The Indian Philanthropy Forum is excited to announce the launch of three new Dasra Giving Circles (DGCs). The DGC is a high-impact collaborative giving model to scale leading non-profit organizations. A DGC is formed when ten members come together, each member committing approximately US$25,000 for three years. Over this period, Dasra provides managerial and strategic guidance to the selected organization. To date, Dasra has closed five giving circles.

This year’s circles are:

• Crafting a Livelihood: building sustainability for Indian artisans
• Power of Play: Sport for youth development in India
• Not For Sale: Eliminating sex trafficking in India

Different DGC members ‒ now numbering more than 60 globally ‒ appreciate different aspects of the giving circle experience. Some members value the research-based process, with a research report providing a thorough analysis of a social challenge and highlighting the highest-impact interventions and the leading non-profits to support. With 3.3 million non-profits in India, with limited transparency and accountability, philanthropists often do not know how to proceed. Other DGC members appreciate the peer-to-peer learning aspect of the circle. Many novice donors are unfamiliar with the social sector and appreciate the knowledge that other DGC members bring to it.

But Dasra’s capacity-building support is rated as the most valuable feature of the DGC model. As one DGC member explained: ‘The Dasra Giving Circle is a lot like what we do in the private equity world ‒ you don’t just give money to an organization; you also support the organization to meet its goals.’

For more information
http://www.dasra.org/ipf
ipf@dasra.org