This PhD research, entitled 'the Evaluation of the Effectiveness of the NGOs: Case study of the Russian NGOs' provides answers to two questions – what NGOs are and how they perform, through the analysis of the existing concepts of the NGOs across the disciplines and the empirical data, collected in the field study in Russia in 2008-2010. The grounded theory approach and mixed methods have been used in this research. Based on the conceptual and empirical analyses this study argues that the NGOs are social institutions which have been used by different actors in the process of social engineering in the past and present.

In terms of the evaluation of the effectiveness of the NGOs' performance, this study recognizes the importance of the institutional environment that can provide challenges for the NGOs' performance and even their existence. Out of seven identified criteria of the NGOs (size, location, status, finances, activity, ideology, methods) status and funding of the NGOs appear to be two main criteria that affect (foster or block) the NGOs' performance. Three different strategies of the NGOs to overcome challenges of the institutional context and improve their performance were identified in the construction of the hypothesis and were found in the case studies. They include a strategy of becoming a GONGO (a government organized NGO), professional 'business-like' approach and the application of the international status (a participatory status within the international organization).

The contribution of this research is a new conceptual framework that helps to understand the nature of the NGOs, their universal character and existing contradictions. A new model mapping the NGOs across the sectors of state, market and civil society, has been developed, thus counter-argueing with a traditional model placing them in the third sector. The empirical study has shown the 'hidden' world of the Russian NGOs, denying popular ideas of their underdevelopment, proving an active role in social engineering by the Russian state, using their influence over the NGOs for several purposes, including control over national welfare system, lobbying in the international arena and fighting with terrorism.