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Indian nonprofits turn to 'everyday giving' amid funding crunch: Report

With the tightening of institutional and foreign funding, Indian nonprofits are increasingly relying on "everyday giving" -- small, regular contributions of money, time, and skills from ordinary citizens -- to sustain operations and deepen community ties, according to a new study. The 'UDARTA: Everyday Giving (EG) Report 2025' has been developed by 13 social sector organisations and guided by more than 50 others and is India's collaborative research effort on how nonprofits are leveraging citizen philanthropy. Jointly funded by GivingTuesday and Rohini Nilekani Philanthropies, the study surveyed 304 nonprofits across 26 states, ranging from small grassroots groups to large institutions with annual budgets exceeding Rs 100 crore. The report finds that donations from everyday givers already make up around one-third of nonprofit funding, and 96 per cent of organisations engaged in such fundraising found it worthwhile. Everyday giving also helps nonprofits secure unrestricted funds --

Safeena Husain explains how girl-focused education works better for all

Lunch with BS: Meet Safeena Husain, whose Educate Girls became the first Indian NGO to win the Ramon Magsaysay Award

Govt must handle NGO foreign funding cases with an 'open mind': Madras HC

The court made the observation while delivering an order on a plea by a Trust which had challenged the MHA's decision to reject its application for renewal of registration under the FCRA

NGOs getting foreign funding won't be able to publish news content: MHA

The Centre has asserted that the NGOs engaged in publication-related activities and receiving foreign contribution, will not be able to publish any newsletter and must get a certificate from the Registrar of the Newspaper for India that it does not circulate any news content. The new rules will have to be abided by the NGOs seeking registration under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act, it said. In a notification, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said it has amended the rules made under the FCRA and henceforth, NGOs which are seeking permission to get foreign funding must give an undertaking that it will adhere to the Good Practice Guidelines of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), the global watchdog for terror financing and money laundering. The MHA said such bodies or NGOs, which are seeking registration must enclose financial statements and audit reports of the last three financial years, including the statement of assets and liabilities, receipts and payments account

CCPA cracks down on online platforms using dark patterns to mislead

After receiving the notice earlier this year, the platform has tweaked its interface, allowing customers to choose whether they wish to donate or not

SC to hear plea against Samay Raina for ridiculing disabled people

In what could spell fresh trouble for "India's Got Latent" host Samay Raina, the Supreme Court on Monday said it would examine a plea alleging he ridiculed the disabled, including a person with visual disability and those suffering from a rare disorder like Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA). Calling it a serious issue, a bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh asked senior advocate Aprajita Singh, appearing for NGO Cure SMA Foundation of India to file a proper petition instead of an interim intervention plea in the pending matter of influencer and podcaster Ranveer Allahbadia. "This is a serious issue. You file a writ petition. We will see what can be done. In writ jurisdiction we have larger scope," the bench told Singh. The bench also took note of the statements that the probe against Allahbadia was over and said it would on April 28 hear a plea for the return of his passport in a case over his distasteful remarks during Raina's show. On February 18, the top court protected

How will country progress if every project is opposed: SC slams NGO

The Supreme Court on Tuesday pulled up an NGO for opposing a renewable energy project at the Jayakwadi Dam in Maharashtra, which is declared a bird sanctuary and an eco-sensitive zone, asking how would the country progress if every project was resisted. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh also raised over the questions the bonafide of NGO "Kahar Samaj Panch Committee" and asked, "Who has planted you and funded you? What is your past experience in environment protection?" The bench dismissed the NGO's petition challenging the September 9 2024 decision of the National Green Tribunal rejecting its plea and observed the green panel had rightly appreciated the material. The top court found no ground to interfere with the NGT order. "You are not allowing a single project to work. How will the country progress, if every project is opposed and resisted upon? Even with a solar power project, you have a problem," the bench added. The NGO's counsel said the area was an ...

USAID didn't use govt channel to finance political projects in B'desh: Exec

Md. Anwar Hossain said after the suspension of USAID funding, Bangladesh NGO sector is not in a deep crisis immediately; but in the long run it will have an adverse effect on NGO fundings

Sonam Kapoor's brother-in-law under lens over $750K USAID funding to NGO

The USAID grant, awarded in 2020, was given to the Good Business Lab, co-founded by Ahuja, the brother of Kapoor's husband, Anand Ahuja

Trump pauses all US foreign aid for 90 days; orders review; NGOs decry move

Donald Trump's directive, which halts all non-military foreign assistance for 90 days pending a review, has sparked widespread concern among humanitarian organisations

CBI files chargesheet against NGO Environics Trust for FCRA 'violations'

The CBI has filed a chargesheet against NGO Environics Trust for alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA) in several bank transfers carried out in 2018, officials said on Friday. In its chargesheet filed before a special court here, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) named Environics Trust (ET), Vanitha Sreedhar, Nishant Kumar Alag and Prasanta Kumar Paikray as accused under Indian Penal Code sections 120-B, 417, 468 and 471, and provisions of the FCRA. An email sent to ET by PTI seeking a response on the development remained unanswered by the time of filing this story. The CBI, which filed the chargesheet after nearly a year-long probe alleged that ET submitted two forged invoices of Rs 6.50 lakh and Rs 4 lakh of a company named MAA Plasto in its FCRA return to show expenses. The invoices were not issued by the company but the NGO showed them in returns filed for foreign funds utilisation, the agency alleged. The CBI also told the special cour

India's FCRA makes global donations to NGOs 'very difficult': US Senator

The Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) of India in its current form makes it "very difficult" for NGOs to receive donations from people around the world, a senior Democratic lawmaker has said. "India has a law called the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act that was amended in 2010 and has been amended again in 2020 that makes it very difficult for NGOs operating in India to receive donations from people around the world," US Senator Time Kaine said during a Congressional hearing on 'Anti-NGO Laws and Other Tools of Democratic Repression' organised by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. "Organisations like Amnesty International and others have had to dramatically limit or shutter operations in India because they do rely on fundraising," Kaine said. "But India has chosen through this act to significantly restrict the ability of organisations to operate and receive foreign funding. The law allows the freezing of bank accounts investigations, among others," he said. He said

Amazon partners with govt emporiums, NGOs, trade bodies to empower artisans

Customers can shop for over 1.5 lakh products featured from 25 states depicting regional various crafts of India

Govt inks MoU with NGO to create accessible space for disabled people

The Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities has inked an MoU with a Gujarat-based NGO to advance training programs on accessibility in an effort to create more inclusive spaces for those suffering from disabilities. The MoU between the department and the NGO EnableMe Access Association (EMA) was signed on July 9. A copy of the MoU, shared with PTI, outlines two initial training programs: "Advanced Training in Accessibility" for empanelled accessibility auditors and Central Public Works Department engineers. These programs aim to educate participants on Indian accessibility standards, universal design perspectives, and the National Building Code and Harmonized Guidelines and Space Standards (HGSS). Training will be conducted in offline, online, and hybrid formats, featuring instructors with disabilities to offer firsthand insights and foster empathy. To support these training initiatives, DEPwD and EMA will develop and maintain software tools for accessibility ...

Ronnie Screwvala's Swades Foundation files draft prospectus at SSE

The not-for-profit Swades Foundation is founded by Entrepreneurs and investors Ronnie and Zarina Screwvala

Relief for NGOs, trusts: June 30 is new deadline for registration, renewal

Form 10A is an application form filed by trusts/institutions who wish to get themselves registered for income tax exemption. Form 10 AB is filed to renew their permanent registration

SC to hear next week plea for cross-verification of votes with VVPAT

The Supreme Court on Wednesday said it would hear next week a plea by an NGO seeking cross-verification of the votes cast in EVMs with Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT). A bench headed by Justices Sanjiv Khanna said the plea will be listed next Tuesday or Wednesday after advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the NGO, said the matter should be heard urgently. Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, also appearing in the matter, submitted that the elections are nearing and if the case is not heard, the plea would become infructuous. Justice Khanna, who was sitting in a special bench along with Justice MM Sundresh and Bela M Trivedi, said the court is aware of the situation and would hear the matter next week. "Mr. Bhushan, after all, how much time this matter will take. You can make submissions in two-hours and we will finish the matter. Ok. Next week," Justice Khanna said. On July 17, last year, the top court has sought the response of the Election Commission of India o

Electoral bonds case: Supreme Court to hear contempt plea on March 11

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for ADR, urged the bench headed by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud to hear the plea on 11 March along with SBI's application

Rat-hole miner Hassan rejects another house offered in Dilshad Garden

Rat-hole miner Wakeel Hassan, who had lost his house in a demolition drive, has rejected another offer of a house in Dilshad Garden here by the authorities, he told PTI on Saturday. "On Friday night, four government officers, including an SDM, came and offered me a house in Dilshad Garden but I refused to accept it as they wanted me to shift on a temporary basis," Hassan said. "It was also not in writing. That house belongs to an NGO," he said. Hours after the demolition, DDA officials offered Hassan to move to an EWS (economically weaker sections) flat at Narela, which is far from Khajoori Khas in northeast Delhi. Hassan rejected it saying it was "far and unsafe". On being asked why he is rejecting the second offer as Dilshad Garden is located near Khajoori Khas unlike far-flung Narela, he said the cost of his house, which was razed by the DDA (Delhi Development Authority), was more than Rs 1 crore and if the government wants to compensate, then the cost of the house should be ...

World NGO Day 2024: History, Theme, Importance, Quotes and Wishes

World NGO Day recognises the attempts of the NGOs to give humanitarian guidance, promote social justice, and commitments made in different fields