Over 300 stakeholders unite at InspireX event to boost NGO capacities

Over 300 stakeholders and participants gathered at CHRIST (Deemed to be University) in Bengaluru on Saturday to collaborate and connect at Social Venture Partners India (SVP India)’s annual event, InspireX.

The event focused on fostering collaboration and knowledge-sharing among social sector organisations, philanthropists, and stakeholders across various development sector verticals. It aimed to build the capacities of 40 non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and help them tap into the funding ecosystem for maximum impact.

Atul Satija, Founder and CEO of The/Nudge Institute, encouraged over 100 philanthropists to introspect on what they wished to fund—whether programs, strategies, or entire organisations.

“Given that we are the only large country with a CSR (corporate social responsibility) law, bringing billions of dollars into the ecosystem, we have a space of domestic foundations with sizable capital while we have global foundations that are playing in India,” he said.

He added that since CSR is best positioned to fund programs, foundations can fund organisational strategies while high net-worth individuals (HNIs) can fund entire organisations. 

Govind Iyer, All India Chair, Sashi Rajamani, Bengaluru Chapter Chair of SVP India, and Dr Father Viju P Devassy, Pro-Vice Chancellor of CHRIST (Deemed to be University) welcomed the audience while Anshu Gupta, Ramon Magsaysay award winner and founder of Goonj, in his keynote address, shared insights on civic engagement and agency-led rural development strategies.

Sriram Venkataraman, Director-Partnerships and Engagement at The/Nudge Institute, engaged NGOs in an interactive session on fundraising. He shared personal anecdotes, urging listeners to build lasting relationships with donors and adopt a humane approach to fundraising.

“Adopt a humane approach to fundraising and stay in touch with the donors because the point of building genuine interpersonal relationships is not just to convert them into donors but to get them to care as much about your case as you do,” he advised.

Explaining the differences between donors from various parts of the world, he advised NGOs to specialise in one geographical area to align with the preferences of donors from that region.

Throughout the day, sector experts shared their expertise in curated sessions and workshops for both NGOs and SVP partners. They tackled topics such as optimal fundraising strategies, compliance and governance challenges, and leveraging philanthropic capital to create scalable impact.

“InspireX was a true embodiment of SVP’s mission, creating a space for our NGOs to connect, learn, and grow,” said Iyer, All India Chair of SVP India. “We believe that by fostering collaboration and knowledge sharing, we can amplify the impact of their work.”