10 Banks that give Grant Support to Indian NGOs/Individuals

Rabobank Foundation

The Rabobank Foundation supports Indian farmers by helping them to organise and by giving them access to expertise, funding and markets to sell their product. The fund helps agribusinesses to pre-finance purchase, processing and product sales. The Rural Fund finances sustainable value chains in coffee, cocoa, honey, cotton, spices, nuts, peppers, soya and canned and dried vegetables.

Established in 1973, Rabobank Foundation works to improve “the lives of the underprivileged and disadvantages groups of people in society by providing them with the opportunity to live full and independent lives.” It provides funding to NGOs in which half of its funding support is for projects in Netherlands while the other half is allotted to development interventions in developing countries.

Themes

The foundation focuses on two themes:

1.  Access to finance
2.  Supporting small producers

Eligibility Criteria

•  The Foundation  supports the following organizations and initiatives:
  •  Rural savings and credit cooperatives and rural microfinance institutions that operate from a cooperative or member based philosophy;
  •  Cooperative or member based producer organisations.
•  The Foundation supports rural poor in the developing countries. NGOs that work on microfinance and cooperatives are eligible to apply.
•  It also provides funding support to microfinance organizations, operating independently and providing services to the communities.
•  Agribusinesses and cooperatives that have outgrown donations and microcredit but are not yet eligible for standard bank loans can apply for this loan.
•  The organisation should have its main focus on rural areas;
•  Microfinance institutions should be independent legal entities or organizations that are in the process of separating their microfinance activities from their founding NGO or institution;
•  Organisations should be registered in the country in which the project is implemented;
•  An organisation should be able to cover its costs ultimately without grants and subsidies. If a project is not financially self sustainable at the start, a set of financial projections (profit and loss statement, balance sheet) have to indicate financial sustainability within 3-5 years;
•  Reliable and transparent reporting should be available in line with international reporting standards for the type of institution involved;
• Not eligible for support:
  • Healthcare and education projects (such as educational trips, scholarships,
  • exhibitions and conferences);
  • Feasibility studies, project preparation costs etc.;
  • Purchase, lease or rent of real estate;
  • Means of transport and transportation costs;
  • Coverage of operational losses;
  • Expenses and investments already engaged (retrospective funding);
  • Relief aid and reconstruction activities;
  • Projects with strong governmental or political involvement.
• The Foundation also supports partner organizations with loans, guarantees and/or technical assistance. Grants can only be considered as complementary to institutional development and capacity building.

How to Apply

Applicants wish to submit an application can contact the Foundation via email and they will send an application form.

For more information, please visit the official website of Rabo Bank.

World Bank’s Small Grants to India

Small Grants Program is a key principle of the World Bank's approach to reducing poverty and inequity for people in low and middle income countries. Created in 1983, the Small Grants Program is oneof the few global programs of the World Bank that directly funds civil society organizations. With funds from the Development Grants Facility,the program is administered through the Country Offices. 

Purpose: The purpose of the Small Grants Program is to strengthen the voice and influence of poor and marginalized groups in the development processes, thereby making these processes more inclusive and equitable. Thus, it supports activities of civil society organizations whose primary objective is civic engagement of the poor and marginalized populations. By involving citizens who are often excluded from the public arena, and by increasing their capacity to influence policy and program decisions, the Small Grants Program helps facilitate ownership of development initiatives by a broader sector of society.

How to apply for support?

NGOs and other civil society organizations who are interested in participating in the Program should contact the  local World Bank Country Office.

For more information, please visit the official website of World Bank.

Union Bank Social Foundation

Union Bank Social Foundation was registered as a charitable Trust at Bangalore on 02.03.2006 as an initiative of Union Bank of India to carry out its CSR activities.

Foundation’s Objectives & Focus Areas

Aiming to support initiatives towards social upliftment & improving living standards of underprivileged segments,ubsf is focusing on assistance to trusts/social organisations engaged mainly in the following activities: community welfare education health care-mental & physical disability skill development rural development & village adoption girl child & women empowerment vocational training environment protection.

Major Areas of Activities

• Financial assistance to NGOs/Trusts/Societies serving the interest of under privileged segments/disabled persons, providing artificial limbs & devices/equipments (for physically & mentally challenged persons/children) audio recording of books/school buses for visually impaired students facilitating education. Night shelters for street poor, solar power systems to schools, School Buses for children from deprived sections/disabled children, Ambulances, other hospital equipments /infrastructure for operation theatres and facilities to patients.
• Rural development activities through adopted villages Projects, activities in villages adopted under Union Bank Adarsh Gram Scheme- both towards community development & school infrastructure improvement (viz. toilets, clean water supply facilities, storage tanks, computers, desks, benches, fans, hand pumps etc.) Support to children by providing books, school equipment, adoption of girl children, donating cycles and construction of school building etc.)

Major Projects Undertaken in India

• HEALTH CARE PROJECT FOR VILLAGES RUDRAPRAYAG DIST. (UTTARAKHAND): Health care facilities for flood/landslide affected villagers of Rudraprayag dist. through Smile India Foundation, Delhi by operating Health Clinic at Guptkashi. District headquarters and Mobile clinic for 23 villages of Ukhimath block. Project is under progress since April 2014.
• SUPPORT TO MITRAJYOTHI BANGALORE: Residential livelihood training & audio book recording centre for visually challenged persons throughout the country. Support towards cost of audio books production in CD form. Duration: Support for 01 year. Project is under progress since January 2014.
• TALKING ATM FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED PERSONS: The adjacent ATM at our NIFT Br. Bangalore has been converted to Talking ATM for visually impaired persons for benefit of inmates of centre.
• SUPPORT FOR MID-DAY MEAL PROGRAMME TO AKSHAYAPATRA FOUNDATION, BANGALORE: Support for purchase of customised vehicles for distribution of mid-day meals to Govt. school children at Bengaluru, Mangalore, Hubli and Hyderabad.
• GIRL CHILD EDUCATION AND WOMEN EMPOWRMENT: Supporting by adopting girl children for their education and provided bicycles. Support for construction of free students hostel for tribal girl students, girls toilets in village schools.On the occasion of International Women’s Day on 08.03.2014 ---- girl children were adopted, bicycles were distributed to girl children in all the 14 lead districts of the Bank. A mega programme of girl child adoption has been implemented on independence day (15.08.2014) where 6150 girl children were adopted for encouraging their education through providing scholarships for for purchase of books, uniforms, fees etc.
• ENERGY CONSERVATION AND ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION: Creating environmental awareness by planting of trees, solar home lights to BPL households, solar power at schools, clean solar cooking stoves.
• SUPPORT FOR SETTING UP SHELTER HOMES: Assistance for setting up, Night Shelters by partnering with Ramakrishna Mission at Rohini, Delhi.
• SUPPORT TO HOSPITALS & HEALTH CAMPS: Financial support to purchase Ambulances & conducting Camps at- Chennai, Madurai (Tamil Nadu), Mumbai, Mau, Gorakhpur (U.P.) Kottayam (Kerala) in Tinsukia, Assam, Goa etc.
• RURAL DEVELOPMENT: Providing toilets, drinking water facilities, solar systems, Computers etc. in Rural schools of U.P., Sikkim, Assam etc. Construction of class rooms in rural schools. Provided furniture, electrical items, ceiling fans, almirahs, computers, water purifiers at rural schools in Assam. Provided bus for village school children at Bulandshahar (UP) solar lights in villages in Allahabad region100 hand pumps at Barabhanki in UP. Providing community toilets , tube wells, hand pumps, solar system to BPL familes, support for manufacturing solar lanterns in Lead district & other villages of U.P. Kerala, M.P. Rajasthan, West Bengal etc.
• DISABILITY SECTOR: Supported the cause of the mentally and physically disabled by donating for artificial limbs, calipers, tricycles to handicapped people at Jaipur, physiotherapy sessions at school for mentally retarted, support to heomophilia patients at Varanasi for care and treatment.
• PAN INDIA COVERAGE: UBSFT functions across the country through its various projects & programmes.

For more information, please visit UBSFT website.

Barclays Bank

Barclays – the British multinational banking and financial services company also has a corporate citizenship program to support community organizations, NGOs, charities around India and other countries where it works. To carry out its objective Barclays collaborates/partners with charities, community organizations, NGOs and social enterprises to implement activities and programs. The Foundation focuses particularly on improving disadvantaged young people’s enterprise, employability and financial skills.

In 2012-2014, Barclays has invested £198.9m and reached more than 4.19 million young people around the world.

Some of its programs include

1. Banking on Change: Banking on Change is a partnership between Plan UK, CARE International UK and Barclays that aims to help around 400,000 people in 11 countries by developing access to basic financial services.
2. Building Young Futures: Building Young Futures is a partnership between Barclays and UNICEF that aims to equip 74,000 disadvantaged young people in six countries – Brazil, Egypt, India, Pakistan, Uganda and Zambia – with the skills to help them fulfill their potential. 
3. Barclays Spaces for Sports: Launched in 2004, Barclays Spaces for Sports is a community-based sports programme, which uses sport as a platform to help young people develop life skills and revitalise disadvantaged communities in a sustainable way. Around the world, Barclays Spaces for Sports programmes now exist in China, Hong Kong, India, South Africa, Spain, the UK, the USA, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

Eligibility Criteria

• The Bank works in partnership with charities, community organisations, NGOs and social enterprises  that are best placed to understand local needs, and how to implement projects in respective regions.
• The Bank do not fund the following:
  • Political parties or political bodies
  • The promotion of religious beliefs
  • The sponsorship of individuals
  • Rotary, Lions Clubs and other third-party giving organisations
  • Hospital costs
  • Medical charities including medical treatment and research
  • Capital appeals (for example, for buildings)
  • Educational institutions (unless the donation provides direct support to a disadvantaged group)
  • The arts (unless the donation provides direct support to a disadvantaged group)
  • Microfinance loan fund capital (donations can be used to support the establishment and operation of community-motivated microfinance programmes, but cannot be used as capital for direct on-lending to clients).

Examples of Past Communities Served in India

• Barclays Youth Employability Programme (YEP) for Asha Deep Foundation India. For 30 years, the Asha Deep Foundation has been carrying out development activities in 73 slums across the northeast district of Delhi.
• Barclays supports the Asian Women’s Welfare Association (AWWA) EXCELerate Services. Through the programme, young adults aged 18 to 25 who have a largely technical GCE “N” level education can enhance their employability through vocational-based education. 

For more information, please visit the official website of Barclays Bank.

Deutsche Bank Asia Foundation

The Deutsche Bank Asia Foundation supports various program that assists children of migrant families in India and around the Asia. 

Deutsche Bank Asia Foundation is committed to improving and sustaining the livelihoods of vulnerable communities in Asia. Born to Be initiatives in the region combine education with the personal wellbeing of young people and their families. Furthermore, a variety of innovative outreach programs have been successfully implemented. More than 70,350 youths were reached with the launch of Born to Be in Asia.

Thematic Areas

Deutsche Bank Foundation focuses its support on cultural, educational, and social projects. Within the global Born to Be program, the foundation enables young people to realize their full potential, and fosters equality of opportunity. The foundation’s Alfred Herrhausen Fund supports initiatives aimed at improving the career prospects of disadvantaged youths. In the event of natural disasters, funds are provided to support national and international relief initiatives.

How to Apply

To read about the specific areas that the foundation supports, please visit Deutsche Bank Asia Foundation listed on the website.

For more information, please visit the official website of the Foundation Deutsche Bank.Axis Bank Foundation

Axis Bank Foundation (ABF), a registered public trust was formed in 2006 to take this momentum down to the community and help impact lives of people who need our support the most. The foundation was initially set up as a public trust and focused more on providing quality education to economically challenged families. 

In 2011, the foundation has grown its partnership up to 74 NGOs and works on developing initiatives geared towards sustainable development, public health, and education. It is said that the access bank foundation plans on focusing more on the area of education by allocating 80% of its funds towards sustainability and the remaining 20% on other philanthropic initiatives.

Foundation's Programmes

• Sustainable Livelihood
  • Agriculture
  • Vocational Trainings
• Education
  • Special Education for People with multiple disabilities
  • Supplementary Education
  • Remedial Education
  • Primary & Seondary Education
  • Balwadis/Aanganwadis
  • Vocational Trainings
• Highway Trauma & First Aid care

Livelihood Programme

Axis Bank Foundation Livelihood Programme in some of the poorest districts of the country aims to impart positive change in people's lives by providing direct solutions to these issues. ABF's partners work in some of the most socio-economic backward states to help improve irrigation through rain water harvesting, make various government schemes accessible, create market linkages and opportunities for small enterprises and provide credit linkages with banks. Through these interventions, the foundation seeks to create systems and opportunities which will ultimately lead to employability, better income generation and self-sustenance.

With focus on Livelihood Programme, ABF aims to provide one million people with sustainable livelihood options by 2017.

Education Programme

Over the years, we have supported over 80 Civil Society Organisations working with various groups and communities in the field of education. With 22 current partnerships across India, Axis Bank Foundation helps enhance the learning processes for persons with disabilities, children from tribal and marginalized communities and make it an enjoyable experience.

Axis Bank Foundation supports Lifeline Foundation ( LLF) on highway trauma and first aid emergency care. This programme has remained as a key partnership over the years spreading over the states of Maharashtra, Gujarat and Rajasthan.

In India, more than 1.36 lakh people die of Road Traffic Accidents (RTA) every year and have become the primary cause of mortality in the age group 15-40 years. 30% die due to delay in transportation or during transportation, which is often primitive50% die in hospitals within 5 days of admission, due to infection & multi-system failure. Only 20% die on the spot due to open skull injuries, major cardio-vascular injuries, multi organ injury or sudden acute blood loss.

Highway Trauma & First Aid care

Lifeline Foundation is credited with pioneering Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in many states of India by establishing pre-hospital trauma care for Road Traffic Accidents. Their services have been recognized not only in India but also adopted across the world. Today, LLF is the 3rd biggest Emergency Medical Services Provider in the country after Emergency Management & Research Institute (EMRI) and Ziqitsa Healthcare Limited (ZHL). 

Besides pioneering the Highway Rescue Project, Lifeline also works in the areas of medical care for marginalized (Medical Appliances Bank), medical preparedness and disaster risk reduction, policy advocacy at government level, training in Emergency Care and good governance for non-profits.

For more information, please visit the official website of Axis Bank Foundation.

NABARD Bank's R&D Fund for Agricultural Institutes in India

Established in accordance with the provisions of the NABARD Act 1981, NABARD’s Research and Development (R&D) Fund aims at acquiring new insights into the problems of agricultural and rural development through in-depth studies and applied research and trying out innovative approaches backed up by technical and economic studies. The R&D Fund is utilised for formulating policies on matters of importance to agricultural operations and rural development, including facilities for training, dissemination of information and promotion of research by undertaking techno-economic studies and other surveys in the fields of agriculture, rural banking and rural development.

Funds Available

Corpus of the R& D Fund is 50 crore

Grant support for:

1. Research projects and studies.
2. International, National and Regional Seminars/ Conferences/Symposia, Workshops, etc.
3. Occasional Papers and cost of other publications.
4. Chair Units
5. Providing training for personnel of constituent banks.
6. Summer Internship Programme.

Training Institutes Supported Under R&D Fund

• CAB, Pune,
• BIRD, Lucknow, Mangalore & Bolpur
• IIBM, Guwahati,
• National Institute of Rural Banking (NIRB), Bangalore.

For more information, please visit the official website of NABARD.

Citi Foundation India

The Citi Foundation yearly conducts its India Innovation Grant Program (IIGP) that aimed at identifying leading programs that will help young people, aged between 16-25 years old, build an entrepreneurial mindset, acquire leadership, financial and workplace skills, and begin to engage in the formal economy through a first job.

The Citi Foundation’s IIGP is part of Pathways to Progress, Citi Foundation’s global initiative to prepare young people with the career readiness tools and opportunities needed to thrive in today’s economy.

Focus Areas

The program particularly emphasizes on:

• Preparing young people for and connecting them to economic opportunities, including but not limited to:
  • Entrepreneurship training
  • Employment access
• Leadership, financial and workplace skill development
• Focusing on urban low-income youth
• Using technology and innovative approaches to expand delivery and lower the costs of serving more low income young people
• Focusing on sustainable, scalable models with measurable impact
• Engaging stakeholders to promote the adoption of new national approaches

Grants Availability

Through the IIGP, up to INR 130 million will be available in grant funding to NGOs working in the area of youth economic opportunities across India.

Eligibility Criteria

• Proposals are invited from registered NGOs with a minimum three year track record:
• Registered not-for-profit entities, such as a Society, Trust, Section 25/8 Company
• Registered with the Ministry of Home Affairs under the FCRA regulation
• Set up for at least three years and have a consistent track record over three financial years in India.

How to Apply

Applicants must submit their proposals via email.

For more information, please visit Citi Foundation IIGP Grants.

SBI Foundation

The State Bank of India Foundation is set up to take over and carry out the CSR activities of the SBI Group in a focussed and dedicated manner. The foundation yearly conducts many development programs for Indian youths.

Flagship Programmes

SBI Youth for India fellowship: The YFI fellowship programme is initiated, funded and managed by the State Bank of India in partnership with reputed NGOs.  The programme is about solving challenging rural problems and will train you to think innovatively, act proactively, exhibit leadership and acquire management skills. The programme seeks to solve rural India’s most pressing problems by: 

• Providing educated Indian youth with an opportunity to touch lives and create positive change at the grass root level in rural India.
• Providing NGOs working on development projects in rural India with educated manpower whose skill sets can be used to catalyze rural development.
• After completion of the Programme : You can continue in the rural development sector with NGOs or explore social entrepreneurship opportunities.
• Stipend of 15000 Rs plus other allowances will be provided.

SBI Children’s Welfare Fund: The Bank constituted SBI Children’s Welfare Fund as a Trust in 1983. The Corpus of the Fund is made up of contributions by staff members and matching contribution provided by the Bank. Grants are extended to institutions engaged in the welfare of underprivileged children like orphans, destitute, mentally/physically challenged etc.

Skill Development Livelihood Creation: RSETIs Since decades Banking Industry has invested huge funds in the rural area through various schemes like SGSY, SJSRY, Agro Clinics, Artisan credit Cards, MSTP, Arthias Plus etc. Due to lack of necessary skills for undertaking particular enterprise, the impact and recovery are farfrom satisfaction. With the aim of mitigating the unemployment problem among the youth SBI has chosen the initiative of Rural Self Employment Training Institute (RSETI). This will impart formal vocational training, hand holding, periodic skill up-gradation, capacity building, sustainable income generation, providing forward and backward credit linkages. Once trained professionally, the youth will start a profitable micro-enterprise. This is definitely a replicable model of enhancing the standard of living of rural youth.

Empowering Rural Youth: Bank has set up 117 Rural Self Employment Training Institutes (RSETIs) which offer free, unique and intensive short term residential self-employment training programmes with free food and accommodation, designed especially for capacity building / self-employment, empowering rural youth across the country.SBI has set up Rural Self Employment Training Institutes (RSETIs) across the country as institution to mitigate the unemployment and underemployment problem among youth in the country. 

SBI Pinkathon: State Bank of India is supporting ‘Pinkathon’ which creates health preventing awareness. SBI Pinkathon is India’s only multi city International Run - for women – of women- by women, which aims to educate, train, inspire women and support the development of their fitness. SBI Pinkathon is created with the specific purpose of getting more and more women to adopt a fitter lifestyle for themselves and their families and to highlight the need for increased awareness about breast cancer and other issues that put women’s lives at risk. Running is an activity that not only promotes wellbeing but also raises immunity levels and improves health, to help fight all kinds of diseases, including cancer. 

For more information, please visit the official website of SBI foundation.

YES Bank Foundation India

Since inception, YES BANK has a deep rooted focus on sustainability and through its Responsible Banking pillar, had been working towards Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Sustainable Development. YES FOUNDATION is its concrete step to realise this vision of an empowered and equitable India. 

Programs by YES Foundation

1. Media for Social Change Fellowship: YES FOUNDATION Media for Social Change Fellowship is an intensive, high impact 2-month program to develop socially conscious youth leadership in association with ISDI-WPP School of Communication and supported by International Advertising Association- India Chapter As part of the Fellowship, select high potential youth will be trained and placed with Non-Profits in Mumbai to support their social media and communication efforts. 

Objective: Develop socially conscious youth leadership through exposure to social issues and credible Non-Profits and Maximise social impact by strengthening awareness generation and resource mobilisation efforts of Non-Profits

Benefits: Fellows will be provided:

• Training by renowned industry leaders Mentorship from senior experts in Non-Profits
• Stipend: INR 10,000 for the duration of the program 
• CERTIFICATES on successful completion of the Fellowship

Who can apply:

• Youth from18-25 years who are sincere and passionate about making a social difference
• Condition: Fellows will be placed in Non-Profits based in Mumbai. Outstation Fellows will be responsible for their own travel, lodging and boarding

The programme is currently open for applications, deadline being 31^st March 2016. For more information and to apply visit this link.

1. YES! i am the CHANGE (YIAC) is the flagship program of YES FOUNDATION. Launched in 2013, YES! i am the CHANGE is a nation-wide mindset transformation program to drive the spirit of positive social change amongst the youth through the medium of films. As part of YIAC 101-Hour Social Filmmaking Challenge, filmmakers and amateurs make short films of up to 3 minutes duration non social causes which form an open repository of invaluable communication resources for Not-for-Profits. Most importantly, the process of participation and exposure to various social causes leads to the inner transformation of the youth, builds association with causes and makes the magents of social change.

Program Objectives: Inner transformation of the youth through exposure to social causes resulting in youth engagement for inclusive social development Inspire filmmakers to make films for social change Facilitate creation of high quality, communication resources for use of Not-for-Profits.

Benefits:

• 2-month Placement with Non-Profits and stipend provision of INR 10,000
• CERTIFICATES on successful completion of the Fellowship.

For more information about this foundation, visit YES Bank Foundation.