Cordell Ashley Payne

De-Risking the Ngo Cordell Ashley Payne

The social sector (the 'third sector' in the economy) provides the crucial plug that fills some of the holes left by the PSU and the private sector, in the delivery of much needed social services. The role and importance of this sector becomes more evident with time and what we do becomes all the more crucial for the country's social upliftment. The risks we undertake (deliberately or unknowingly) become that much more existence-threatening, as there isn't much of a safety net available. Most NGOs find themselves at the wrong end of the management spectrum, striving to achieve the maximum with the least resources. There is a marked imbalance between 'what' needs to be achieved and the 'how' to achieve it and that imbalance sums up the risks facing each and every NGO - an imbalance that must be corrected (or de-risked) in order to achieve its goals. This book high-lights some day-to-day risks faced by NGOs and lays down foundations for stronger management and, consequently the mitigation of risk.