Abstract:
The classification of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) is not merely a taxonomic exercise: the categories
used by legal scholarship, public registers, statistical systems and funding platforms shape how civil society is
described and governed. This article re-examines Ukrainian scholarly classifications of NGOs against the current
Law of Ukraine „On Public Associations” and international statistical standards. Using doctrinal legal analysis,
comparative classification analysis and conceptual modelling, it identifies three recurring problems in legacy typologies:
reliance on repealed statutory criteria; conflation of legal status, membership and beneficiary orientation;
and treatment of funding sources as a direct proxy for organisational autonomy. Particular attention is paid
to the transition from the International Classification of Non-profit Organizations (ICNPO) to the United Nations
International Classification of Non-profit and Third Sector Organizations (ICNP/TSO). The article proposes a
multidimensional model based on four analytical axes: primary functional/economic activity, operational reach,
beneficiary or constituency orientation, and resource/funding profile. Legal attributes, including legal-person
status and all-Ukrainian status under Ukrainian law, are treated as a separate legal overlay rather than as substitutes
for analytical classification. The model is further translated into a machine-readable metadata structure
suitable for digital public registers, statistical systems and funding portals. Its practical value lies in enabling
more accurate comparison and governance while avoiding the assumption that any single category determines
an organisation’s independence, legitimacy or regulatory treatment.
