A Model and Typology of Government-NGO Relationships

This article develops a model and typology of government-nongovernmental organization (NGO) relationships to enable both a rapid appraisal of government-NGO relationships in a particular context and to identify the characteristics and possible structure of alternative relationship types. Building on the literature on the subject, the model defines eight possible relationship types based on several dimensions: government's resistance or acceptance of institutional pluralism, the relative balance of power in the relationship, and the degree of formality and—by extension—the level of government linkage. The model and typology are designed to assist governments, NGOs, donors, and other development practitioners to identify and promote the most productive government-NGO relationship for a particular context.