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Here is the updated Foundation Document for Organizational Guise (OG), now expanded with its three subtypes and exemplars.
CIVICVS Foundation Document
Document ID
CFD-OG-2025-ORGANIZATIONAL-GUISE
Title
Organizational Guise: Misalignment Between Claimed Purpose and Actual Output
Category
Foundation Exemplar — Organizational Guise (OG) as Civic Artifact
Purpose
To establish Organizational Guise (OG) as a civic artifact category within CIVICVS.
An Organizational Guise exists when an institution presents itself as serving the public good — through healthcare, justice, equity, aid, community governance, or information neutrality — but its preserved artifacts (funding, filings, outputs) demonstrate misalignment between claimed purpose and actual activity.
Subtypes and Exemplars
1. Facade NGOs
Organizations cloaked in moral rhetoric, but delivering outputs misaligned with their stated missions.
- Exemplar A: Planned Parenthood — Claims to provide “healthcare” and “reproductive services” but overwhelmingly delivers abortion services, with minimal diversification.
- Exemplar B: Black Lives Matter — Claims to advance Black communities, but financial audits and investigations reveal funds directed toward political agendas, personal enrichment, or unrelated causes.
2. Pseudo-Governments
Private organizations exercising government-like powers over populations without civic legitimacy or safeguards.
- Exemplar C: Homeowners Associations (HOAs) — Present as community governance entities, but are often staffed by unqualified individuals making life-altering decisions (fines, liens, foreclosures) with no due process protections.
3. State-Subsidized Guise
Publicly funded entities presenting themselves as neutral or nonpartisan civic services, but functioning as partisan or agenda-driven outlets.
- Exemplar D: National Public Radio (NPR) — Claims to be neutral, taxpayer-funded public broadcasting, but demonstrably aligns with selective narratives and advocacy, undermining its civic neutrality.
Known Immutable Processes & Records
- Financial Records: IRS Form 990, audits, tax filings, congressional appropriations.
- Governance Records: Board structures, charters, bylaws, covenants.
- Mission Statements: Websites, press releases, annual reports.
- Outputs: Documented services rendered, or absence thereof.
- Legal Proceedings: Court filings, regulatory challenges, or litigation outcomes.
Analyst Rules
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Dual Ledger: Always preserve both the claimed purpose (mission statements, branding) and the actual outputs (filings, audits, services).
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Immutable Anchors: Financial filings and governance documents are Tier-1 evidence.
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Subtype Classification: Assign every OG artifact to one of the three subtypes:
- Facade NGO
- Pseudo-Government
- State-Subsidized Guise
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Moral vs. Ethical Test: If moral rhetoric dominates while verifiable service/output is lacking, classify as OG.
Analyst Notes
- Civic Significance: OG entities represent a systemic civic hazard — institutions cloaked in legitimacy but producing little or no alignment with their declared mission.
- Civic Risk: Misaligned organizations absorb funds, legitimacy, and trust meant for authentic civic needs.
- Civic Value: Documenting OGs as artifacts strips away moral posture and restores ethical evaluation grounded in immutable records.
Civic Consequence
The Organizational Guise category exposes institutions that disguise political, financial, or coercive agendas under the veneer of civic service.
By structuring OG into three subtypes with exemplars, CIVICVS ensures future analysts can:
- Detect guises systematically.
- Preserve both claims and counter-artifacts.
- Expose the ethical failure when organizational branding replaces verifiable civic service.
✅ Status: Foundation Document updated. Category Established: Organizational Guise (OG), with three subtypes — Facade NGOs, Pseudo-Governments, State-Subsidized Guise.