This document introduces key terms related to nonprofit organizations, including charity, philanthropy, and civil society, emphasizing their roles in social welfare. It discusses the concepts of volunteering and giving, highlighting the significance of individual contributions to community causes. Additionally, it defines non-governmental organizations and non-profit organizations, outlining their functions and the importance of social capital within society.

1. NON-GOVERNMENTAL
ORGANIZATION (NGO)

2. Prof. Mohamed Dahir Ali
Ph.D. candidate

3. CHAPTER ONE
Studying nonprofit
organizations

4. KEY TERMS
Some of the key terms introduced in this chapter
are:
Charity
Civil society
Giving
Nongovernmental organization
Nonprofit organization
Philanthropy
Social capital
Voluntary association
Volunteering

5. Charity
An individual benevolence and caring, is a value
and practise found in all major world cultures
and religions. It is one of the “five pillars” of
Islam, and central to Christian and Jewish
religious teaching and practise as well. In
many countries, including the US, the notion
of charity includes relief of poverty, helping
the sick, disabled and elderly, supporting
education, religion, and cultural heritage.

6. Philanthropy
The practises of individuals reflecting a “love of
humanity” and the voluntary dedication of
personal wealth and skills for the benefit
specific public causes: while philanthropy,
like the term charity, has deep historical
roots in religion, its modern meaning
emerged in early twentieth-century America
and refers to private efforts to solve common
social problems such as poverty or ignorance.

7. Volunteering
The donation of time for a wide range of
community and public benefit purposes, such
as helping the needy, distributing food,
serving on boards, visiting the sick, or
cleaning up local parks: over 50 percent of the
US population volunteers on a regular basis, a
figure somewhat higher than that for the UK,
Australia, or Germany.

8. Giving
The donation of money and in-kind goods for
charitable and other purposes of public
benefit to organizations such as the Red
Cross or religious congregations, or to
specific causes such as HIV/AIDS, cancer
research, or humanitarian relief. Over two-
thirds of US households donate money, a
number not too different from that of many
other countries.

12. Civil society
society is the sum of institutions,
organizations, and individuals located
between the family, the state, and the market,
in which people associate voluntarily to
advance common interests. The nonprofit
sector provides the organizational
infrastructure of civil society.

13. Social capital
Social capital is a measure of the individual’s
connection to society and the bonds of mutual
trust it creates, the nonprofit sector refers to
private action for public benefit, and civil
society is the self-organizing capacity of
society outside the realms of family, market,
and state.

14. Non-governmental organizations
Non-governmental organizations are created
by legal persons who are not part of the
government. Although NGO funds are
mostly raised by the government.

15. Non-profit organization
Non-profit organization does not divide its extra
funds between its shareholders, or owners, but
uses them for the organization’s purposes.
Examples of these organizations are public arts
organizations, trade unions and charitable
organizations. They offer services and programs
through federal, local or state entities. Non-
profit organizations hire management personnel,
and aim to raise substantial funds

16. Voluntary association
A voluntary group or union (also sometimes
called a voluntary organization, common-
interest association, association, or society)
is a group of individuals who enter into an
agreement, usually as volunteers, to form a
body (or organization) to accomplish a
purpose.