Start here · Register & govern
NGO Foundations Checklist: Ghana edition
Register, govern well, manage money and stay compliant in Ghana, with a yearly calendar of what is due and to whom.
PDF · 3 pages · 301 KB
NGO Support Hub
Free tools to help your NGO grow.
Templates, guides and trusted links we use ourselves, shared free with NGOs, community groups and youth-led organisations in Ghana and across Africa.
No sign-up. No cost. Free to adapt for your organisation.
- Templates and guides
- 7
- Trusted resources
- 37
- Topics covered
- 8
- Free to use
- 100%
The SWK NGO Toolkit
Seven practical guides, ready to use today
Written by our team from what we’ve learned running a youth-led NGO in Ghana. Download them, print them, and adapt them to your organisation.
Funding
Grant Proposal Template
A section-by-section proposal with prompts, budget and risk tables, a checklist for before you submit, and where to look for funding.
PDF · 4 pages · 318 KB
Measure impact
Monitoring & Evaluation Starter Kit
A one-page theory of change, a results framework, indicator sheets and a simple learning rhythm for small teams.
PDF · 3 pages · 344 KB
Measure impact
Event & Impact Report Template
The structure we use for our own reports: at-a-glance numbers, honest lessons and a checklist for before you publish.
PDF · 2 pages · 236 KB
Partnerships
Partnership MoU Template
Put a partnership’s purpose, roles and ground rules in writing before the work starts, from branding to data protection.
PDF · 2 pages · 290 KB
Communications
Storytelling & Social Media Guide
Content pillars, a post formula, an ethical storytelling checklist and a monthly plan for your channels.
PDF · 3 pages · 323 KB
People
Volunteer Management Starter Kit
Role descriptions, fair recruitment, onboarding and the essentials of a volunteer agreement.
PDF · 3 pages · 266 KB
Trusted resources
Links worth your time
Official registration offices, funders, free and discounted tools, standards and courses. Each one checked by our team.
Showing 37 of 37 resources
- Register in GhanaOffice of the Registrar of CompaniesIncorporate your organisation as a company limited by guarantee, file annual returns and keep beneficial ownership details up to date.OfficialGhana (opens in a new tab)
- Register in GhanaNon-Profit Organisations SecretariatApply for your NPO licence after incorporation, check your licence status and submit your annual report.OfficialGhana (opens in a new tab)
- Register in GhanaGhana Revenue AuthorityTaxpayer registration (TIN), PAYE for staff and tax returns.OfficialGhana (opens in a new tab)
- Register in GhanaSSNITRegister as an employer and pay monthly pension contributions for your staff.OfficialGhana (opens in a new tab)
- Register in GhanaData Protection CommissionRegister as a data controller under the Data Protection Act, 2012 (Act 843) if you collect personal data.OfficialGhana (opens in a new tab)
- FundingUN Partner PortalRegister once to see and respond to UN agencies’ calls for civil society partners.FreeGlobal (opens in a new tab)
- FundingEU Funding & Tenders PortalEvery European Union call for proposals in one place, including calls open to civil society.FreeGlobal (opens in a new tab)
- FundingSTAR-Ghana FoundationA national centre for active citizenship and philanthropy, working for a vibrant, well-informed civil society in Ghana.Ghana (opens in a new tab)
- FundingGlobal Fund for Community FoundationsA grassroots grantmaker supporting community philanthropy organisations around the world.Global (opens in a new tab)
- FundingGlobalGiving AcceleratorTraining plus a crowdfunding campaign that can earn your organisation a place on GlobalGiving.Global (opens in a new tab)
- FundingOpportunity DeskA regularly updated list of grants, fellowships, awards and competitions.FreeGlobal (opens in a new tab)
- FundingFundsforNGOsGrant news and fundraising guides for NGOs. Some content needs a paid membership.GlobalSome paid (opens in a new tab)
- Free techGoogle for NonprofitsNo-cost and discounted Google tools, including Workspace, Ad Grants and the YouTube Nonprofit Program.For eligible NGOs (opens in a new tab)
- Free techMicrosoft for NonprofitsGrants and discounts on Microsoft 365 and other Microsoft products.For eligible NGOs (opens in a new tab)
- Free techCanva for NonprofitsCanva’s premium design features, templates and brand kits, free for eligible non-profits.For eligible NGOs (opens in a new tab)
- Free techTechSoupDonated and discounted software and hardware for non-profits, with guides to choosing and using them.For eligible NGOs (opens in a new tab)
- Free techZoho for NonprofitsCredits and discounts on Zoho’s CRM, email and fundraising tools.For eligible NGOs (opens in a new tab)
- Free techSlack for NonprofitsFree or discounted Slack plans for eligible organisations.For eligible NGOs (opens in a new tab)
- Measure impactKoboToolboxBuild surveys and collect data, even offline, for monitoring, evaluation and research.FreeGlobal (opens in a new tab)
- Measure impactBetterEvaluationFree guides to planning, managing and using evaluations, method by method.FreeGlobal (opens in a new tab)
- Measure impactGhana Statistical ServiceCensus and survey data for problem statements, baselines and reports.OfficialGhana (opens in a new tab)
- Measure impactSDG indicatorsThe official indicators for the Sustainable Development Goals, to align your results with the global goals.FreeGlobal (opens in a new tab)
- Measure impacttools4devPractical templates and how-to guides for international development projects.FreeGlobal (opens in a new tab)
- Measure impactPM4NGOsBest-practice guides and methods for managing development projects and MEAL.FreeGlobal (opens in a new tab)
- CommunicationsEthical StorytellingA community of non-profit storytellers, and a pledge to tell stories with dignity.FreeGlobal (opens in a new tab)
- CommunicationsDóchas resourcesTools and standards from Ireland’s network of development NGOs, including guidance on ethical communication.FreeGlobal (opens in a new tab)
- CommunicationsNonprofit Tech for GoodDigital marketing and fundraising tips for non-profit professionals.FreeGlobal (opens in a new tab)
- Safeguarding & standardsKeeping Children SafeChild safeguarding standards, tools and support for organisations of every size.Global (opens in a new tab)
- Safeguarding & standardsSafeguarding Resource and Support HubFree safeguarding guidance, templates and learning for organisations in the aid sector.FreeGlobal (opens in a new tab)
- Safeguarding & standardsCore Humanitarian StandardNine commitments on quality and accountability to the people your organisation serves.FreeGlobal (opens in a new tab)
- LearningKayaThe Humanitarian Leadership Academy’s learning platform, with free online courses.FreeGlobal (opens in a new tab)
- LearningAcumen AcademyCourses and programmes for people building social change, many of them free.Global (opens in a new tab)
- LearningCandid LearningTrainings on fundraising, proposal writing and running a non-profit.Global (opens in a new tab)
- LearningedXOnline courses from leading universities, many free to audit.Global (opens in a new tab)
- NetworksWACSIThe West Africa Civil Society Institute, based in Accra: capacity development, advocacy support and knowledge resources.GhanaGlobal (opens in a new tab)
- NetworksNational Youth AuthorityGhana’s youth agency, with programmes in entrepreneurship, governance, agriculture and apprenticeships.OfficialGhana (opens in a new tab)
- NetworksCIVICUSA global alliance of civil society organisations and activists.Global (opens in a new tab)
Links go to other organisations’ websites, which we don’t control. Last checked October 2026.
What would help your organisation next?
Tell us which template, guide or tool you need, or share a resource that helped you. We add to this hub as we learn.
Questions
Is it really free?
Yes. Everything we publish on this page is free to download and use, with no sign-up. Some of the partner tools we link to are free or discounted only for eligible non-profits, so check each provider’s rules.
Can we change the templates?
Yes, please do. Adapt them for your organisation’s own work. If you share them with others, we ask that you credit SWK Ghana.
Is this legal or financial advice?
No. The toolkit is practical guidance from our own experience. Rules change, so confirm requirements with the relevant authority or a qualified adviser, especially for registration, tax and contracts.
How can we suggest a resource?
Email info@swkghana.org with the link and why it helped you. We review suggestions when we update this page.
General guidance, not legal or financial advice. Toolkit last reviewed October 2026.