The third annual India Giving Day raised nearly $9 million empower 36 nonprofit organizations committed to propelling India’s development across vital sectors including education, healthcare, livelihood enhancement, environmental sustainability, and animal welfare.
This year’s event celebrated on March 14, witnessed an overwhelming wave of support from the Indian-American community and other allies, underscoring the enduring success of this international fundraising initiative, according to a press release.
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Spearheaded by the India Philanthropy Alliance, India Giving Day was conceived to accelerate India’s progress on critical human development and ecological issues and to elevate the quality and impact of donations to organizations effecting meaningful change in the world’s most populous nation.
For the second year in a row, Vibha inspired the greatest number of donors (384) followed closely by Heart-to-Heart Foundation (369) and Vicente Ferrer Foundation (347), the release from the coalition of leading U.S.-based philanthropies and nonprofits committed to supporting India’s development stated.
“The extraordinary generosity demonstrated by thousands of people on India Giving Day underscores the profound dedication of the Indian diaspora to India’s future,” remarked Alex Counts, Executive Director of the IPAI. “We are elated by the substantial impact of this year’s fundraising efforts, which will significantly bolster initiatives that are driving tangible improvements across India.”
The 36 featured organizations, highlighted on the India Giving Day portal, are engaged in diverse fields that resonate with India’s developmental priorities.
Their endeavors were championed by 400 volunteer fundraisers and dozens of community hosts who organized India Giving Day events, collectively fueling transformative change—from expanding educational opportunities and healthcare access to promoting sustainable practices throughout India.
To cite one impressive example, a young peer-to-peer fundraiser mobilized more than 170 individual donations during a two-week period leading up to the giving day, which benefited Vicente Ferrer Foundation USA.
The funds raised during India Giving Day are poised to advance India’s development goals, ensuring sustained progress in areas that are crucial to its people and communities.
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With the unwavering support of its sponsors and donors, the India Giving Day initiative eagerly anticipates further growing the size, impact, and joyfulness of American private philanthropy to India, the release stated.
India Giving Day is led by a Steering Committee of IPA board members, staff, and campaign sponsors that include representatives from Rural India Supporting Trust (RIST), the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Pratham USA, Akanksha Education Fund, Akshaya Patra USA, Foundation for Excellence, and Sehgal Foundation.