National Center for Non-Profit Sector

The National Center for Non-Profit Sector is a Saudi national center aimed at activating the role of non-profit organizations and expanding it in developmental fields. It works on integrating governmental efforts in providing licensing services for these organizations, as well as enhancing coordination and support. The headquarters is located in the capital, Riyadh.

The National Center for Non-Profit Sector was established by Resolution No. 459 of the Council of Ministers issued in 2019. It is affiliated with the Prime Minister and enjoys financial and administrative independence. It operates under the supervision of the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, and its board of directors is chaired by the Minister of Human Resources and Social Development.

The National Center for the Development of the Non-Profit Sector is one of the initiatives of the National Transformation Program, designed to be an independent national entity specialized in leading, operating, and coordinating the non-profit sector in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The center works on the non-profit sector strategy, supports related legislation and policies, registers non-profit organizations and issues licenses, monitors the performance of organizations, and publishes their statistics. According to the regulations of the National Center for the Development of the Non-Profit Sector issued in 2021, the center is responsible for preparing strategies, plans, programs, and performance indicators related to the non-profit sector and verifying their effectiveness. Additionally, it focuses on promoting volunteer culture, encouraging voluntary work, organizing it, and enabling it to increase volunteer opportunities and their diversity, as well as the number of volunteers.

The non-profit sector, according to the regulations, comprises civil activities, voluntary services, and non-governmental organizations that do not primarily seek profit. They aim to achieve purposes such as charity, solidarity, cooperation, social development, or other public benefit purposes.

The regulations of the National Center for Non-Profit Sector include the formation of a committee comprising the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development, the Ministry of Finance, and the National Center for Non-Profit Sector. This committee is tasked with transferring employees working in the non-profit sector, as well as transferring responsibilities, initiatives, technological systems, budgets, operational contracts, documents, data, and reports related to the non-profit sector from the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development to the center.

In 2022, the National Center for the Development of the Non-Profit Sector launched a campaign titled "A Nation Flourishes with Its People" in celebration of the ninety-second Saudi National Day. The goal was to link community values with the directions, objectives, work, and responsibilities of the non-profit sector. Targeting individuals, the public, and the private sectors, the campaign was centered around five values: citizenship, innovation, ambition, cooperation, and volunteering.

In support of the collaboration between the National Center for Non-Profit Sector and government entities, the General Authority for Awqaf signed a memorandum of understanding with the center in 2022 to cooperate in implementing and adopting several programs and projects related to the development of the non-profit and endowment sectors and their organizations. The memorandum aims to coordinate and integrate efforts to serve the goals and directions of both parties. This includes cooperation in building a developmental needs map and identifying priority areas, as well as working to provide the capabilities and incentives that contribute to empowering and developing the non-profit and endowment system in the Kingdom. Additionally, it involves collaboration in areas of studies, research, and relevant opinion polls related to both sectors, and working to activate their results. Furthermore, cooperation extends to addressing the challenges and obstacles facing both sectors locally.

On May 3, 2023, the National Center for Non-Profit Sector launched the Sector Development Tour covering the thirteen provinces of the Kingdom. The tour aimed to introduce development services including capacity building, service support, social investment, and volunteering. The tour's first stop was in al-Bahah Province on May 7, 2023, while it concluded its activities with the final stop in Riyadh Province on July 17, 2023. The Sector Development Tour aimed to introduce the center and its development services, empower the target audience with knowledge related to development areas, create new partnerships among stakeholders, and provide consultations in innovating initiatives to address challenges faced by associations in each region. The tour targeted the development and empowerment of civil associations, family funds, and non-profit institutions.