Organisational Structures and Mechanisms of Change in Non-Profit Organisations

This article analyses how organisational structures shape the mechanisms of social change in non-profit organisations. It argues that institutional design—encompassing governance, coalitions, alliances, and decision-making systems—acts as both an enabler and a constraint of NGO influence. Grassroots organisations derive legitimacy from participation and cultural embeddedness, while international NGOs achieve visibility through professionalisation and scale. Governance models expose enduring tensions between donor-driven upward accountability and community-based downward accountability, while coalitions and alliances expand reach but risk power asymmetries and co-optation. The hierarchy–horizontalism debate highlights structural trade-offs between efficiency, participation, and legitimacy. By framing structures as dynamic systems rather than static frameworks, the article situates organisational form at the centre of understanding how NGOs mobilise influence and sustain democratic values in complex institutional environments.