Although the NGO sector has become increasingly professionalized over the last two decades, the principles of altruism and voluntarism remain its key defining characteristics. While in that respect, NGOs are meant to be politically independent, in reality that remains arduous, because NGOs receive funding from governments, institutions, businesses, and/or private sources. This may have a direct or indirect bearing on the NGOs decisions and actions. For example, donors may pressure development programs. As a result, the use of activists may be enlisted to obtain certain projects, rather than those who extensively need the help. El Salvador believes that the heart of the issue surrounding the issues with NGOs is regulation and sustainability. Corruption exists in a variety of forms, but is universally defined as an abuse of public trust for personal gain. In some countries, government officials have set up their own NGOs as a way to work more creatively, access different resources, and gain new opportunities. According to David Rieff, “By making various assumptions they conclude that donor agencies risk becoming creations of the outside, embodiments of external norms and goals, and materially dependent on outside rather than local sources.” Similarly, some development NGOs amount to no more than “briefcase companies” founded for the purpose of tax evasion and private gain. The large influx of external resources, the urgency of delivering relief, the breakdown of local institutions, and public services, all exacerbate risks of corruption in emergency situations. Criticisms range from pointing out that only small percentages go towards need, while the majority goes toward administration and high salaries. Due to the pressure of obtaining and maintaining funding, much effort is spent on marketing, while the constrained budget requires NGOs to ensure optimal efficiency.
