Nonprofit Organisations and Policy Influence: Power, Legitimacy, and Accountability in Contemporary Governance

Nonprofit organisations have evolved from traditional service providers into influential policy actors that shape governance through advocacy, research, and coalition building. This article examines the dual identity of nonprofits as both partners in service delivery and agents of political change, exploring the strategic dilemmas this duality entails. Drawing on theories of the policy process, power, and legitimacy, it analyses how nonprofits navigate accountability tensions and negotiate their place within contemporary governance systems. Through global case studies in human rights, environmental advocacy, and grassroots mobilisation, the paper shows how nonprofits influence not only policy outputs but also social norms, public discourse, and the distribution of power. It concludes that sustaining legitimacy in fragile civic spaces requires balancing advocacy and partnership while rethinking accountability beyond compliance toward participatory legitimacy and shared governance.