Joining forces for good
GLOBAL philanthropic giving to India is set to accelerate at a faster pace than ever before, with “GiveIndia” and US-based “Indiaspora” entering into a strategic, long-term partnership.
While GiveIndia is India’s most trusted and largest giving platform, Indiaspora is a nonprofit comprising global Indian-origin leaders from diverse backgrounds and professions.
Established in 2000, GiveIndia is the largest and most trusted giving platform in India. Its community of 2M+ donors and 250+ corporate partners and brands have supported 2,500+ nonprofits, impacting 15M+ lives across India.
The US-based Indiaspora is a nonprofit organization and a network of global Indian origin leaders from diverse backgrounds and professions who are committed to inspiring the diaspora to be a force for good by providing a platform to collaborate, build community engagement, and catalyze social change.
Since 2012, Indiaspora has been working with the diaspora to be a force for good by providing a platform to collaborate, build community engagement, and catalyse social change.
GiveIndia and Indiaspora entered into a strategic, long-term partnership on July 5 to amplify philanthropic giving from institutions, foundations, and high-net-worth individuals from the United States to social impact initiatives in India.
Indiaspora works to position the global Indian diaspora as a force for good. Through its philanthropy initiatives, Indiaspora encourages greater philanthropic giving from the Indian diaspora, with a significant focus on giving to India, it is said. Between 2020 and 2021, Indiaspora, along with its partners, mobilized $15 million in funding to support Covid relief efforts both in India and in the United States.
“We are delighted to join hands with GiveIndia, given the significant and complementary strengths of both organizations,” said Indiaspora’s founder and chairman of the board MR Rangaswami. “Leveraging Indiaspora’s network of prominent Indian diaspora leaders and GiveIndia’s network of on-the-ground nonprofit partners, we look forward to accelerating global philanthropic giving to India.”
GiveIndia works to alleviate poverty by enabling all donors – everyday givers, high-net-worth individuals, corporates, and foundations – to give to causes in India through its trusted and verified network of Indian nonprofits, the press release of the agreement said.
Since its inception, GiveIndia’s community of more than 2 million donors and over 250 partners have supported more than 2,500 nonprofits, serving more than 15 million people across India.
“We are excited about the opportunities that this partnership with Indiaspora brings,” said Atul Satija, CEO of GiveIndia. “US philanthropists played an invaluable role in our COVID response work over the last couple of years. “This partnership allows us to bolster these existing relationships and significantly scale our support for India’s social sector.”
The partnership will operate as GiveIndia in the US and will aim to support over 500 nonprofits in India through philanthropic contributions from more than 200 partners over the next three years.
“I am very excited to hear about this partnership between Indiaspora and GiveIndia,” said Sunil Wadhwani, philanthropist, founder of WISH Foundation and co-founder of the Wadhwani Institute for Artificial Intelligence. “This is the type of bold collaboration that is needed to strengthen the bridge between US philanthropists and the Indian social sector. It is an opportunity to make a quantum leap in giving to India.”
Ashish Shah, formerly Senior Director of Philanthropy and Community Engagement at Indiaspora, will lead the new venture as CEO of North America. The partnership will initially be supported by a 3-member team and will look to grow to a team of more than 25 people over the next few years to increase its impact.
“This partnership could not be more timely,” said Ashish Shah, “Recent increases in intensity and giving show that this is truly a transformative moment for philanthropy to India. “Through the combined strengths of both organizations, this partnership will allow us to capitalize on this moment and empower US donors and institutions to give both generously and strategically to make a meaningful impact on India’s development.”
As has been pointed out, Indiaspora has been encouraging greater philanthropic giving from the Indian diaspora, and in 2020 and 2021 during the height of the pandemic, along with its partners, the organisation raised a whopping $15 million (₹117 Crore) to support COVID relief efforts both in India and in the United States.
As part of COVID relief during the second wave of the pandemic in 2021, Indiaspora donated funds for GiveIndia’s cash relief programme for low-income families, losing their only breadwinner to the deadly virus. Over 8,300 COVID-bereaved families received a one-time humanitarian cash support of ₹30,000 to help with living expenses.
