NGO full form: Non-Governmental Organisation

How to say it: letter by letter.

NGO stands for Non-Governmental Organisation. It is an organisation, set up by private citizens and not by the government, that works for a social cause and not for profit.

What NGOs do

They work in almost every field: education, health, the rights of women and children, care of the elderly and of persons with disabilities, relief after disasters, the environment, animal welfare and rural development. Some run schools, clinics or shelters. Others do research or speak up for a cause.

"Not for profit" does not mean "no income"

An NGO may receive donations, grants and fees, and it may pay salaries to its staff. What makes it non-profit is that any surplus is used for its work and is not shared among owners.

How NGOs are set up in India

• As a trust, under the trust laws.
• As a society, registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 or the state law.
• As a Section 8 company, a non-profit company under the Companies Act, 2013.

Full forms you meet with NGOs

• NPO: Non-Profit Organisation.
• CSR: Corporate Social Responsibility, the spending by companies that often funds NGO work.
• FCRA: Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, the law on receiving donations from abroad.
• 80G: the section of the Income-tax Act, 1961 under which donations to approved bodies qualified for a deduction.
• SHG: Self-Help Group.
• CBO: Community-Based Organisation.

Before you donate

Check that the organisation is registered, look at its reports and accounts, and ask for a proper receipt. Tax rules on donations change, so confirm the current position before relying on a deduction.

More government full forms

• SSC Staff Selection Commission
• IAS Indian Administrative Service
• IPS Indian Police Service
• IFS Indian Foreign Service
• IRS Indian Revenue Service
• PSC Public Service Commission
• CGL Combined Graduate Level
• CHSL Combined Higher Secondary Level

All government, law and services Next: LPG explained

Check what matters. These pages explain names and terms in general. Rules, dates, fees and limits change: take them from the official body. Read on 12 November 2026.