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Frederick S. Pardee
Institute for International Futures
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International Non-Governmental Organizations

The International Non-Governmental Organizations dataset tracks the location and operational intensity of country-level projects across 90 large service delivery INGOs from 1990 to 2015. It is part of the Pardee Institute's Diplometrics program, which builds datasets to measure international relationships that are often discussed qualitatively but are difficult to compare systematically. This dataset helps users study how international NGOs allocate assistance across countries with different levels of need, safety risk, and political constraint.

Access the dataset

Explore the INGO Diplometric Data

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Access the INGO Codebook 

Access Codebook

Read the analysis in International Interactions

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Dataset at a glance

Measures
Location and operational intensity of country-level INGO projects
Unit of Analysis
Country-organization-year
Organization coverage
90 large service delivery INGOs
Geographic coverage
Worldwide / country-level
Time coverage
1990–2015
Main research use
Assistance allocation by large service delivery INGOs
Access
Public
Related publication(s)
“Do Safety Expectations Affect the Location Strategies of Large Service Delivery INGOs?” International Interactions, 2023
Parent program
Diplometrics

What the dataset measures

The INGOs dataset records where large service delivery international NGOs operate and how intensively they work across countries over time. It includes country-level project information for 90 large INGOs between 1990 and 2015.

Users can use the dataset to study where service delivery INGOs concentrate activity, how assistance varies across country contexts, and whether need, safety expectations, or political conditions appear to shape location strategies.

How this data is used

International NGOs often work where public services, humanitarian assistance, or development support are needed, but their location decisions may also reflect security risks, political access, and operating constraints. The INGOs dataset helps researchers compare these patterns across countries and years.

Research using the dataset has found that large service delivery INGOs tend to direct more operational resources to countries demonstrating need and are not necessarily deterred by safety risks. The same research suggests they send fewer service operations to autocracies, indicating that political conditions may also shape where they work. Explore related publications to see how Pardee researchers have applied the dataset in analysis.

How the data are built

Organization sample
The dataset covers 90 large service delivery INGOs. Confirm whether these are the “largest” by expenditures, project count, staff, or another criterion before specifying.
Country-level project records
The dataset records project location and operational intensity at the country level.
Time period
Coverage from 1990-2015
Interpretive guidance
Users should consult the codebook for organization selection, variable definitions, source notes, and coding rules.

Avoid creating source types or selection criteria unless the codebook confirms them.

Access and citation

Use the INGO data to study country-level project location and operational intensity among large service delivery international NGOs. The codebook provides the variable definitions, organization selection criteria, and coding guidance needed to interpret the dataset.

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