With 3.5 million NGOs in India, how do you decide which projects to fund?  Fortunately we have been introduced to Dasra (www.dasra.org) who are based in Bombay where we will be focusing our funding in India in 2011.

Dasra is India's leading strategic philanthropy foundation. They work with philanthropists and successful social entrepreneurs and bring together knowledge, funding and people as a catalyst for social change.

They believe that if philanthropists and social entrepreneurs are given the skills, support and networks that enable them to become more strategic in their work, then increased funding will flow to the organizations with the most potential and move more people out of poverty faster.

Dasra run a Social Impact Programme, a 9 month course which equips the NGOs with the right tools and knowledge to become successful organizations. Matt and Kurt were lucky enough on their last trip to sit in on a workshop which included a panel discussion. 

Dasra have helped us choose our first 5 projects and will monitor them on our behalf.  We will also use Dasra’s expertise to help us in other territories and to focus our strategic philanthropy goals.