Dasra and Tarsadia Foundation have expanded their COVID rapid relief campaign started in Apr 2021 and launched the Rebuild India Fund – a long term resilience effort that commits 5 years of flexible funding and capacity-building support to 100 new grassroots NGOs each year.

The Rebuild India Fund will develop
an inclusive and empathetic philanthropic community,
encouraging funders to support grassroots NGOs
​that are serving India's most vulnerable and marginalized communities. 

Cornerstones of the fund

Due to the long-term impact of COVID, there is an urgent need for the philanthropic community to support NGO resiliency, enabling them to serve their communities effectively in the wake of the pandemic.

Support 100 new grassroots NGOs across India each year with a GEDI (Gender, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion) lens

​Commit 5-year, flexible funding of minimum INR 1 million (~$13,500) annually to each NGO

Build organizational capacity of grassroots NGOs and provide exposure to new funder networks and strategic partners

Create a platform for a global philanthropic community to support grassroots NGOs

Financial cornerstones

300+
grassroots NGOs ​across India
to be supported with a GEDI (Gender, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion lens), to ensure smaller, lesser-known NGOs that are not typically part of funding circles receive support
INR 1 million (~$13,500)
worth flexible funding
committed annually to each NGO for 5 years, enabling them to cover organizational expenses and adapt to their communities’ needs effectively​

Non-financial, collaborative cornerstones
more than just a fund

  • Leveraging Dasra’s 20+ years in non-profit institution building to build capacities of NGOs in core areas such as leadership development, strategy & communications, digital enablement, and financial & program resilience
  • Create a platform for funders to simultaneously discover, engage and champion grassroots NGO leaders uplifting the most marginalized communities (via 1:1 learning sessions, site visits), as well as to learn & adopt the best giving practices in the COVID era​
There is now an urgent need to create resilient, shock-proof NGOs who can serve their communities effectively in the wake of the pandemic.

​To achieve this effectively, the philanthropic community needs to support them with longer-term, flexible funding that can cover the real costs required for an NGO to pivot, pilot and innovate new programs which meet the communities ever-changing needs due to COVID.

The Problem then - India’s Second COVID wave...

India became the first country to record over 400,000 new cases in a single day as of April 30th 2021, with signs of impending increase in lives lost and national devastation.
The nation’s healthcare system had buckled, migrant workers stranded in droves, and marginalized communities across India were bearing the brunt of COVID’s deadly second wave. The double marginalization resulting from poverty and lack of access had intensified the suffering of those furthest behind, and pushing even the middle-income groups into poverty.
Realizing the intensity of the second wave of COVID and its undeniable implications for communities, Dasra launched its #BacktheFrontline relief campaign in end April 2021 to galvanize a movement to support local, grassroots non-profits that are on the frontlines of this war, often risking their own well-being to save and support lives across vulnerable communities in India.

Through our relief campaign, Dasra has supported 150+ NGOs across 31 states and Union Territories in India, helping them receive timely and flexible funding to accelerate their COVID relief efforts.

Most of these efforts were focused on awareness, immediate care, medical support, training and capacity building of frontline workers, mental health support, financial assistance, and skilling and livelihoods for marginalized communities across India, including migrant workers, vulnerable women & children, tribal communities and underserved communities in North-East India & Kashmir.

The Problem looking ahead

Nearly 2 years of COVID has affected India at scale, exacerbating longer- term challenges for millions of underprivileged communities. Key areas affected are:
​​Disruption in education
Unemployment & poverty
​Overburdened health systems
​286 million children
affected by 1.5 million schools closing down due to the pandemic
230 million people
fallen below the national minimum wage poverty line (>$5/day)
500,000 deaths
across other health challenges due to a shift in focus of public health services towards COVID

The Problem looking ahead

Nearly 2 years of COVID has affected India at scale, exacerbating longer- term challenges for millions of underprivileged communities. Key areas affected are:
​​Disruption in education
Unemployment & poverty
​Overburdened health systems
​286 million children
​
affected by 1.5 million schools closing down due to the pandemic
230 million people

​fallen below the national minimum wage poverty line (>$5/day)
500,000 deaths

​across other health challenges due to a shift in focus of public health services towards COVID
Join the Rebuild India Fund

Build resilient communities by supporting proximate grassroots NGOs
​Discover, engage and champion grassroots NGO leaders uplifting the most marginalized communities
​Learn & adopt the best practices for giving in the COVID era

​Write to xyz@dasra.org to know more