Chintu Gudiya Foundation

Project Tech4Dev

UPDATE 1: For 2020, we will be switching to a rolling application cycle starting in March
UPDATE 2: We will also require NGOs to bear approx 33% of the costs. We expect this to be between INR 3L to 7L depending on the project scope and duration

Technology allows social impact organizations to improve the efficiency of their operations and enhance the overall impact on beneficiaries and the sector at large. Unfortunately, integrating technology solutions in programs requires software expertise, time, and money, all of which are often in short supply in growth-stage non-profit and social impact organizations. Hence, Project Tech4Dev, an initiative of the Chintu Gudiya Foundation, works with Indian NGOs to enhance the implementation of their programs through strong data collection, analysis, and visualizations tools.

In 2018, we received applications from a wide range of NGOs and selected 13 NGOs for technology projects most of which are either close to completion or in progress. Our 8 software partners have deep expertise in building software for a wide range of applications for all available devices. We are also constantly looking to recruit new software partners to expand the number of NGOs we can help at a time.

Objectives

The focus of this initiative is to use software tools to improve the programmatic operations of organizations, thereby nurturing and fostering a vibrant and thriving software ecosystem in India’s non-profit and social impact organizations. Our objective is also to strengthen the long-term software capability of the NGO and their software vendor; we do not aim to replace your software vendor but to make them more aware and familiar with tools that are already available for the non-profit ecosystem. We work with the NGO and the partner for a period of 6 months, creating and implementing the project, after which the NGO and the software partner are responsible for maintaining and enhancing the project.

Please visit our Projects page for examples of our most recent work. Most of the work was done pro-bono; some was done on a consulting basis.

Please note that work done by Tech4Dev Software Partners under this grant will be open source and made available for free to other organizations around the world.

2019 Application Process

The application process is now closed.

The 2019 Application Process consists of two phases. First, a qualifying application to be completed by all applicants that allows us to review and short-list viable candidates. Short-listed candidates will move to the second phase and fill out a more comprehensive application that will include project details, details on internal processes and decision-making. Please see the important dates below for more details.

Selection Process

We plan to select 8-10 non-profit and/or social impact organizations to work with as part of the 2019 cohort. The application process begins in July and ends in October with the announcement of our selection. Please read the information provided to understand what the technology grant will entail, the eligibility criteria, how we will evaluate applications, and important dates before you fill in the Application Form below.

Grant Details

  • This is a non-monetary grant; however, the team of 2-3 software experts working with your organization over a period of 4-6 months would usually cost between INR 15 – 20L (USD 25,000)
  • Exploration and research into open-source software systems for applicability to your project and other similar projects
  • An analysis and documentation of your current and planned technical systems
  • Software design, consulting, and implementation services for your specific project
  • Consulting and bug fixing support after the project is deployed

Eligibility Criteria

Please apply if you meet the following criteria:

  • Your organization works in India
  • Your organization is a growth-stage not-for-profit or a social business, with an annual budget of less than INR 10 Cr
  • You have a specific and clear project description
  • You believe that using technology in your primary mission will make your work more efficient and/or increase your reach.

Please do not apply if you meet any of the following criteria:

  • Your annual budget is more than INR 10 CR
  • You do not have a specific and clear project description
  • The project involves your organization’s back-office systems like website development, financial or HR systems, donor management and/ or ERP

Evaluation Criteria

Some of the factors that we will use to shortlist projects are:

  • The number of people who benefit from the program
  • The importance of the project to your organization and its impact
  • The absence of a similar software solution
  • The number of other non-profits that could benefit from a similar solution
  • Your willingness to share this work with other organizations around the world
  • Your ability to provide human resources to this project while in development, such as, personnel to work with software partner to create initial specification and a project plan; a project manager to manage the project from your end, etc.
  • Your ability to allocate budgets for the project on an on-going basis for services and personnel including for feature upgrades, managed hosting and regular maintenance.

Important Dates

  • August 4, 2019: Qualifying Application submission deadline
  • August 26, 2019: Short-listed applicants are notified.
  • September 15, 2019: Comprehensive Application submission deadline
  • October 1, 2019: Interviews for Finalists begin
  • October 21, 2019: Selections are announced and project work starts

How to Apply

Complete the 2019 Qualifying Application before the submission deadline. To help you along the way, we are providing you with sample answers for the Project section of the application.

For any queries that are not answered in the information above, please reach out to tech4dev@chintugudiya.org

Additional Resources

2018 Application Archives

Other Applications of Interest to the NGO Community