The Tricky Relationship between Social Movements and NGOs
Bringing points of understanding to all in the discussion of resource allocation to on-the-ground social movements and activists.
In January, we published a question that we are still trying to bring answers to the social movement spaces in which we work. The push and pull found within the social movements and nonprofit or nongovernmental organizations all working to shift on-the-ground realities into better outcomes for the people can be daunting. Our essay “Social Movement and NGOs: Can They Get Along?” published by Yes Magazine, attempted to bring points of understanding to all in the discussion.
By unpacking more than a few examples, from NGO warehouses filled with unused supplies to the complicated expectations of paid community organizers, we outlined how failures are both inevitable and a moment of clarity for both social movements and NGOs, especially for the traditional leadership structures in typical funder-driven structures.
Photo by Jason Leung on Unsplash
How to encourage an NGO to become more “movement-minded”? We identified five necessary actions:
Invest in infrastructure
Shift organizational culture toward organizing and activism
Embrace risk
Get trained on mass-movement-building-practices and principles
Integrate community resilience practices
Money is important. Giving money to movement efforts without requiring complicated grant proposals or reporting requirements is critical. That said, NGO staff need to be trained to adopt movement mindsets as they evaluate if the organization's strategic planning supports seamless communication between movement coordinators and institutional staff.
Limits will arise as the NGO strengthens resource sharing and connection with on-the-ground movement efforts. Movements move, and we are responsible for ensuring the fight for social justice is intersectional, supported, and resourced.
Read the full story at Yes Magazine
