Philanthropy Advisory
A large family foundation
Since: 2010
Approach: Implementation & grant-making
Size: INR 10 Cr+
Foundation: Yes (in 2017)
First generation philanthropists who have focused on solving the issue of drought in Maharashtra, developing the capacity of organizations and sector at large and been champions of redistributing their wealth to social causes.
How they started?
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Clear about causes - Education, Health and vision to give away at least 50% of annual income every year
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Initial approach (2010) was to directly support nonprofits (grassroots) but felt not structured
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Analyzing & reviewing portfolio impact on a constant basis & field visit by an intermediary advisory team led to fine-tuning portfolio in a structured way, moving from grassroots to sector capacity building to influencing policy level changes.
What have they achieved?
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Giving at least 75% of their annual income in a structured manner for the last 5 years
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Instrumental role in influencing the dam desilting policy in Government of MH
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Helped build capacity of multiple NGOs in the sector, including acting as a champion in an effort to build India’s largest multi-specialty Children’s Hospital and India’s first liberal arts university
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Giving 50% of time to work with causes that they are passionate about.
Sector Advisory Research, Grant Assessments & Monitoring
Partners in a private equity firm
Focus: Capacity building for under-served cause areas
Since: 2010
Approach: Grant-making
Size: INR 1 - 3 Cr+
Foundation: Yes (in 2016)
Partners from a top private equity firm have come together to contribute financial and intellectual capital to a few NGOs in under-served cause areas with the objective of significantly increasing their effectiveness.
How they started?
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Clear about approach - institution building of few organizations. On an ongoing basis, identify high quality NGOs whose effectiveness could be dramatically increased through a partnership with them. These organizations should have a very high return on investment.
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Understanding the NGO landscape in India, identifying sectors to invest in and partner organizations.
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Field visits and engagement with NGOs in advisory capacity.
Our engagement with the partners:
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Starting with a structured process to help them understand the different challenges NGOs are addressing, e.g., education, healthcare and the different models, e.g., advocacy, grassroots. And to help them articulate their objectives clearly.
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Identified over 30 organizations in areas of interest.
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Ongoing grant management and periodic assessment of portfolio organizations.
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Designed and customized templates and frameworks for shortlisting, diligence, and engagement.
What have they achieved?
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Giving towards institution building of organizations in areas of Governance, Higher Education, Environment, Disability for the last 8 years, starting with 2 in the first year and moving to 5+ organizations in the subsequent years.
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On the advisory board of 2 organizations.
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The institutional support has enabled organizations to help build sustained fund-raising capacity, donor engagement portals/websites, support towards salaries of CXO level to enable policy level changes.
Partner Identification, Grant Assessments & Monitoring
A private family foundation
Focus: Education, Health-care, Women Empowerment
Since: 2012
Approach: Grant-making
Size: INR 10 Cr+
Foundation: Yes
A private family foundation with a clear vision and areas identified, to help catalyse improvements in society.
How they started?
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Clear vision, cause-areas identified.
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Some programs are initiated and run by the foundation itself, a large majority are run by grantees
Our engagement with the family:
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Giving framework around approach and models in the specified cause areas.
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Partner identification, due-diligence and project design in line with vision of the foundation.
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End-to-end grant assessments and monitoring of their complete portfolio.
What have they achieved?
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Clear goals identified with partner organizations and expected outcomes, aligning with the vision of the foundation.
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Giving towards education, health-care, specifically mother and child and women empowerment around domestic violence, agriculture initiatives among others.
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Increase of 5X in number of partner organizations supported and funding increase of almost 3X.
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​Engagement of over 3 years with 80% of organizations