Serving Public Welfare with Legal Expertise
The Shanghai ForNGO Legal Research and Service Center, abbreviated as “ForNGO” or “ForNGO Legal,” was registered and established in September 2012 with the Shanghai Pudong New Area Civil Affairs Bureau. It is a 4A-level social organization. ForNGO Legal is the first social think tank in China dedicated to non-profit organization law research initiated by social forces, and it is also a supportive platform providing professional legal capacity-building services for social organizations. The mission of ForNGO is to promote the lawful and compliant operation of social organizations and to advance the development of China’s public welfare and non-profit sectors.
Since its establishment in 2012, the center has organized the compilation of 8 legal monographs related to non-profit organizations and public welfare charity, contributed to 7 other monographs, published over 30 research reports and papers, and undertaken 14 government research projects. During this period, ForNGO has received numerous honors, including the Shanghai Brand Social Organization recognition in 2021, the “Charity of Shanghai” Annual Top Ten Public Welfare Organization Award in 2020 (guided by the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau), and several research awards. These awards include the First Prize of the 2018 Shanghai Civil Affairs Research Achievement Transformation Award for the “Study on the Revision of the Shanghai Volunteer Service Regulations,” the Second Prize of the 2017 Shanghai Civil Affairs Research Achievement Transformation Award for the “Research on Information Disclosure of Social Organizations,” and the Excellent Legislative Draft Award from the Shenzhen Social Organization Administration Bureau in 2015 for the “Shenzhen Special Economic Zone Social Organizations Regulation (Draft).” Additionally, its research achievement “Strengthening the Comprehensive Supervision of Non-profit Nature of Social Organizations in Shanghai” won the Second Prize in the “2018-2020 Shanghai Civil Affairs Outstanding Paper” selection.
ForNGO boasts a robust expert database and a team of dedicated legal professionals, having accumulated extensive experience in legal research and legal empowerment services, thus forming a distinctive ForNGO brand. Currently, ForNGO has offices in both Shanghai and Beijing, providing comprehensive legal support and services to social organizations.
ForNGO has established long-term cooperative relationships with various institutions, including the Charity and Social Work Department of the Ministry of Civil Affairs, the China Charity Federation, the Shanghai Civil Affairs Bureau, the Social Development Committee of the Shanghai Municipal People’s Congress, the Beijing Social Organization Development Service Center, the Shenzhen Charity Federation, East China University of Political Science and Law, and the Fudan University Law School.
ForNGO’s public welfare projects have received funding from well-known domestic foundations such as the Shanghai Charity Foundation, the Zhejiang Dunhe Charity Foundation, the Ay You Charity Foundation, the Narada Foundation, and the Beijing Ginkgo Foundation.