By Lana Keusch, MPH
AGS Certificate in NGO Management, 2018

Friday, 16 February 2018

Over the past several years in the American workplace, diversity and inclusivity have become critical buzzwords for management and human resource teams. Particularly in the NGO and non-profit world, proven ability to work successfully in a multicultural environment is often specifically listed as a required competence on job postings. Though most individuals in this industry will be familiar with the general concept of bias, defined as “a prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person or group compared with another” by the UCSF Office of Diversity and Outreach, what many don’t realize is that there are two types of bias: conscious (or explicit) bias, and unconscious (or implicit) bias.

By Gabriela Lemus
M.A. Candidate 2018

Monday, 12 February 2018

There is nothing like inspirational videos to motivate viewers to engage and to contribute to making the world a better place. Unfortunately, NGOs often fall victim to providing less than stellar productions.

Video is becoming even more important as a communication tool. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has announced that by 2021, Facebook would be primarily video based. Therefore, it is important that NGOs are up to par with the way they disseminate their information or promote their organization.

By Lana Keusch, MPH
AGS Certificate in NGO Management, 2018

Friday, 22 December 2017

In 2015, the UK-based news outlet The Guardian put out a call for survey participants for a study on “mental health and wellbeing in the aid industry”. The results of this study show worrying trends, with eight in 10 of the 754 respondents stating that they had experienced mental health issues, and an overwhelming majority reporting that the problems were related to their work.

Aid work, particularly international humanitarian response, is an area of employment rife with potential dangers and stress. Exposure to security threats and witnessing human suffering on a regular basis are simply part of the job when one is deployed to a country in the midst of crisis. And the threats are not always external. In the current post-Harvey Weinstein culture of late 2017, issues of sexual assault within the workplace are finally receiving global attention.

By Erik Caufield
M.A. Candidate 2018

Friday, 15 December 2017

Foreign Funds for NGOs under attack in India 

India’s Central Bureau of Investigation has targeted the NGO Advantage India and its staff, charging they have violated the country’s Foreign Contribution Regulation Act. The complaint alleges the NGO misused social corporate responsibility funds that were collected for educational and social activities in India.

By Gabriela Lemus
M.A. Candidate 2018

Monday, 11 December 2017

NGOs today cannot use the same fundraising methods used decades ago. Although NGO staff continue to raise funds through customary methods such as grant writing and calls to potential funders for donations, NGOs are also focusing their attention on organizing special events that involve community members and potential funders.

By Larry Kilman
Associate Director, AGS
Assistant Professor, NGO Management

Friday, 8 December 2017

UNESCO and its partners in the NGO-UNESCO Liaison Committee have dedicated their 8th International Forum in Paris this week to how non-governmental organizations are responding to climate change. If you don’t know about the committee, you should.

The committee, which serves as a forum for NGO advocacy at UNESCO and among its member states, ensures that civil society is represented in all intergovernmental discussions.

By Lana Keusch, MPH
AGS Certificate in NGO Management, 2018

Wednesday, 6 December 2017

Smartphones.

They are ubiquitous in today’s world, with the number of global smartphone users predicted to reach 2.87 billion by 2020.

We use them for traditional phone activities, such as calls and texting, but also to help us shop, read a book, or settle an argument with a quick Google search. In 2014, nearly half of Americans (46%) said their smartphone was something “they couldn’t live without”, according to the Pew Research Center, and in 2015, median smartphone adoption in developing nations hit 37%.

They’re especially vital for aid and humanitarian workers.

By Taylor Kelly

M.A. Candidate 2019

For a long time, the NGO and non-profit sector was divided from the for-profit sector in terms of management practices. But today, they are moving closer together.

For example, organizations in both sectors now often have internal structures that are similar, including board members, presidents, financial advisors, in-house lawyers, marketing teams, etc.

By Taylor Kelly
M.A. Candidate 2019

Monday, 13 November 2017

Is cultural competence – respect for cultural differences – a key aspect for the success of an NGO? The quick and easy answer is yes, particularly because NGOs tend to help everyone, everywhere. So, how does an NGO achieve cultural competence? This post explains what cultural competence is, explores its principles, lists examples of diversity that NGOs may encounter, and presents some key ways in which an organization can implement this practice into their mission.