Civil society organizations play an important role in providing services to people experiencing homelessness; in many collaborative plans, NGOs are responsible for actually delivering services and outreach on the street. In places where there is less government investment and/or intervention, civil society can be the only sector delivering these services, and are thus a crucial part of survival for people experiencing homelessness. 

NGOs are often responsible for shelter and daycenter management, outreach services, legal counseling, medical services provision, and even housing allocation or support. They play a key role in advocacy and can act as a liaison between people experiencing homelessness and policymakers, as well has facilitating research and evaluation toward stated homelessness goals.