Teaching Paper: Participatory Legitimacy Reviews in NGOs

Participatory legitimacy reviews provide NGOs with structured methods for embedding accountability and trust within governance and program cycles. Unlike top-down audits, these reviews prioritize stakeholder dialogue and shared ownership of legitimacy assessments, ensuring that beneficiaries, donors, communities, and staff collectively evaluate credibility. Grounded in participatory development theory and governance frameworks, this Teaching Paper introduces methodologies for stakeholder mapping, participatory evaluation cycles, legitimacy indicators, and transparent reporting. A practical case study illustrates application in a community NGO, while reflection questions support organizational learning. By connecting participatory theory with operational tools, the paper equips NGOs to institutionalize legitimacy reviews as a foundation for inclusive accountability and sustainable trust.