The Process

1. Nomination	In addition to receiving nominations from people around the world, our research analysts are scouring the Internet and print publications, looking for local NGOs with real impact.
2. Application	Nominated NGOs are invited to complete a detailed application form at the Foreignaid 500 website. The three-part application collects information about (1) the organizational history of the NGO in question, (2) its impact, and (3) its references. Please see our methodology for details.
3. SROI Model	After all the relevant information is collected, the Foreignaid 500 team runs its proprietary Social Return on Investment (SROI) model to quantify the impact of the NGO, and--more importantly--its return on "investment." Please see our methodology for details.
4. Referrals	Next, our Country Review Panels contact the references provided by the NGO. In addition, the Country Review Panel members provide key feedback about the NGO's impact in it's home country. Visitors to The Foreignaid 500 website are also invited to comment on the current list of nominees.
5. Comparison & Selection	NGOs nominated in similar practice areas or countries are compared both in terms of their impact and the quality of the referrals provided by the Country Review Panel. Finally, the top NGOs are selected for the Foreignaid 500.
6. NGO Notification	The selected and not selected NGOs are notified of the decision.
7. Publication	The Foreignaid 500 will be published for distribution online, by general press release, and by our strategic partners.