What you should know

The acronym NGO stands for Non-Governmental Organization, although it is also commonly associated with the term Non-Profit Organization.

A Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) is an organisation established by individuals or legal entities that operates independently of any government. A Non-Profit Organization (NPO) is a legal entity whose primary purpose is not to generate profit but to pursue a public-benefit or charitable mission.

The key distinction between non-profit and for-profit organisations is that any financial surplus (income minus expenditure) is not distributed to members, shareholders, or partners as profit. Instead, any surplus remains within the organisation and is reinvested to support and advance its public-interest objectives.

Like other non-profit organisations, NGOs engage in economic activities to generate the resources needed to fulfil their mission. For example, Callisto offers a range of merchandise, including T-shirts, pencil cases, backpacks, bags, and other souvenir items.

Callisto is both a Non-Governmental and a Non-Profit Organization. More specifically, it is established under Greek law as a Civil Non-Profit Company (AMKE), operating as a collaborative organisation in which members participate voluntarily and decisions are made democratically on the basis of equal representation (“one member – one vote”).

Part of Callisto’s staff and personnel are based at the organisation’s offices in Thessaloniki, where they primarily provide administrative support for its activities, including financial management, project management, communications, fundraising, environmental education, and volunteer coordination.

In line with Callisto’s main areas of work and the projects being implemented at any given time, however, most of the organisation’s staff and collaborators are based outside Thessaloniki, working directly in the field within the areas where Callisto carries out its conservation activities.

At the same time, considerable effort is devoted to ensuring that Callisto’s fieldwork is scientifically documented and supported through effective central coordination and management.

The two organisations work in closely related fields. However, they are separate and independent organisations, each with its own specific objectives, priorities, infrastructure, and areas of expertise.

Accordingly, there are cases in which each organisation independently designs, implements, or participates in projects of its own choosing, and other cases in which collaboration between the two organisations is considered essential to achieve shared conservation objectives.

In addition, both organisations participate in the Observatory for Large Carnivores, as well as in the informal network of national environmental organisations, which aims to strengthen the collective voice of environmental NGOs on key environmental issues.

Callisto’s non-profit status is fully compatible with employing professional staff. On the contrary, in order to implement its projects effectively and consistently, maintain a stable and continuous presence, and take initiatives to address major environmental and social challenges, the organisation relies on qualified employees.

Staff members who carry out professional responsibilities are employed through the projects implemented by the organisation, with some working part-time and others full-time.

At the same time, Callisto’s volunteers are an integral part of the organisation. Without their commitment and willingness to contribute, many of Callisto’s objectives would not have been achieved. The only requirements for volunteering with Callisto are each person’s motivation to contribute and availability of time.

To support its conservation activities, Callisto secures funding from both public and private sources.

At the same time, we do not believe that “the end justifies the means.” We apply a clear set of principles to ensure the responsible management of public-interest resources and the achievement of environmental and social objectives. We are committed to a Code of Ethics and criteria for selecting sponsors and donors, developed through an extensive public consultation process and published on our website.

Given the current economic conditions in Greece—and elsewhere—it is not possible to rely solely on contributions from environmentally conscious citizens. As a result, the majority of Callisto’s funding comes from public institutions, primarily through European and national funding programmes.

Specifically:

-83% of Callisto’s income comes from public funding, primarily through European programmes (such as LIFE, INTERREG, HORIZON, and others) and national programmes implemented by organisations including the Green Fund, the Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency (OFYPEKA), and other public bodies.

-9% of our income comes from private sponsorships, mainly from charitable foundations and companies that embrace the principles of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and support environmental objectives.

-6% of our income comes from the sale of merchandise, the annual contributions of our members, and regular membership subscriptions.

-2% of our income comes from individual donations and one-off contributions from supporters.

In simple terms, the answer is straightforward:

For every €1 spent by Callisto, €0.83 is invested directly in wildlife conservation programmes.

More specifically:

-82.85% of Callisto’s expenditure is allocated to programmes for the conservation and management of wildlife.

-14.93% of our expenditure covers administrative and operational costs.

-2.22% of our resources are invested in fundraising activities.

All projects implemented by Callisto that are co-financed through public national or European funding are subject to mandatory audits by the competent public authorities. In some cases, additional audits by independent certified auditors are also required. Expenditure related to these co-financed projects represents the largest share of Callisto’s overall budget, accounting for 83% on average in recent years.

Similarly, projects funded through corporate sponsorships or charitable foundations are subject to the sponsors’ own monitoring, evaluation, and auditing procedures.

In addition, since 2015, Callisto has voluntarily introduced an annual independent audit of all its financial activities by certified public accountants, regardless of the source of funding. Although this represents a significant financial commitment for the organisation, we consider it an essential investment in transparency and accountability. This decision reflects our commitment to implementing the International NGO Charter of Accountability and Social Responsibility, which includes, among other principles, transparency and public accountability.

To safeguard its independence and freedom of opinion and action—which inevitably means taking positions that may sometimes be challenging for public authorities—Callisto has never sought or received regular state funding.

However, Callisto does seek and receive public funding, both national and European, which is specifically intended to support projects serving the public interest, including environmental, social, and humanitarian objectives. The funding received by Callisto comes exclusively through competitive national and European funding programmes administered by public authorities to implement approved public policies.

These programmes are awarded through highly competitive application procedures that are open to all eligible organisations. Project proposals are assessed according to pre-established rules and evaluation criteria by independent external evaluators or through impartial selection procedures.

Examples include funding programmes managed by the European Union, as well as national funding schemes administered by organisations such as the Green Fund, the Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency (OFYPEKA), and other public bodies. To receive funding, Callisto must submit a project proposal to the relevant contracting authority. If its proposal is ranked higher than competing submissions, it is selected for funding.

The process does not end with project approval. Throughout implementation, Callisto—and, where applicable, its project partners—is subject to continuous monitoring and audits by the competent authority. These cover both financial management (through certified auditors or other official auditing procedures) and the implementation of the project’s technical activities. If any irregularities are identified, the contracting authority may request clarifications or corrective actions. Should these prove unsatisfactory, the authority may suspend further funding and require the reimbursement of funds already disbursed.

All European and national projects implemented by Callisto have successfully fulfilled the commitments undertaken in their original project proposals and have successfully passed the required evaluations and audits.

Over the years, Callisto’s staff has developed specialised expertise, extensive experience, and strong project management capacity that have been recognised both nationally and internationally. This recognition was reflected in 2018, when Callisto received two prestigious international awards: the Natura 2000 Award and the Best of the Best LIFE Projects Award, presented to outstanding participants in the LIFE Programme.

In 1992, following the adoption of two landmark European Directives—the Birds Directive (79/409/EEC) and the Habitats Directive (92/43/EEC)—the European Union established the LIFE Programme (Council Regulation EEC No. 1973/92). Its purpose was to support the implementation and further development of European environmental policy and legislation. LIFE remains the European Union’s only funding instrument dedicated exclusively to the environment and nature conservation.

All LIFE projects, as with other European Union-funded programmes, are subject to mandatory financial audits to ensure transparency, accountability, and the sound management of public funds allocated for environmental protection.

In addition to financial oversight, LIFE places particular emphasis on monitoring project results and evaluating their impact through the use of both quantitative and qualitative performance indicators.

The widespread distrust of NGOs in Greece stems largely from cases of mismanagement of public funds by a number of so-called “front” organisations that carried out little or no substantive work while operating under inadequate—or, in some cases, non-existent—oversight of their activities and results. The actions of this small number of organisations undermined public confidence in the NGO sector as a whole, leading many people to view all NGOs with suspicion and damaging the reputation of organisations genuinely working in the public interest.

The appropriate response to this legacy is greater transparency, accountability, and effective oversight, helping to strengthen the credibility of the non-profit sector. Callisto is firmly committed to these principles by publishing its annual financial reports and placing transparency at the core of its governance and financial management.

Furthermore, since 2015, Callisto has voluntarily subjected all of its financial activities, regardless of their source of funding, to an annual independent audit by certified public accountants. The audit reports are published each year on the organisation’s website.

Callisto also advocates for the establishment of clear eligibility criteria for public funding of NGOs, as well as the creation of a credible National NGO Registry based on robust standards of transparency, accountability, and quality. Such a framework would help distinguish organisations that genuinely serve the public interest and, in many cases, complement the work of public institutions by addressing environmental and social challenges that directly affect people’s quality of life.