Reports

India Inc. for Building Bharat: How Systemic CSR is Building Enduring Impact for Tomorrow

This report documents emerging trends in corporate philanthropy, highlighting the rise of catalytic funding directed to organisations which support governments in strengthening public systems. It analyses 13 CSRs/CSR foundations which have adopted systemic giving models by aligning a proportion of their grantmaking or operating strategy.

Reports

Systemic Impact Exemplars: Unique Approaches Towards Solving India’s Development Challenges

The report profiles 20 of India’s leading System Support Organisations, and aims to inspire and inform other social purpose organisations by building evidence on what works in the Indian context. It serves as a comprehensive knowledge resource, intended to shape thinking on systems change.

Newsletters

Building Pioneering Institutions

Building pioneering institutions lies at the heart of The Convergence Foundation’s (TCF) approach. Institutions enable people to work together to solve complex problems at a systemic level, and to drive outcomes at scale over long periods of time. When oriented towards tackling the toughest challenges of India’s development, we believe this represents one of the highest returns on investment and effort for philanthropy in India today. TCF incubates new institutions as well as facilitates the growth of existing ones whose goals mesh with its own: rapid and sustained economic growth and inclusive development. We do this through a variety of means, principal among which are helping find or attract talent, building funding, and helping foster government partnerships. Thus, we help in CEO searches, looking for dynamic and passionate entrepreneurs with the right skill sets to lead these institutions. We also render assistance in setting up advisory boards that can provide effective governance and support for the growth of these institutions. We are extremely grateful to our advisory board members, council of mentors, champions, partners and friends—you all know who you are—for helping build these institutions together with us. TCF is an early-stage funder—we often provide a bulk of the funding for the first few years, giving organisations the space and flexibility to build their teams, develop and test their theory of change, and demonstrate proof of concept. Once they have demonstrated real-world impact and sustainability, our goal is for organisations to fully transition off TCF funding, allowing us to redeploy resources into backing new, bold, and risk-tolerant ideas.

Events

Collectively Reimagining CSR as Investment Capital: 100 Thousand Crores for Transforming India

Ten years after CSR was written into law, India Inc stands at a crossroads. CSR has evolved significantly to become a strategic lever for pressing development challenges. By 2035, CSR spending is projected to treble and exceed ₹1.2 lakh crore annually – making it the largest pool of philanthropic capital in the country. This presents a historic opportunity - to reimagine CSR as investment capital to drive systemic change. On September 24, The Convergence Foundation (TCF) and its network organisation SCALE launched their report - India Inc. for Building Bharat: How Systemic CSR is Building Enduring Impact for Tomorrow - co-authored with India Impact Sherpas. The event was held at The Quorum in Mumbai, with over 50 corporate and CSR leaders in attendance. The report documents emerging trends in corporate philanthropy, highlighting the rise of catalytic funding directed to organisations which support governments in strengthening public systems. It analyses 13 CSRs/CSR foundations which have adopted systemic giving models by aligning a proportion of their grantmaking or operating strategy. These foundations have created non-linear impact by using approaches which design proof-points for scale, build ecosystems and capacities, and develop public goods or technology platforms. The launch event, co-hosted by Ashish Dhawan, Founder-CEO, TCF, and Govind Iyer, Independent Director and Chair of the CSR Committee, Infosys, was attended by over 40 prominent corporate and CSR leaders. The event kickstarted with a closed-door roundtable discussion among CEOs and business leaders to set a vision for the next decade of CSR. This was followed by a keynote from Amit Chandra, Chairperson of Bain Capital India Advisors and Co-Founder of ATE Chandra Foundation, who spoke about opportunities for catalytic change and the power of collaboratives. Ashish Dhawan then shared his personal philanthropic journey, and highlighted the value of envisioning CSR as a long-term investment that

Op-Eds

India must launch 6 sharp national missions to boost growth and jobs amid global trade challenges

India faces a tougher global trade environment with rising tariffs and slower growth. Experts propose six focused national missions—manufacturing, medium enterprises, market access, urban hubs, tourism, apprenticeships, and innovation/R&D—to boost growth and jobs.

Op-Eds

We have EdTech, but is it the right one?

To prepare for the future, investing in human capital is key, and early childhood education can offer the highest returns. Betting on this, non-profits across India are decentralising education using tech & innovation.

Op-Eds

Ease of doing science

India must urgently attract global talent in critical technologies, especially at a time when external factors have created a glut of highly trained researchers seeking opportunities. If credible pathways are not offered soon, these scientists will be absorbed elsewhere.

In The Media

Interview: Ashish Dhawan of TCF on India’s CSR growth, education innovations, and building enduring impact

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in India is projected to reach ₹1.25 lakh crore annually by 2035. Founder-CEO of TCF, Ashish Dhawan, discusses how this evolution requires CEO commitment and a systemic approach to drive meaningful impact, reshaping India's philanthropic landscape.