So, some advice to anyone tasked with engaging with the NGO community - seek out stakeholders like InterAction's Disaster Response office or UN OCHA's CMCOORD office when taking the temperature of the herd of cats we call NGOs. I'm sure many of you are savvy to this, but there are still smart, experienced stakeholders out there who might latch onto some of my NGO "colleagues" who tell them what they want to hear. Better to hear the unpleasant truth than get shined on at a cost into the millions.
From one cat hearder to another, great post, especially the last. I will not name NGOs but some spend huge amounts of cash for slick spokesmen who have absolutely mastered the 5 second sound byte. Sad to say but many of the latter come from within government or are part of their political party herd. They hold gov jobs when their party is in and then they sell themselves on the outside when their party is out.

Post more, Joe!

Tom