"The best way to not feel hopeless is to get up and do something. Don't wait for good things to happen to you. If you go out and make some good things happen, you will fill the world with hope."– Barack Obama
India, grappling with significant development challenges entrusts us with the responsibility to do some good things for those less privileged. While the landscape of social development interplays between Samaaj (Civil societies), Sarkaar (government), and Bazaar (Pvt. Sector) in social development, Samaaj is at the forefront of this effort and driving change significantly. However, their success hinges on robust support from the other two partners.
Volunteering is one of the most effective ways to strengthen this partnership, amplify impact, and create lasting social value. Presently, the sector faces certain challenges which include-
Most social organisations, depending heavily on government or private funding, rarely get steady funding. Unsteady funding is a real challenge for these NPOs to function at ease and create a long-term impact.
NPOs today are not only expected to show that interventions have provided access to those they aimed to support, but they must demonstrate the social impact of their interventions. This makes the proposition even harder.
While we expect so much from our NPO partners to achieve results for social good, we all lose sight of the fact that it is still a business, even if it is not for profit. This oversight compels them to think of social impact goals they want to achieve ignoring their business objectives.
Well! Just accepting NPO as a business is not the end of the problem. A good business also needs competent talents capable of leading and managing programs and projects effectively. However, what makes the situation tricky is the incapability of NPOs to attract such ‘top talents’ who get hoovered up by lucrative packages.
There are 3.1M+ registered NPOs in 2009 in India. (International Centre for Not-for-Profit Law) 67 % of Indian NPOs have an annual budget of less than 1Cr. (Bridgespan, 2018) More than 83% of NPOs struggle to secure coverage of indirect costs. (Bridgespan, 2021) In 61% of NPOs, more than 75% of the total funding is in a restricted manner. (AIP survey, 2022)
Our country is home to a wealth of top-tier talent, many of whom are passionate about social causes but currently embedded in corporate roles, while many others are actively in volunteering.
Millions of hours are spent by corporate employees annually volunteering under the corporate shared responsibility of building a better society.
What if the corporate partnering in the collective responsibility through employee volunteering programs taps into or strengthens this talent pool, by building their perspective on the social sector and meaningful volunteering, and inspiring professionals to volunteer their time and expertise for non-profit work and community development?
Just like businesses, NPOs need specialized skills to thrive in challenging environments. From financial management to marketing, from data analytics to project management, from governance to compliance—these organizations require a broad range of expertise to function effectively considering the constraints of limited resources. Financial backing is essential, but equally important is the need for technical expertise and skilled talent.
Let’s rise to make volunteering not just a ‘One-off’ task but a lasting commitment to a deeper purpose.
Nurture their volunteering spirit and encourage them to deliver need-based, value-led volunteering that ultimately supports achieving the company's sustainable goals.
Transformation in Employee Volunteers and in the Workplace:
Enrol for ISDM’s Self-paced eLearning program on Volunteering orientation.