The Top 100 NGOs 2013. Special #15 edition om £9 D king D e T uni , € ourg 10 B + The PosT-DisasTer DisasTer in haiTi + reDiscovering iran F, France, Belgium, luxem France, Belgium, F, ch 15 + The FuTure oF PhilanThroPy D zerlan T swi + a resilienT DicTaTorshiP in Belarus sPecial FeaTure sPecial FeaTure Special Feature: The Top 100 NGOs 2013 Edition. © haBiTaT For humaniTy inTernaTional The gloBal Journal + January & FeBruary 2013 ThegloBalJournal.neT 36 37 sPecial FeaTure sPecial FeaTure © iDe n the pages that follow, we are global scheme of things, why do BRAC is ultimately accountable only expanded even further in the period new developments today. As the lines have resulted in a climb up the ranking. pleased to present the second NGOs matter? to its donors – and in that regard, due since. Some may bristle at any mention between NGO, social enterprise and For others, a no doubt unwelcome slide. O edition of The Global Journal’s to an astute foray into social business of an ‘NGO industry,’ but what cannot social business blur, the questions In either case though, we return to the Top 100 NGOs ranking. In introducing To come up with an answer, we need ventures, will only find this a less and be disputed is the critical role that of what an NGO should be, which same point as last year: despite our best the inaugural list, we began by look no further than our top-ranked less onerous burden to bear. NGOs play in the context of numerous interests it should serve and how it efforts to ensure the ranking is based asking: just what is a non-government NGO for this year, the Bangladeshi national economies around the world. should be regulated by the state, will on concrete information fed through a organization? On this, our definition giant BRAC. While undoubtedly a Turning to the sector as a whole, Profit margins may be non-existent, become more and more relevant. rigorous, objective process, there is no remains the same – an operational- deserved winner, the sheer size and the numbers continue to speak for but the influence of the financial flows science in the measuring. or advocacy-focused non-profit influence of the organization gives one themselves. A Johns Hopkins University involved is undeniable. But back to this year’s ranking. As organization active at the local, national pause for thought. This is an entity study from a decade ago revealed you will see, there have been changes We invite you to read the feature that or international level. that reaches 138 million people directly that the global non-profit sector was And, of course, this does not even afoot. We have continued to refine our follows for what it is – a fascinating through its programs, that provides estimated to be worth $1.3 trillion account for the fact the sector is in the evaluation methodology, which this global snapshot of an often-overlooked This time around, however, in a climate health care to 92 million people, that in the five largest economies alone midst of a fundamental transition – a time around focused on what we believe sector. Like last year, we hope this list of financial crisis, reduced aid budgets employs a growing staff of 122,000, and – equivalent to the total GDP of the transition catalyzed, arguably, by the are the three key criteria relevant to will inform, stimulate debate, inspire and economy-wide fiscal austerity, it is that has lent $5 billion in micro-loans to United Kingdom (or the combined earlier microfinance revolution of the the activities of any NGO – impact, and shine a light on one hundred probably more appropriate to ask a more over six million borrowers. Yet, for all GDP of the 50 low-income countries at 1970s. BRAC was part of the vanguard innovation and sustainability. For organizations worthy of your time. fundamental question: in the broader its benevolence and clear social value, the time). One can only imagine it has then, and remains at the forefront of some organizations, these changes The gloBal Journal + January & FeBruary 2013 ThegloBalJournal.neT 38 39 sPecial FeaTure sPecial FeaTure © BRAC © BRAC 1 BRAC 3 The agile gianT oF The DeveloPmenT worlD hQ LOCATion: BanglaDesh fter landing at a more than but steadily, diversified into a wide catalytic social enterprises – a clear respectable fourth place suite of activities, from agriculture trend positioning the organization in A in our inaugural Top 100 and food security to education, legal an enviable position of financial and NGOs ranking, BRAC (formerly aid, climate change risk reduction, programmatic sustainability. the Bangladesh Rural Advancement livelihoods support and maternal and Yet rather than taking this as a cue Committee) – the largest non child health. Rather than spreading to rest on its laurels, BRAC has at government development organization BRAC’s resources too thin, this strategy the same time used its considerable on the planet – has claimed this has instead remained faithful to resources and in-house human capital year’s top spot. A member of the era- founder Sir Fazle Hasan Abed’s vision to build an expansive and dedicated defining 1970s wave of Bangladeshi of a holistic, sustainable approach to monitoring and evaluation apparatus, microcredit and microfinance pioneers poverty reduction. Indeed, BRAC is in a with positive flow on effects for the alongside the Grameen Bank and ASA, unique position to use its microfinance entire sector. BRAC has since gone on to outpace base as a social platform to deliver its old counterparts and assume an innovative scaled up services aligned to Ultimately, BRAC has evolved into unparalleled position in the crowded a principled, rights-based philosophy. a giant of an NGO in a way that field of international development. As we noted last year, BRAC is in some could see as problematic – a many ways a microcosm of the entire non-public entity that touches the From the perspective of our ranking international development sector in lives of more than 110 million people. criteria – impact, innovation and one organization, albeit gaining in Reassuringly, however, while size is not sustainability – BRAC ticks every box. independence from donor influence often an indication of quality, BRAC While still involved in the microfinance each year as it covers almost 80 percent represents a welcome outlier and a space – to the tune of approximately $5 of its $572 million operating budget continuing force for good at the © BRAC billion – the organization has carefully, through a burgeoning portfolio of global level. The gloBal Journal + January & FeBruary 2013 ThegloBalJournal.neT 40 41 sPecial FeaTure sPecial FeaTure © lane harTwell © ACUMEN FunD 2 3 Wikimedia Foundation 1 Acumen Fund 26 crowD-sourcing knowleDge worlDwiDe hQ LOCATion: uniTeD sTaTes The alTruisTic Face oF venTure caPiTalism hQ LOCATion: uniTeD sTaTes n 11 short years, Wikimedia In practical terms, Wikimedia asset, but also an essential dimension n 2011, New York-based Acumen Partnering in projects estimated to have The greatest testament to Acumen Foundation’s flagship Foundation – which topped our in building an engaged citizenry at the Fund celebrated a decade long benefited over 86 million people to date, Fund’s influence is the trail of I initiative – ubiquitous online inaugural ranking – exists as perhaps societal level. I experiment in 21st century charitable the key to Acumen Fund’s pioneering imitators that have sprung up in encyclopaedia Wikipedia – has the most influential non-government giving. Conceived with seed capital philosophy is its application of venture its wake – more than 200 impact revolutionized the way knowledge actor in the field of education today. Ultimately, the Wikimedia Foundation from the Rockefeller Foundation, capital principles in the pursuit of social investment organizations now operate is collected and shared. By now, Operating with a shoestring staff of represents a path-breaking example Cisco Systems Foundation and value, albeit with a higher tolerance worldwide, focused on driving social most are familiar with the Wikipedia 142, the organization is responsible for of what an NGO can achieve in the three individual philanthropists, the for risk and longer time horizons than change by supporting developing model, which is based around managing the platform facilitating the Internet era. Working with relatively organization was – at last count – its for profit brethren. The result is an world entrepreneurship. With its open access for all Internet users, a largest collection of shared knowledge meagre resources and committed responsible for a diverse portfolio of innovative – and successful – sustainability assured, and its ‘patient’ commitment to multilingualism, in human history – currently 23 to a funding model based on mass over $81 million worth of approved market-based challenge to traditional approach demonstrating deepening and constant edits and updates million articles and counting. To date, private donations as opposed to large investments in 72 countries worldwide. modes of grant-driven development impact as portfolio enterprises reach carried out by an army of Wikipedia is available in 285 languages, institutional grants, the organization Firmly committed to a belief that and philanthropy. maturity, Acumen Fund looks poised to approximately 100,000 eager and is visited by more than 470 continues, through an innovative social enterprises, emerging leaders continue to redefine the possibilities of volunteers. Most striking, however, million people per month. Central to application of new technologies, to have and breakthrough ideas hold the key to To complement its angel investor role, international development as it moves in an age of multi-billion dollar Wikimedia Foundation’s future strategy a deep and abiding impact on the lives successfully tackling the challenge of the organization has also continued to into its second decade. Facebook IPOs, is the organization’s is the continued expansion of Wikipedia of millions around the world.