India is ranked just 112 out of 166 countries in terms of progress against the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). With the 2030 deadline looming, social sector actors are working hard to tackle chronic social challenges in the country. Increasingly, they are also working together, drawing on their collective resources, skills, and experiences.

In early 2020, The Bridgespan Group published research on philanthropic collaboratives in India – taking an in-depth look at why and when philanthropists and other stakeholders collaborated, and how they worked together for social impact. The report analysed 13 collaboratives—which we define as entities co-created by three or more independent actors, including at least one philanthropist or philanthropy.

This model of giving was amplified when the Covid-19 pandemic hit—grassroots NGOs realized that they individually had neither the reach nor the knowledge to help far-flung rural communities. While collaboratives typically take time to establish, agree on shared goals, raise funds, and coordinate their work, the pandemic dictated that relief efforts would have to quickly ramp up, scale solutions across geographies, and demonstrate results. There was an urgency to invest in and build scalable models in rapid and real-time.

‘While Covid-19 was the spark that united stakeholders and led to a surge in collaboratives across India, a majority are now pivoting their focus from serving near-term pandemic needs to causes with long-term relevance’

Four years later, interest and investment in philanthropic collaboratives have grown dramatically. In our latest research, The Growing Momentum Behind Philanthropic Collaboratives in India, we note that the number of collaboratives in India has conservatively grown at least threefold since, with capital invested in them having grown sixfold. These collaboratives pursue shared visions and strategies for achieving social impact using common resources and agreed-upon governance mechanisms.

While Covid-19 was the spark that united stakeholders and led to a surge in collaboratives across India, a majority are now pivoting their focus from serving near-term pandemic needs to causes with long-term relevance—such as developing livelihoods and building resilience of communities.

For instance ACT, formed in 2020 by a group of venture capitalists, tech entrepreneurs, and social impact leaders to provide pandemic relief, has now expanded its roughly $12 million (Rs 100 crore) health fund to bridge affordability and access gaps in mental health, tuberculosis, cancer, and other health services.

Indeed, collaboratives are forming across a wide set of issue areas now, including themes like climate, gender equity, and rural relief, as well as demographics such as migrants, adolescent girls, and SME workers. More collaboratives are also multisectoral, working beyond programmatic siloes. This is consistent with our global research on philanthropic collaboratives: respondents to a recent global survey reported that their collaboratives simultaneously work on a median of six secondary issue areas.

The ability to effect population-level change is one of the primary motivators for collaborative work. Field strengthening – the oft-unseen work of bringing together myriad actors to strengthen relationships among stakeholders, change public narratives around an issue, or achieve a shared goal —was cited as a significant goal by nearly half of the collaboratives we surveyed. Eighty-five percent of respondents also believe that collaboratives enable more effective systems change in society.

Organisations engaged in collaboratives name several benefits, chief among them being the lower cost associated with reaching target communities. Having several partners working closely with communities of interest allows them to pool their resources and capabilities. Another benefit is the opportunity to learn and develop a common knowledge base.

Collaboratives bring together the diverse capabilities and experiences of partners, philanthropists, and CSR organisations, providing a deeper understanding of communities and pathways to reach them. This prevents duplication of effort and becomes especially valuable when philanthropists are looking to enter new geographies and thematic areas.

Collaborative giving is only expected to increase in significance in India. We reviewed the budgets of 30 collaboratives in our sample and found that they represent about 2 percent of philanthropic capital in India today. However, over 90 percent of our survey respondents believe collaboratives could account for at least 10 percent of capital by 2030. An increase in long-term commitments by funders suggests confidence in these structures. Still, there are untapped opportunities for domestic philanthropy—corporations, family foundations, and wealthy individuals—to step up participation.

Given their ability to be flexible, multisectoral, and efficient, collaborative giving not only helps respond to a crisis but can also address complex social challenges in India over the long term—challenges such as systemic inequalities, poverty, social injustices, climate change, and more.

Pritha Venkatachalam and Anant Bhagwati are partners at The Bridgespan Group in India, where Akshay Gambhir is a manager.