Nonprofit Organisations and Policy Influence: Power, Legitimacy, and Accountability in Contemporary Governance
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-pblplcpwinfdsmk-01
This material forms part of the NEYA Global knowledge architecture. Institutional, organizational, professional, training, consulting, curriculum, program design, or implementation use requires an active license from NEYA Global
Explore Architecture →
Module Overview →
Request Institutional Access →
About the Article
Nonprofit organisations have evolved from traditional service providers into influential policy actors that shape governance through advocacy, research, and coalition building. This article examines the dual identity of nonprofits as both partners in service delivery and agents of political change, exploring the strategic dilemmas this duality entails. Drawing on theories of the policy process, power, and legitimacy, it analyses how nonprofits navigate accountability tensions and negotiate their place within contemporary governance systems. Through global case studies in human rights, environmental advocacy, and grassroots mobilisation, the paper shows how nonprofits influence not only policy outputs but also social norms, public discourse, and the distribution of power. It concludes that sustaining legitimacy in fragile civic spaces requires balancing advocacy and partnership while rethinking accountability beyond compliance toward participatory legitimacy and shared governance.
Key Topics
- Nonprofit policy influence
- Advocacy and political change
- Legitimacy and accountability
- Governance and civic space
- Power and representation
- Strategic dilemmas in service and advocacy
Suggested Citation
Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Nonprofit Organisations and Policy Influence: Power, Legitimacy, and Accountability in Contemporary Governance. NEYA Global Journal of Non-Profit Studies. NEYA Global Publishing. https://doi.org/10.64357/neya-gjnps-pblplcpwinfdsmk-01
References
Anheier, H. K. (2014). Nonprofit Organizations: Theory, Management, Policy (2nd ed.). Routledge.
Banks, N., Hulme, D., & Edwards, M. (2015). NGOs, states, and donors revisited: Still too close for comfort? World Development, 66, 707–718.
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.worlddev.2014.09.028
Carothers, T., & Brechenmacher, S. (2014). Accountability, Transparency, Participation, and Inclusion: A New Development Consensus? Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.
Ebrahim, A. (2003). Accountability in practice: Mechanisms for NGOs. World Development, 31(5), 813–829.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0305-750X(03)00014-7
Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Public Policy: Power and Influence in Decision-Making. NEYA Global Publishing.
https://doi.org/10.64357/public-policy-2025
Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Theoretical perspectives on power and influence in nonprofit policy engagement. Neya Global Journal of Non-Profit Studies.
https://doi.org/10.64357/neya-gjnps-pblplcpwinfdsmk-02
Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Legitimacy and policy engagement of nonprofit organisations. Neya Global Journal of Non-Profit Studies.
https://doi.org/10.64357/neya-gjnps-pblplcpwinfdsmk-07
Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Mechanisms of policy influence by nonprofit organisations. Neya Global Journal of Non-Profit Studies.
https://doi.org/10.64357/neya-gjnps-pblplcpwinfdsmk-04
Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Organizational Legitimacy: Earning & Sustaining Public Trust. NEYA Global Publishing.
https://doi.org/10.64357/legitimacy-2025
Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Accountability: Building Trust through Transparency. NEYA Global Publishing.
https://doi.org/10.64357/accountability-2025
Kazanskaia, A. N. (2025). Civil Society Under Pressure: Restrictive Environments. NEYA Global Publishing.
https://doi.org/10.64357/civil-society-under-pressure-2025
Keck, M. E., & Sikkink, K. (1998). Activists Beyond Borders: Advocacy Networks in International Politics. Cornell University Press.
Lukes, S. (2005). Power: A Radical View (2nd ed.). Palgrave Macmillan.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-230-80257-5
Suchman, M. C. (1995). Managing legitimacy: Strategic and institutional approaches. Academy of Management Review, 20(3), 571–610.
https://doi.org/10.2307/258788
