NGOs and the Georgian Public: Why Communication Matters

Abstract

The civil society sector in Georgia has gone from near non-existent at independence to a vibrant sector with a multitude of competing voices aiming to affect change. While cynicism towards the third sector was pronounced in the 1990s in Georgia, relatively positive attitudes toward NGOs have developed in Georgia over time. Today though, these attitudes have likely been endangered by Bidzina Ivanishvili's statement that one of his organizations was preparing reports on the heads of three of Georgia’s most active NGOs. This article looks at knowledge and perceptions of NGOs in Georgia using data from the 2011 and 2014 Volunteering and Civic Participation in Georgia surveys funded by USAID and implemented by CRRCGeorgia. Survey results indicate that while knowledge of the third sector is relatively low, Georgians are generally not misinformed, and that those who have interacted with NGOs have more positive impressions of NGOs than those who have not. With these findings in mind, the article suggests that if NGOs want to maintain or improve the positive attitudes that have accrued toward them over time in Georgia, especially in light of the recent and widely discussed accusations against NGOs, an active communications and engagement strategy is critical.