The $5.5 Billion Potential of India's Generosity
India's philanthropic story is often told through the lens of its most visible actors: corporate social responsibility (CSR) contributions, high-net-worth individuals, or global foundations. These streams remain critical pillars of support for the nonprofit ecosystem. Yet, alongside these, there is a quieter but equally powerful force: Everyday giving, encompassing financial contributions and volunteering from regular citizens.
Engaging everyday givers creates a ripple effect. When nonprofits offer flexible, meaningful ways for people to get involved, through time, money, or skills, they unlock a multiplier effect across all areas of support. A recently launched collaborative study, titled UDARTA: EG, conducted by 13 social sector organisations under the banner of the GivingTuesday Data Commons (GTDC), underscores this shift, finding that 70% of surveyed nonprofits have actively engaged everyday givers as volunteers over the past five years.
The potential goes beyond a one-time contribution. Through sustained engagement, long-term relationships, and thoughtful asks, volunteers can evolve into advocates and fundraisers for nonprofits, while donors can become committed volunteers. This builds stronger, more sustainable communities around nonprofit missions.
The financial scale of everyday giving is equally striking. If India's 400 million middle-income households........





















Toi Staff
Gideon Levy
Tarik Cyril Amar
Stefano Lusa
Mort Laitner
Mark Travers Ph.d
Ellen Ginsberg Simon
Andrew Silow-Carroll