8/31/13 Starting an NGO: Develop the NGO's Bye-laws

www.gdrc.org/ngo/start-ngo/startngo-4.html 1/2

Starting an NGO: Develop the NGO's Bye-laws

Cover page:Starting anNGO

You may not getit the first time ...

You may nothave enough

money initially ...

You may notknow what exactly

to do ...

You may not beable to fightmistrust and

apathy ...

IntroductionKey Ingredients ofan NGOEstablish the NGO'sBoard of DirectorsDevelop the NGO'sBye-lawsRegister the NGOFunding and Fund-RaisingOffice ManagementNetworking andProjectManagement

Bylaws are the set of rules under which the organization will operate. They

typically include such items as (a) number of members, term length,

nomination process, committees, and meetings; (b) fiscal year/accounting

cycles, committees, and officers' responsibilities; (c) methodologies, tools,and strategies, monitoring and evaluation etc.; and (d) how to amend the

bylaws themselves.

Note that Bye-laws can also be called the NGO's "constitution" , "article ofassociation" or "statues", depending ont he law of a particular country.

Typical bye-laws of an NGO will contain the following information:

Preamble

Organization name and acronymOrganizational logoBasic aim and purpose of organization

Mission statement

Functions

Membership (types, conditions/qualifications of members, status,

length of service, procedure to become members, rights andobligations, termination)

Advisory board (role and functions, qualitifications of board members,

authority, elections, members)

Organizational structure

Asset mamagement (Finance and property, membership fees)Legal status

Contact address

Dissolution of NGO

Ammendments, modifications, revisions of bye-laws

Get more detailed information on this topicfrom other sections of the NGO Cafe

Setting up an NGO's By-LawsA Sample Set of NGO by-lawsDeveloping an NGO's Mission Statement

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8/31/13 Starting an NGO: Develop the NGO's Bye-laws

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Comments and suggestions:

Hari Srinivas - hsrinivas@gdrc.org