India’s giving journey is at a historic inflection point. After over the past decade, with ₹35,000+ crore of annual flows growing at double digits, the CSR law has resulted in a large and predictable flow of domestic capital being channeled for social development. Alongside, a new generation of philanthropists has emerged.
There are green shoots which provide great hope that CSR and philanthropy could finally break out and embrace systemic change. Early evidence suggests that both accelerating and deepening this movement requires being guided by five fundamentals, forming the 5C framework, a blueprint to unlock the power of giving in shaping a Viksit Bharat: Catalytic Change, Core, Capacity, Collaboration, and Compassion.
Catalytic change: Betting big for transformative impact
India’s challenges demand bold, multi-year initiatives with the power to reset trajectories for entire populations. We see this in action: SEARCH’s Home-Based Newborn Care model has significantly reduced infant mortality rate from 121 to 30 in Gadchiroli, and has become a template for action not just in India, but many other countries. Many leading funders—such as The Convergence Foundation, Nilekani Philanthropies, Gates Foundation, Pratiksha Trust, Tata Trusts, Rainmatter Foundation, Bajaj Foundation—are now moving towards funding such catalytic projects. The challenge is to turn these exemplary efforts into a widespread movement, encouraging more stakeholders to look beyond short-term metrics and invest in transformative change.
Core focus: Going deep, not wide
Real transformation requires laser-sharp focus on root causes. Spreading resources thinly across many initiatives dilutes impact. Instead, organisations should identify a single, systemic priority and commit deeply. The Central Square Foundation did just this by championing “reading by age 10,” helping to shape the national NIPUN Bharat Mission and unlocking ₹13,000 crore in government funding for foundational literacy and numeracy. Rocket Learning is another good example that targets early childhood education, using technology and government partnerships to reach over 3 million children. These examples show the power of depth: by mastering a core issue, organisations can catalyse change across entire systems.
Capacity building: Strengthening organisations for lasting change
Too often, NGOs are seen merely as delivery vehicles rather than as institutions deserving investment in their people, processes, and leadership. Yet, it is this organisational strength that enables enduring impact. Pratham’s investment in research and community networks turned its Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) survey into a national benchmark for educational progress, that has been adopted in 14 other countries as well. Olympic Gold Quest, by working alongside government initiatives like the Target Olympic Podium Scheme, has helped elevate India’s sporting achievements, including in para-sports. The lesson is clear: building institutional capacity is not an ‘overhead’—it is a force multiplier. For every ₹1 spent strengthening institutional capacity, the returns in scale and sustainability can be exponential.
Collaboration: Partnering with government for true scale
The state accounts over 94% of India’s social spending, making collaboration with government essential for philanthropy and CSR to achieve true scale. For instance, Janagraaha has successfully integrated digital grants management into Odisha’s municipal finance system, while the eGov Foundation’s DIGIT platform now serves over two billion citizens across 10 countries. Similarly, Childline India’s 1098 helpline, seeded by a non-profit, has grown into the nation’s largest child protection service through government adoption.
Compassion: Centering human dignity in every action
Amidst the drive for scale and efficiency, it is vital not to lose sight of the core value of compassion. Systemic change must be anchored in dignity, agency, and inclusion. As Gandhiji reminded us, progress is not just measured in data but in the upliftment of people. The choice is ours. If we remain transactional, we risk delivering only incremental results. But by embracing systemic giving, we can become architects of a new India—one where growth is sustainable, reforms are lasting, and every citizen shares in the nation’s progress with dignity. The time to act is now, with optimism, urgency, and a shared commitment to building a truly Viksit Bharat.
(By Amit Chandra, founder at A.T.E. Chandra Foundation and Anubha Sah, Chief of Staff at A.T.E. Chandra Foundation. Additional inputs from Deepa Varadarajan (co-founder and director at Pramiti Philanthropy Partners), Amrtha K. (COO at A.T.E. Chandra Foundation) and Sharmista Chaudhury (Communications Head at A.T.E. Chandra Foundation).