Internationalization for voluntary organizations

Nowadays, the phenomenon of globalization is a reality that a lot of enterprises around the world are facing. Their traditional production and commercialization processes are now being questioned by this new reality, and the unstoppable search for more productive and efficient models inevitably leads them to foreign markets. But this reality, notwithstanding, does not only affect commercial enterprises and businesses: Non-profit organizations and other types of associations are currently facing the same challenges, looking for better ways to communicate and increase their effectiveness and efficiency, no matter what their target is or what specific field they work in.

In the last decade, the importance of this kind of organization has risen. However,, in most cases, this development has been based purely on social criteria. Despite that, the economic pressure nowadays suffered by these non-profit organizations has also increased, which is caused by their funders demanding a more efficient use of resources and more transparency in their finances. In other words, this kind of activities, while being non-profit, need to be conducted in the most efficient way possible, assuring a correct use of the resources provided.

An efficient approach to the funds and other resources donated to an organization can be useful, as well, to increase the reliance and attention that this organization has within society. This is a crucial factor, as it will help to increase the engagement of more donors and resources and to decrease the dependency that most of these organisations usually have with public funds and aid.

Foto di Perry Grone in Unsplash

So the question is: why should you internationalise your organisation? We can summarize the information given thus far as following:

• To gain visibility internationally, increasing social awareness in society of the specific topic attached by your organisation.
• To increase the number of potential donors and their engagement with the purpose of the organization.
• To increase the impact of your organisation, reaching out to more people needing your work in other countries of your international setting.
• To get to know other organisations and associations with similar or related purposes (creating your own network), and thus gaining access to collaborations.
• To increase potential income of funds and other resources.
• To obtain greater profitability of the use of those funds and resources.
• To acquire prestige and recognition
• To reduce costs.

As we will see later, with internationalisation come several benefits, but also some risks. This is one of the most important issues to be aware of when thinking about going international. This topic will be discussed on the Learning Unit “Benefits and risks of internationalisation”.