Overcome global instability during NGO expansion

Working to solve humanity's challenges often requires nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and nonprofits to venture into unstable environments and economies. They provide humanitarian aid to war-torn regions. They assist with establishing education and infrastructure. They respond to natural disasters and epidemics.

Operating your NGO and expanding your mission in these circumstances can be difficult, especially when navigating complex international regulations. Here are four ways you can overcome global instability to further your cause with NGO expansion:

Testing international markets before expansion allows NGOs to adapt their programs, navigate local challenges, and make informed decisions to increase long-term effectiveness and sustainability. It helps ensure that your efforts are responsive to the needs of the local population and aligned with your mission and values.

In some cases, international markets may have unique needs and challenges that are not immediately apparent. Conducting preliminary assessments or pilot programs can help NGOs and nonprofits identify the specific needs of the target population and tailor their services to address them more effectively. When it comes to employing workers in new global markets, using an employer of record (EOR) can streamline this process and eliminate the administrative burden of hiring and payroll.

Another reason to test the markets is to ensure your efforts will be successful. NGOs are often accountable to donors and beneficiaries for the effectiveness of their programs. Testing the market provides an opportunity to gather data, evaluate program impact, and make evidence-based decisions before scaling up operations.

Laws are constantly changing across the world, especially when countries see changes in leadership and administrations. Navigating operational and employment regulations—and ensuring proper compliance—is a complicated endeavor during NGO expansion.

Working with a global expansion partner can help you better understand the legal requirements and potential challenges associated with operating in a foreign country. This includes compliance with HR and payroll requirements, contractor classification and contract negotiations.

There are two main strategies for staying compliant during international NGO expansion. The first is to establish your own legal entity in new global markets. Sometimes, NGOs piece together legal entities in different countries as they grow, which can lead to costly inefficiencies and redundant processes. An expansion partner can help you evaluate your entity needs and understand the process, costs and risks of the various types and structures of foreign registration.

The second option is to use an EOR provider, which takes on the compliance responsibility of hiring in new countries, because it legally hires workers on your behalf. It’s also an adaptable HR solution that allows you to scale up or down your workforce based on the project, timeline, scope and funding.

Hiring the right people in the right places with the right skills is critical to your success. But for many NGOs and nonprofits, recruiting and hiring internationally is hindered by a lack of local HR expertise. Hiring the best people internationally to extend the reach of your organization is an ongoing process that requires careful planning, a commitment to diversity and cultural sensitivity, and a focus on both the professional qualifications and values alignment of the candidates.

You want to find qualified talent that believes in your mission and values. But when you're constantly competing with the corporate sector, it can be difficult to find and retain top talent. When it comes to recruiting for international roles, a global recruiting partner with deep local expertise and networks of pre-qualified candidates can help match you with the best workers, even for the hardest-to-fill roles.

Expanding into countries that need your support takes a lot of planning and execution. Part of that international expansion process often includes developing partnerships with payroll providers, HR support, entity setup and more. But as you grow, these relationships in multiple countries can quickly become cumbersome to manage.

Working with a single point of contact for all your international expansion reduces time, effort and energy that can be spent furthering your mission. The right global expansion partner should manage all the legal complexities so you don't have to stress about the administrative burden as you grow.

Learn more about strategies for NGO expansion, particularly expanding your workforce to, with our Global employment guide for NGOs.