The last day of the gathering discussed key issues in the nonprofit sector. A stirring debate on Mergers and Acquisitions in the nonprofit sector followed by energetic talks on big data and the importance of taking a risk, and a panel highlighting the need for capacity building for nonprofits. The day ended co-founder, Deval Sanghavi showing the way forward for the sector through Dasra’s field approach. 

WELCOME ADDRESS by NEERA NUNDy (DASRA) 

BOLD PHILANTHROPY: Swinging for the Fences

The panel discussed bold philanthropy means and why it is the need of the hour and highlighted the 3 Cs that drive bold philanthropy - Collaborate, Change Behaviors and Course Correct.

Panelists: Neera Nundy (Dasra), James Nardella (Skoll Foundation) , Paresh Parasnis (Piramal Foundation)
Moderator:  Pritha Venkatachalam (Bridgespan)

PANEL HIGHLIGHTS 

• Boldness is about much more than the quantum of giving: Bold philanthropy pathways go beyond the amount of funding to unrestricted grants to non-profit organizations, patient capital with a 5 to 10 year time-frame, investing smaller innovative solutions and organizations, investing in ‘dark’ i.e. ignored sectors such as access to justice etc. 
• Go beyond programmatic support: We need to not only invest in direct programs for on-ground impact but also invest in strengthening organizations (capacity building) and investing in sector-level systems (e.g. platforms for collaboration, knowledge sharing platforms, etc.). 
• We cannot ignore the power dynamic between funders and implementing organizations: There is a need to trust the social entrepreneur because they are closest to the ground however, this trust will inherently stem from diluting the decision-making authority of individual stakeholders, especially when it is a collaborative funding model

DEBATE: Deal or No Deal? Exploring nonprofit M&A in India

TEAM 'DEAL'
Arun Muttreja (Save the Children India)
Pravin Gandhi (Seedfund)

TEAM 'NO DEAL'
Geetanjali Jha Chakraborty (ARMMAN)
Alkesh Wadhwani (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)

      M&A route helps organizations share talent and expertise and it gives 2 non-profits the right role and dignity in the scale up journey. – Pravin Gandhi (Seedfund) 

      Foundation heads and CSR organizations have very different goals and would want the recognition and name that comes. Would they want mergers? - Alkesh Wadhwani (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation)

SPOTLIGHT TALKS

      In this decade of Indian philanthropy, we should commit to transformational changes and not incremental changes. This can be achieved through collaboration, without fear of failure and through innovative ideas.

Rohini Nilekani urged philanthropists to collaborate, take risks and have a bold, audacious vision

      Big change can come with Big data - by debating it, reevaluating it, measuring it again and again. A meaningful use of the right set of eyes who can understand the problem.

Dr. Rukmini Banerji cites ASER to explain the power of data to make the problem visible and find solutions to it

       It is such a complex and challenging issue – to work for 25% of the world’s adolescent population – that collaboration is necessary. Collaboration gives us a safety net to take calculated risks, test new approaches, fail and document our learnings.

Xerxes Sidhwa talks about the power of collaboration and human-centric design to impact India’s 250 million adolescents

Ready, Set, Grow: Recognising the value of Building Institutions 

Panelists: Archana Chandra (Jai Vakeel Foundation), Dipa Nag Chowdhary (MarArthur Foundation)
Moderator: Aditya Natraj (Kaivalya Education Foundation) 

PANEL HIGHLIGHTS

• Engage with the donor to invest in capacity building: It is important for NGOs to take the donor on the journey. Through an initial grant, share your pains,  strengths, weaknesses, challenges and together look for a capacity building solution and funding. 
• Don’t feel guilty to ask: NGO leaders often lack confidence in making the ask and fear pushback from the donor. NGOs need to articulate the need for institution building and ask for unrestricted funding without inhibitions. 
• Audacious philanthropy goes beyond immediate gratification: For most early donors, it is the immediate gratification of impacting a life that makes them program-centric givers. But once you want to make big bets, you have to strengthen the capacities of the organization and fund the right talent to drive impact.

THE WAY FORWARD

Field Building: The Way Forward for India

In conversation with Deval Sanghavi (Dasra) and Ananth Padmanabhan

Dasra@20: Two Decades of Impact First

Dasra Board Member, Shashank Singh talk about the growth of the institution over the years

GLIMPSES OF THE DAY