Differences Between an NGO and a Society

A Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) and a society work towards the same thing, i.e. the welfare of society, but they are different entities. An NGO is a non-profit organisation run by volunteers, while a society is formed by a group of people who come together for a common purpose. The difference between NGOs and society is provided below.

Meaning of an NGO

An NGO is a non-profit organisation serving and helping the underprivileged section of society and poor people. It refers to a group of volunteers working for society’s welfare within the direction of the public. NGOs perform many services and humanitarian functions for the betterment of society. 

In India, NGOs can be established as a society, trust or a section 8 company. NGOs accumulate funds from the public, government authorities and corporates to fuel their projects or ongoing operations. The government does not intervene with the NGO’s work, allowing them to work without legal constraints.

NGOs perform many tasks to motivate the government to take necessary measures towards the citizen’s grievances and advocate policies favouring the general public. Most NGOs take care of human rights and environmental issues. Their focus is to take up grievances from the respective areas and work towards solving them through a transparent and proactive approach.

Meaning of a Society

Society is a group of individuals who come together to solve social issues. It refers to an organised group with a shared political, religious or social purpose. It is established through a Memorandum of Association (MOA) and Articles of Association (AOA) containing its rules and regulations. The Societies Registration Act, 1860 governs the establishment and affairs of a society. The Registrar of Society is the authority that regulates the working of society. 

Societies can include community groups, charities, faith-based organisations and social movements. They are a component of NGOs. NGOs usually function as a trust or a society. However, societies cannot function as independent associations. It can only function as an advocacy and cannot participate in commission roles. Thus, the scope of a society is narrower than an NGO.

What is the Difference Between Society and NGO?

The below table shows the difference between a society and an NGO:

NGOs make arrangements to help people cope with a crisis. They organise rehabilitation centres for disaster victims. They aspire to provide victims shelter,  sanitation facilities, food and healthcare assistance. They are capable of controlling and managing disaster-related situations in a synchronised way.

Societies are less effective than NGOs. They cannot provide benefits to society on a large scale. They are restricted and subjected to serving people of a particular region. However, NGOs and societies have the same goal, i.e. helping those in need. They differ in terms of working mechanisms, establishment, the scale of operation, etc. 

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