Challenges in Accountability for Non-Profit Organisations
Author: Dr. Anna Neya Kazanskaia
Publisher: NEYA Global Publishing
Article | NEYA Global Journal of Non-Profit Studies
Year: 2025
ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-5669-1676
DOI: https://doi.org/10.64357/neya-gjnps-acbldtrthrtrns-06
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About the Article
Accountability in the non-profit sector is constrained by power imbalances, administrative burdens, ethical dilemmas, and sectoral diversity. This article identifies five major challenges that shape the practice and perception of accountability: donor dominance over community priorities, excessive reporting demands, confidentiality tensions, uneven sectoral expectations, and the paradox between donor- and mission-driven approaches. These challenges reveal that accountability is not merely procedural but deeply political and ethical, reflecting structural inequalities and competing values. The analysis argues for proportional, context-sensitive, and hybrid accountability frameworks that preserve mission integrity while meeting donor and regulatory expectations. By embedding participation, ethical judgment, and adaptive design, non-profits can transform accountability from a compliance exercise into a mechanism that sustains legitimacy, trust, and social impact.
Key Topics
- Donor dominance and power asymmetries
- Administrative and reporting burdens
- Confidentiality versus transparency
- Sectoral variation in accountability frameworks
- Donor-driven versus mission-driven accountability
- Ethical and proportional accountability design
Suggested Citation
Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Challenges in Accountability for Non-Profit Organisations. NEYA Global Journal of Non-Profit Studies. NEYA Global Publishing. https://doi.org/10.64357/neya-gjnps-acbldtrthrtrns-06
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