PIP: Nepal is a poor country which is short on food and suffering from a low level of child survival. High population growth further impedes social and economic development in the country. As such, population policy and socioeconomic policy should work together to create voluntary demand for a smaller family norm and family planning. Both government and non-government organizations (NGO's) have thus far worked to check population growth. NGOs have made important contributions in the health, population, and anti-poverty arenas. While successful on a small scale, however, NGO programs have only limited potential for expansion. Successful NGO efforts have therefore served mainly as examples of that which might be achieved elsewhere. Broader potential exists for NGO participation in health care and family planning. NGOs have in fact worked to reduce population growth in Nepal since the late 1950s. This paper reviews the role of NGOs in family planning programs with special attention to the work of the Family Planning Association of Nepal (FPAN). The FPAN has 17 branch offices, 4 action units, and 8 special projects working in 25/75 districts with over 700 staff and a substantial body of volunteers. The association particularly emphasizes contraception for the young, child spacing, and child and maternal welfare. The conceptual framework of population growth and the role of NGOs, the structure of population growth in Nepal, and practical strategic suggestions are presented.