Event Date: January 16, 2025 - 12:00pm to 1:30pm
Location: FSS 5028, 120 University Private, University of Ottawa

Presented by CIPS and the International Political Economy Network (IPEN)

NGOs are perceived as organisations that are always seeking funding. However, there are many instances where donations are refused by NGOs. This counter-intuitive decision, given the often grave humanitarian needs, is not well documented beyond brief references or individual cases. Refusal is an expression of values and principles, important for actors that are often portrayed as having little to no agency or power in relation to donors. We developed a database of 32 examples of funding refusals by NGOs detailing the reasons for refusal. To classify and compare the refusals, we developed a preliminary typology of NGO motivations for donor refusal, which contains four types (independence, impartiality, neutrality, and humanity) that align with humanitarian principles. Each category and type are defined and examples of each are provided. Given the focal nature of NGOs in development activity, the lack of attention to funding refusal is notable. We address this lacuna by creating a database and developing a preliminary typology to provide a foundation for future research. This study contributes a novel typology to an under-studied topic and provides a foundation for studies of refusal to follow. 

Speakers:

Logan Cochrane is an Associate Professor at Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) in the College of Public Policy. He is an Associate Fellow of the Ethiopian Academy of Sciences and an Adjunct Professor at Hawassa University (Institute for Policy and Development Research). His research includes diverse geographic and disciplinary foci, covering broad thematic areas of food security, climate change, social justice and governance.

Alexandra Wilson is a Master’s student at the School of International Development and Global Studies, University of Ottawa. She holds a Bachelor of Global and International Studies with a specialization in Global Development from Carleton University. Alexandra has published research on topics such as the Humanitarian-Development-Peace Nexus, electric vehicle adoption, and, most recently, the motivations behind NGO donor funding refusal. In addition to her academic work, she serves as a Junior Desk Officer at Global Affairs Canada.

Moderator:

Christopher Huggins is an Associate Professor at the School of International Development and Global Studies University of Ottawa with a focus on the political economy of natural resource management in several Central and Eastern African countries. His current research examines issues around artisanal and small-scale mining in Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He is a co-coordinator of IPEN.