With few exceptions, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in Kosovo tend not to be very transparent with how they manage their finances. This is problematic for several reasons.<\/p>\n
First, NGOs work towards the public good<\/i>. Since we serve the public, we have a responsibility to be transparent about what we do, how we are funded and how we spend our funds.<\/p>\n
Second, our financial resources often come originally from taxpayers (in Kosovo or abroad), or from individuals who give money to support us. We have a responsibility to report how their money was spent and what was achieved with their money. Otherwise, they may not feel like funding our work again.<\/p>\n
Third, for organizations seeking to hold the government accountable, their own house must first be in order.<\/p>\n
Fourth, our latest research on “Where’s the Money for Women’s Rights?” suggests that several donors in Kosovo are becoming hesitant to fund NGOs because organizations have not shown clearly where the money went in the past and what they have achieved with that money.<\/p>\n
This does not mean that organizations have not achieved important results, but perhaps organizations could do a better job of showing how money was spent and what results were achieved. NGOs’ future funding depends on how transparent they are with their finances and how well they show their results to donors and community members (as potential future supporters).<\/span><\/p>\n