About & Editorial Standards

Civil Society is an independent knowledge base about civil society, civil society organizations (CSOs), non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and the wider nonprofit sector. Our job is to make a complex, jargon-heavy field genuinely easy to understand.

Our mission

Search for “what is civil society” or “the difference between a CSO and an NGO” and you meet a wall of academic and institutional language. We translate that language into clear, accurate explanations — for students, researchers, journalists, exam candidates and people working in the sector for the first time.

What we cover

• Definitions and concepts — civil society, CSOs, NGOs, the third sector and how they relate.
• Comparisons — the terms people confuse most, side by side.
• Country guides — how the sector works in Nigeria, Kenya, India, the Philippines and beyond.
• Themes — human rights, philanthropy, volunteering, the environment, social innovation and more.
• Practical tools — a glossary, an organization directory and interactive explainers.

How we research and review

Every article is written from primary and reputable secondary sources — the publications of international bodies, established organizations and peer-reviewed scholarship. Before publishing we check each piece for factual accuracy, remove unverifiable claims, and make sure the answer actually matches the question a reader asked.

We update articles as the field changes, and we correct mistakes openly. Facts we cannot confirm do not go on the page.

Independence & funding

This site is independent and is supported by advertising. Advertising never influences our explanations, and we do not accept payment to feature or favour any organization. Ads are labelled and kept separate from editorial content.

Get in touch

Spotted an error or have a question? Our team welcomes corrections and suggestions — see the contact page, or read more about who writes and reviews this site.