluates the success and sustainability of a project. There are not clear measures of success, however, as previously mentioned, the organization documents its mistakes and implements prevention strategies to avoid future mishaps.<br />