NGOs voice their IT Challenges at ConnectIT Day

90 NGO representatives from different parts of Maharashtra attended NASSCOM Foundation’s ConnectIT Day on Sep 16 in Mumbai. It was great to see many participants from outisde Mumbai.

Dhaval Udani, GiveIndia’s CIO, Ms Annabel Mehta Treasurer of Apnalaya and Ms Mrinalini Kher, Director, KSWA were among the NGO panellists. The speakers and NGO leaders present in the auditorium argued if and how IT could really address challenges faced by NGOs. While Mr Jerry Rao, Chairman, NASSCOM Foundation wore multiple hats (IT industry leader/NGO leader/Philanthropist) as he moderated the discussions, Mr Sunil Soni, Principal Secretary, Planning Dept., Govt of Maharashtra, urged NGOs to visit government websites and raise questions or at least provide some feedback. Some NGO leaders wondered whether computerisation & IT training would make programme staff at NGOs spend more time in the office than be amongst the community! Speakers made NGOs aware of various resources available to them: NASSCOM Foundation’s (www.nasscomfoundation.org) BiG Tech and BiG Bridge programmes, TCS’ Adult Literacy programmes, use of free social media, etc. Rufina Fernandes, CEO, NASSCOM Foundation urged NGOs to register with NASSCOM Foundation to avail of its several programmes for hardware & software support as well as IT skilled volunteers.

NASSCOM Foundation will be organising 4-day hands-on IT training workshops for NGOs in Pune, Nagpur & Sangli between Nov 2009 & Jan 2010. Similar workshops are also being planned for Rajasthan and Orissa. Participation is free. If interested, please write to GuideStar India, the Outreach Partner for these workshops at info@guidestarindia.org.

Thank you, FirstSource!

A very big thank you to the FirstSource whose team made sure that every single NGO on our invite list for the ConnectIT Day of NASSCOM Foundation was called. We have had a steady flow of registration forms and phone calls. Registrations are closing end of today.

Thank you you Madhu, Vinay & team, Subramonian and Lakshmi. We immensely value your support.

Registration on for NASSCOM Foundation's ConnectIT Day

NGOs in Maharashtra:

GuideStar India (www.guidestarindia.org) is pleased to invite you to “ConnectIT Day”, a curtain raiser for a series of capacity building workshops in IT titled ‘ConnectIT workshops’ to be conducted by NASSCOM Foundation (www.nasscomfoundation.org). The objective of the programme is to provide effective computer technology and Internet training to assist NGOs and Government officers accomplish their development objectives through effective use of IT in their operations.

‘ConnectIT Day’, is on Sep 16, 2009 at Y B Cavan Centre, Rangswar Auditorium, Mumbai, from 2.00pm-5.30pm.

The participation is FREE but requires you to register in advance (due to limited seats). You need to send the participation form and complete an IT Need Assessment Form. Click here for the communication from NASSCOM Foundation. Participants will be confirmed by NASSCOM Foundation based on need assessment from the questionnaire you fill and on first come first served basis.

GuideStar India is the Outreach Partner for the ConnectIT Day and ConnectIT workshops. If you have any questions regarding participation, feel free to write to us at info@guidestarindia.org.

77 NGOs complete registration for the Joy of Giving Week

We are happy to announce the list of NGOs that completed the requirements for regsitration for the Joy of Giving Week (JGW). GuideStar India is managing regsitration of NGOs for this massive national event hosted by GiveIndia.

As NGOs already listed with GiveIndia are automatically registered for JGW, they did not have to go through this process with GuideStar India.

Applications are pouring in. Our office is full of papers and our team is stretching itself to process applications on the same day they are received.

NGOs registered for the Joy of Giving Week:
Aangan Trust (Mumbai)
Able Disabled All People Together (ADAPT) - formerly The Spastics Society of India
Acumen Trust
All India Movement For Seva
Arokiya Charity
Arunodhaya Centre for Street & Working Children
ARUWE
Aseema Charitable Trust
Ashoka Innovators for the Public (India)
Association for Non-Traditional Employment for Women
Association for Rural Community Development
Aural Education for the Hearing Impaired
Bharti Foundation
CHILD
Children Toy Foundation
Community Development Organization Trust
Credibility Alliance
Cross Blood Foundation
CRY - Child Rights and You
Dhanvantari Trust
FAME India (Foundation for Action Motivation & Empowerment)
Foundation for Excellence India Trust
Girivanavasi Educational Trust
Habitat for Humanity India Trust
HelpAge India
Hyderabad Council of Human Welfare
India Literacy Project
Iniya Udaiyam Charitable Trust
International Foundation for Crime Prevention and Victim Care (PCVC)
Isha Foundation
JAMGHAT (A Group of Street Children)
Janpath
Karna Prayag Trust
Khairabad Eye Hospital
LIGHT
Love and Care India Trust
Madras Dyslexia Association
Mahan Trust
Malvi Educational & Charitable Trust
Mary Anne Charity Trust
Masoom
MAYA (Movement for Alternatives And Youth Awareness)
Mumbai Mobile Creches
Nagarika Seva Trust
Narmada Kidney Foundation
Nasiha Education & Welfare Trust
Population Services International
Prajna Counselling Centre
PRAYAS
Prerana
Priyadarshini Seva Mandali
Rural Amelioration Service Society
Sadguru Sri Gnanananda Seva Trust
Sankara Eye Hospital
Save The Children India
Service and Research Foundation of Asia on Family and Culture
SHARE - Society to Heal Aid Restore, Educate
Shraddha Charitable Trust
Skillshare International (India) Trust
SNEHA (Society for Nutrition, Education and Health Action)
Social Action for Manpower Creation
Society for Higher education of Women in India (SPJ Sadhana School)
Society for Poor People Development
Society Moved to Instill Love with Empathy
Spastics Society of Karnataka
Sri Kanchi Kamakoti Medical Trust
Sri Shakthi Association
Sri Shiridi Sai Seva Trust
Svechha Foundation
The Akshaya Patra Foundation
The Bandra Holy Family Hospital Society
The Indian Cancer Society
Tulir Charitable Trust (For Prevention & Healing of Child Sexual Abuse)
Udhavum Ullangal Public Charitable Trust
VIDYA Integrated Development for Youth and Adults
Vidya Sagar
Visamo Kids Foundation

Ahmedabad workshop on Joy of Giving Week- Aug 24

NGOs in Gujarat & Rajasthan:
Here is your chance to get to know about the massive fundraising opportuntiy called the Joy of Giving Week, hosted by GiveIndia. Send a mail to jgw@giveindia.org to register for the workshop to be held on Mon, Aug 24 from 11am-1pm at the BPA Campus in Vastrapur.

GuideStar India is managing NGO registrations for the Joy of Giving Week. We will explain the registration process at the workshop. You could also download the registration from (click here) and ask us for clarifications, if any, at the workshop.

For further details, read below the announcement from GiveIndia:
Joy of Giving Week, Sept 27-Oct 3, 2009
A Unique and massive Opportunity for NGOs to raise money, resources and awareness, brought to you by GiveIndia
Ahmedabad Workshop on Monday, August 24, 2009

After bringing you the idea of "fundraising through marathons" to India through the Mumbai and Delhi marathons, GiveIndia now presents NGOs of the country a BIGGER platform- The Joy of Giving Week, September 27-October 3, 2009. The Joy of Giving week is a huge national platform that will bring 2 crore Indians together to engage in conscious acts of giving- money, time, skills, donations in kind. From a panwalla in Muzaffarpur to a billionaire in Mumbai, school children, college goers, factory workers, housewives, autorickshaw walas, celebrities and corporate honchos…just about everybody will participate through this platform. Above all, it creates a platform for NGOs to fundraise with zero fees payable- 100% of what is raised through an event goes to the NGOs!!
We invite you to a discussion on this new national movement and how you might leverage the opportunity to increase the visibility of your work and raise funds for your organisation.
Venue: Blind People's Association, Vastrapur, Ahmedabad 380015 (opposite IIM campus).
Date: August 24, 2009 (Monday)
Time: 11.00 am – 1.00pm
Register now to confirm participation. Limited seats available on First Come First Served basis. Workshop open to all NGOs of Gujarat and Rajasthan.. Please email jgw@giveindia.org to confirm participation.
More Information on the Joy of Giving Week
Several large national initiatives are already in place-

1. The School Design Challenge will inspire children aged 10-13 from over 30,000 private and government schools all over India to design solutions to India's problems and implement them during the Week. Presented by Riverside School, NID, Stanford Design School and IDEO (the world's #1 design firm), in partnership with hundreds of educational NGOs and schools across India.
2. The College Joyfest will reach youth from 3000+ colleges all over India, and get at least 300 colleges to partner with local NGOs and organise "Joy Festivals" in their colleges. Youth will also be encouraged to volunteer in various community initiatives during the week. The event is being promoted by JAM and supported by MTV.
3. Goonj will run a massive Clothes Collection Drive in 25 cities all over India, targeting to collect at least 1 crore units of clothing during the Week
4. The Battle of Buffets events in Chennai and Hyderabad will see their biggest 5* hotels coming together and offering their best buffet spreads free of cost in large public fundraising events, and NGOs in the city can benefit by selling donor passes to the “zero cost fundraising event”.
5. Stars4Charity, a fundraising event choreographed by ace director Farah Khan to help the Jai Vakeel Trust in Mumbai.
6. A "CEOs Walk the Ramp for a Cause" event by Toofles Foundation will be hosted by the Taj Hotels in Mumbai during the Week

Besides this several individuals and organisations across the country are creating events and opportunities for people to participate in giving and volunteering. Several companies have come forward and offered space for hosting events, providing technology support, free branding and visibility, media coverage, etc. For further details, visit www.joyofgivingweek.org

About GiveIndia:
GiveIndia is India's largest 'philanthropy exchange' that connects donors directly with NGOs. Founded in 2000, our flagship Payroll Giving programme and other activities together channeled Rs26.7cr from 150,000 individual donors to more than 200 NGOs in 2008-09 alone.

Sign up for Joy of Giving Week Delhi workshop -Aug 13

NGOs in North India (incl. Rajasthan):

Sign up for the NGO workshop on August 13 from 10am to 12 noon at the Bahai Centre (Lotus Temple). You will get to hear amazing fundraising opportunities you can avail of / create under the Joy of Giving Week hosted by GiveIndia.

We will also explain the registration process for NGOs. Click here to download the form. If you register for the Joy of Giving Week, you get automatically featured on www.guidestarindia.org.

The workshop is free and due to limited seats, participation is on first come, first served basis.

To know more about the Joy of Giving Week and earlier workshops, read our earlier posts.

Our list of supporters is growing...

GuideStar India is happy to announce that many organisations and individuals are coming forward to pool in their NGO database / address books or simply their collection of visiting cards! Some are writing to their partners outlining benefits of being featured on GuideStar India. The list is growing fast...
We would like take a moment to thank them and share the good news with all of you.

• Ms Elizabeth Kurian, Regional Director - India Region of Sightsavers International wrote to their 94 partners. Information has started coming in from the partners.
• Anshu Gupta, Founder Director of Goonj has shared their list of 161 partners. His team will also be collecting visiting cards from NGOs that attend their workshops and Gramsabhas.
• Prof Neerja Mattoo, Chairperson-DOCC Center, SPJIMR shared their database of NGOs and their MBA students would be training NGOs, they intern with during summer, to profile and manage content on GuideStar India.
• Mr Harinesh Pandya, Secretary, Janpath will be inviting their 150+ members to get profiled on GuideStar India. They will showcase members profiles on GuideStar India at their AGM in Sep 2009.
• Dr Bhushan Punani, Executive Director of Blind People's Association handed over a bagful of visiting cards so that we can invite them to participate on GuideStar India. He also put us in touch with a number of organisations we could partner with. Thank you, Nandiniben for giving us your mailing list on a memory stick in less than 5 minutes!
• Mr Vijay Nadkarni, Deputy Director-Credibility Alliance, gave us 2 large cartons of documents of 42 NGOs accredited by them. We have already digitised them. He will be writing to their members shortly.
• Mr Ujwal Thakkar, CEO, GiveIndia and Ms Gopi Venkatraman, Head of Listing at GiveIndia for providing "ready to upload" data of 200+ GiveIndia listed NGOs.
• Ms Abha Thorat, Director, the British Asian Trust for enaging us to profile their India grantees and introducing us to a large number of people.

This thank you note would be incomplete without acknowledging the efforts of the wonderful people in these organisations: Mariamma of Sightsavers International, Reena of Goonj, Pragya of SPJIMR, Vijay Jani, Praveen & Kuldeep of Credibility Alliance and Swati at GiveIndia.