根據約翰霍普金斯大學的「公民社會研究中心」(Center for Civil Society Development)的研究指出,我們一般認為的公益組織,符合以下六特徵,就是我們所說的NGO:
組織的營利不做二次分配的公益團體。(募款後所得只用於公益目的事業中)
組織所從事的事業,必須具備公共利益性質。
組織應受政府主管機關在賦稅上的優惠或減免。
組織在行動上應具中立性,且不受政治上影響。
組織的成員大部分應是志願性,亦即大多屬於志工。
組織應是合法的機構,也就是該組織必須是登記在主管機關登記下的合法的公益財團或社會法人。
美国學者Salamon, Lester M.) 在《全球公民社會》(Global Civil Society︰Dimensions of the Nonprofit Sector;1999)一書中指出,美國NPO/NGO概念駁雜不清,但仍可以社區與非社區來做簡單的區隔,舉凡屬社區在地型的公益組織,可被概稱NPO,其他則較適用於NGO的稱謂。
许多国际NGO在与它们领域相关的联合国机构都有一个咨商地位。例如,第三世界网络在聯合國貿易和發展會議(UN Conference on Trade and Development,UNCTAD)和联合国经济及社会理事会中有一个咨商地位。1946年,只有41个NGO在ECOSOC中有咨商地位,但到了2003年,这个数字上升到2350。
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