Application has been invited for the sixth edition of HCL Grant, the most coveted institutionalized CSR grants of India.
The last date for submitting the application is August 8, 2020. NGOs can apply on the website https://www.hclfoundation.org/hcl-grant.
According to the Foundation, the Grant is applicable for NGOs working in the field of education, health and environment and that have an experience of implementing projects in rural India.
Those organizations are eligible who with innovative, replicable and sustainable models can make a significant contribution towards rural development in the categories of education, health and environment, it said in a statement.
Three NGOs will be awarded with a grant of Rs 5 crore each for a 3-5 year project. The remaining two finalist NGOs in each category will be awarded a one-year grant of Rs 25 lakh, taking the overall Grant commitment Rs 16.5 crore.
HCL Grant, an initiative by HCL Foundation — the philanthropic arm of HCL Technologies — is a step towards recognition of the ‘The Fifth Estate’ contributing towards the nation building.
Started in 2015, it is a commitment by HCL to strengthen transformation in the areas of education, health and environment by reaching out to marginalized, isolated and underdeveloped rural communities, and achieve sustainable socio-economic development.
A unique aspect of the HCL Grant is that the organizations are recognized not only based on the ‘idea’, but also for their power to transform ideas into implementable projects and thereby transform Indian villages in a sustainable way.
The Foundation said some changes have been made in the current edition of HCL Grant. From the current edition onward, the eligibility criteria in the education and health categories concerning an NGO’s average annual expenditure over the last three years has been reduced from Rs 1.5 crores to Rs 1 crore.
Also, henceforth, NGOs will need to submit only a brief concept note of the proposal in Stage 1 (as per the online format). Detailed proposals will be required only in Stage 2 from the shortlisted NGOs.
“There will be no charge or fees while submitting the application,” it said.
No authorized individual, third party, company, agency or organization may accept an application on behalf of the HCL Grant or ask for any benefit, either monetary or in kind, for completing the application process, it added.
In these times of COVID-19 crisis, the Foundation said the HCL Grant’s commitment will remain directed towards the objective of achieving sustainable, replicable and scalable rural development, through long-term strategies.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has opened a range of challenges in rural India, over and above the already prevailing conditions. While HCL Foundation recognizes that the applicant NGOs will take into consideration these challenges, it requests NGOs to ensure that the HCL Grant proposal remains focused on transformation and impactful rural development, in the areas of environment, health and education, through innovative, relevant and cost-effective strategies,” it noted.
While applying for the HCL Grant Edition VI, the Foundation said it is imperative that the COVID-19 pandemic situation on the ground should to be taken into consideration.
The pandemic has impacted various states and districts differently, and therefore it is critical that the situation assessment is done at micro-macro levels while developing long term solutions towards issues related to environment, health and education in rural belt of India, it said.
The NGOs will be treating COVID-19 as the ‘new normal’ till the world finds a permanent solution to it, yet focusing on regular rural developmental areas while taking all measures to contain the spread of the pandemic. This further calls for NGOs to strengthen the aspects of ‘innovation’ and ‘use of technology’ in their HCL Grant application, it added.
