Starting up an NGO: Here is a guide on registering an NGO in Uganda

Uganda has a vibrant civil society with thousands of NGOs working across sectors such as,  health, human rights, environment  and community development. Various laws have been put in to place that mandate the NGO bureau to register and maintain an up to date record of all NGOs operating in Uganda.  National Bureau of NGOs operating under the Ministry of Internal Affairs is the body responsible for registering NGOs in Uganda.

An NGO is a legally registered nonprofit voluntary organization that operates independently of government. These can be community based, international or national.

NGO registration differs from company registration as a community based organization may not require company registration however indigenous, foreign ,continental or international NGOs must register as companies limited by guarantee.

Here is a guide on how to register an NGO in Uganda..

To establish an NGO in Uganda one must first register it as a company limited by guarantee with the Uganda Registration Service Bureau

What is the role of NGOs?          

1. Service delivery such as health care, education etc
2. Advocacy and human rights such as raising awareness, monitoring human rights violations and providing legal support
3. Community empowerment such as supporting income generating activities ,offering training and skills development
4. Building social capital through connecting people to different networks and associations

Steps for registering an NGO in Uganda

To register an NGO in Uganda the following steps must be followed:

1. Reserve a name through the Uganda Registration Services Bureau.
2. Incorporate as a company limited by guarantee .This gives the NGO a legal personality and certificate of incorporation
3. Register with the National Bureau of NGOs. This is done by application to the National Bureau of NGOs together with a certificate of registration
4. Once the application is approved, An NGO certificate and operating permit will be given .

How our firm can help?

The registration process can be vexatious .our firm offers end to end support for NGO registration and compliance and some of our services include:

1. Name reservation with URSB
2. NGO registration and permit acquisition
3. Obtaining Tax Identification Numbers
4. Drafting NGO constitutions policies and by laws
5. Opening NGO bank accounts
6. Annual returns and NGO permit renewal

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