The India NGO Award is a new initiative launched in India this year, aimed at advancing the country’s non-profit sector by promoting financial and organisational stability, and strengthening community support of civil society.

 

The non-profit sector in India suffers from low credibility and a lack of transparency. High standards of accounting and reporting are not widely known by the sector, the donor community or the general public. Examples of successful resource mobilisation initiatives are also rarely seen. As a result, few non-profits venture into the field of local fundraising and donors are slow to support such initiatives. 

 

The India NGO Award seeks to address these issues in a number of ways, including:

 

·          Setting and promoting good standards and practices in resource mobilisation, accountability and transparency

·          Celebrating success and rewarding excellence in the non-profit sector, and identifying and strengthening successful resource mobilisation practices

·          Creating examples and inspiration for other non-profits and promoting cross-regional learning

·          Raising the visibility of local resource mobilisation initiatives and providing increased support for the sector

·          Promoting the overall credibility of the non-profit sector for long-term sustainability

 

Rewarding Excellence

 

NGOs from all over India will be invited to enter the competition. The entries received will be divided into four regions – North, South, East and West. Two finalists will be selected from each region and invited to the final Award ceremony in Delhi, where the final four national winners will be announced and will receive their awards.

 

The 1^st prize winner will receive the title of NGO of the Year, and will be presented with a trophy and a cash prize of US$ 20,000. The 2^nd prize winner will receive a trophy and a cash prize of US$ 10,000 and the two 3^rd Prize winners will each receive a trophy and a cash prize of US$ 5,000.

 

After the Award, profiles of the national and regional finalists and other success stories will be published in a casebook, which will be distributed across the country.

 

2-Day Seminars in Resource Mobilisation

 

To promote effective resource mobilisation among local NGOs and advance good governance, accountability and transparency, two-day seminars will be held in each of the four regions. For more

information on the seminars, please contact the local partner (see back page for details) or visit www.resource-alliance.org.

                               

Eligibility

 

All non-government organisations (NGOs) and non-profit organisations are welcome to enter except those that are primarily involved in political activities or promoting religious doctrine.

 

Organisations will be evaluated on:

 

·          The delivery of quality services to its beneficiaries

·          The demonstration of efficient management of resources, transparency and accountability

·          The effective mobilisation of resources (financial and non-financial) from the local community

·          Exhibiting capability for financial management

 

Judging

 

All entries will be initially reviewed on a regional level by assessors from the non-profit, academic and corporate sectors. Two regional finalists will be selected, and site visits will be made to each short-listed organisation prior to the final judging. The finalists will be assessed by an independent national judging panel, and the winners will be announced at the final Award ceremony. The organisers, including local partners, will not be involved in any stage of the assessment or judging.

 

All entries will be considered objectively and according to their relative merits. An organisation’s size or history will not necessarily be an advantage.

 

Guidelines

 

The deadline for the submission of entries is 13^th November 2006. Applicants may submit entries by email (preferred) or by post to the local partner in their region (please see back page for details).

 

By submitting an entry, NGOs agree that the information and materials provided may be used in future promotions for the Award, or any other event or publication produced by Resource Alliance and/or The Nand & Jeet Khemka Foundation.

 

More information and additional application forms are available from www.resource-alliance.org

 

 

NGO Details

 

Please provide the following details on a letterhead and submit it with your application.

 

 

Name of Organisation

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

 

Official Address

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

 

Current Chief Executive Officer / Executive Director

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

 

Telephone                                                  Facsimile                                                                  

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

 

Email                                                        Web site

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

 

Founders                                                   Date founded

__________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________

 

Attestation

__________________________________________________________________________________

I attest that, to the best of my knowledge, all information submitted for the India NGO Award 2006 is true

and accurate and that I agree to the terms and conditions of the competition.

 

 

Signed by                                                                                  Date

Executive Director / President of the NGO

 Please provide answers to the questions outlined below. Please keep answers as concise as possible.

 

 

Governance

 

Key Areas:

·          Board involvement, guidance and monitoring of the organisation

·          The board appointment process

·          Clear vision, mission, and strategic goals

·          How stakeholders are consulted in strategic and annual planning

 

1.            Details of the vision / mission statement of the organisation and a summary of Strategic Goals.

2.            Brief description of the organisation’s programme, explaining how/why these programmes are unique and important to the community.

3.            How board members are invited or elected, and how often elections and/or calls for new board members are held.

4.            How do board members participate in planning and program implementation, and how do they get involved and contribute to the organisation’s activities?

5.            How does the Board take up the responsibility for the stewardship, overseeing the organisation and monitoring executive management?

 

 

Transparency

 

Key Areas:  

·          Clear and effective communication relating to the organisation’s mission, objectives and performance;

·          Regular and informative reporting to the governing board;

·          Availability of publicly published report, with clear and objective account and assessment of the organisation’s activities, achievements and use of resources;

·          Reliability of internal and external reporting;

·          Clear points of contact and procedure laid down for receipt of enquires, suggestions, comments, and complaints.

 

1.            Identify major stakeholders of the organisation, and the channels of communication with them.

2.            Does the organisation publish and distribute an annual report? How it is made publicly available.

3.            How does the organisation assess impact and what systems are in place for improvement?

 

Resource Management

 

Key Areas:

·          Systems to ensure that funds are properly safeguarded and are used efficiently and effectively;

·          Efficient budgeting and financial management, and appropriate accounting policies and standards;

·          Effective internal audit function relating to financial and other key information;

·          Risk identification and assessment relating to the achievement of objectives.

 

1.            Describe the organisation’s budgeting process, and how it allows for proper forward planning and the best use of resources;

2.            Describe the organisation’s financial control and accounting policies;

3.            Is the organisation audited annually by an external auditor? If not, why?

4.            How does the organisation manage risk through early identification and monitoring?

 

 

Fundraising Practice

 

Key Areas:

·          Strategic and systematic manner of mobilising resources;

·          Donor-centred approach and high standard of solicitation practices;

·          Effective communication with donors, particularly regarding the organisation’s mission, use of donations and appropriate acknowledgement;

·          How has the organisation invested in resource mobilisation efforts and long term sustainability;

·          Board involvement in resource mobilisation.

 

1.            What were the financial targets for 2005, how were they set and by whom? What were the results?

2.            Describe the organisation’s local resource mobilisation efforts for 2005. What was unique? Who were the organisation’s target donors? Why were these sectors targeted? What were the solicitation plans? How much did the efforts / campaign raise (in cash and in kind)? Provide examples of campaign materials and financial reports as appropriate.

3.            Describe the challenges faced in mobilising local resources. What were the key insights gained?

4.            Describe how the organisation has managed donor relationships.

5.            How does the board support the organisation’s fundraising efforts?

 

Organisation’s Board / Governing Body

 

Please provide the following information about each member of the organisation’s Board or Governing Body.

 

·          Name and number of years as board member

·          Male / Female

·          Position / Designation / Committee

·          Brief overview of background, skills, and competencies (business, medical, human resources, government, religious, etc)

 

Also provide details of committees and functions within the Board.

 

·          Committee name and members

·          Functions / responsibility

·          Most recent achievements

 

 
Organisers and Sponsors

 

The India NGO Award is organised by the Resource Alliance in partnership with The Nand & Jeet Khemka Foundation.

 

The Nand & Jeet Khemka Foundation is a private, independent Indian foundation whose mission is to develop and promote institutions and initiatives that make a substantial impact on poverty, deprivation and disempowerment of the human and natural environment through an approach which is long term, strategic and leveraged. For more information on The Nand & Jeet Khemka Foundation, please visit www.khemkafoundation.org

 

The Resource Alliance is an international network working to build the capacity of not-for-profit organisations to mobilise funds and local resources for their causes, achieved through training, knowledge sharing and networking activities world wide. For more information on the work of the Resource Alliance, please visit www.resource-alliance.org           

 

Local partners

 

 

North

Contact Name: Rati Misra

The Resource Alliance, C-9 Lajpat Nagar-III, Basement,

New Delhi-110024

Email: indiangoaward@resource-alliance.org

         www.resource-alliance.org          

South

Contact Name: Chandra Sekhar D.R.P.
Confederation of Voluntary Associations (COVA)

20-4-10, Near Bus Stand, Charminar,

Hyderabad – 500 002, A.P

Email: drpcsekhar@yahoo.com

www.covanetwork.org

 

East

Contact Name: Nirmal Kanti Saha

CINI-Child In Need Institute,

C/O, CINI ASHA, urban unit of Child In Need Institute

63, Rafi Ahmed Kidwai Road, Kolkata – 700 016
Email: ciniresources@vsnl.net

www.cini-india.org

                

West Contact:  Nirja Mattoo Centre for DOCC Email: nirja@spjimr.ernet.in www.spjimr.org

                    BHARATIYA VIDYA  BHAVAN’S

                    

            S.P. Jain Institute of Management & Research

                                                                       

Munshi Nagar

Dadabhai Road, Andheri (w)        

Mumbai 400 058, India