Bridging the Funding Gap

Bridging the Funding Gap

The Evolving CSR Landscape for Inclusive Empowerment in India

This month, the Sri Aurobindo Society hosted a closed-door convening at its Adchini campus in Delhi-NCR to discuss the CSR funding landscape for projects supporting the differently abled in India. Held in partnership with Pacta and Dasra, the gathering brought together civil society organizations, philanthropies, researchers, and ecosystem leaders to reflect on recent studies regarding the funding of non-profits in this vital sector.

Voices from the Ecosystem

The convening opened with Keerthana from Pacta, who shared the background and context of the gathering, along with reflections from previous events in Mumbai and Bangalore. Sudhir Shenoy, philanthropist and Founder of Able Together, outlined the need for the Pacta report, highlighting the donor perspective, current gaps, and the necessity for enhanced collaboration among non-profits working toward inclusive empowerment.

Researchers from Dasra and Pacta then provided data-driven context. Unaiza from Dasra presented key insights into the broader funding landscape, pointing out the hurdles organizations face in securing sustained philanthropic support. Nivedita from Pacta added perspective on the structural and ecosystem-level issues that shape these funding realities in India.

Aligning Corporate, Government, and Grassroots Efforts

A critical component of the discussion was bridging the communication gap between non-profits and funders. Dr. Aman Preet Kaur, National Lead for CSR at Bajaj Finserv, detailed how donors understand the space and make funding decisions. She crucially noted that many CSR pitches fail to adequately communicate the story and importance of their impact.

Smt. Manmeet Nada IAS, additional director at the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities (DPEwD), provided the government perspective on aligning corporate support with NGO projects to drive education and empowerment. Reinforcing a commitment to the grassroots level, Dr. Simmi Mahajan of the Sri Aurobindo Society shared the journey of Project Inclusion and announced forward-looking investments to support organizations driving on-the-ground change.

Data-Driven Reflections

The event featured a unique "data walk" led by Pacta and Dasra, allowing participants to directly engage with evidence regarding funding flows, donor priorities, and organizational sustainability. This shared reference point transitioned the conversation from general concerns to concrete reflections. An open dialogue among NGO participants followed, emphasizing the urgent need for more development-focused funding.

Three core reflections emerged from the convening:

• The Data and Discoverability Gap: Participants highlighted a lack of reliable data on the differently abled in India, as well as a lack of visibility into funding flows, positioning data discoverability as an essential shared infrastructure challenge.
• The Need for Genuine Dialogue: A prominent theme was the necessity for sustained, honest conversations between non-profits, funders, and researchers, favoring open exchange over formal pitches.
• Sharper Communication: While the sector possesses strong stories of lived experience, participants acknowledged the need to communicate these narratives with greater precision, clarity, and relevance to effectively reach policymakers and funders.

Ultimately, the convening reinforced that true inclusion cannot progress without stronger, intentional investments in grassroots organizations championing the differently abled. The gathering successfully opened doors for continued collaboration among donors, civil society partners, Dasra, Pacta, and the Sri Aurobindo Society.