The Grant is applicable for NGOs working in the field of Water, Biodiversity, Health and Education with experience of implementing projects in rural India. We encourage organizations from all over India to apply with innovative, replicable and sustainable models, which can make significant contribution towards rural development.
How to apply
Applicants fulfilling defined eligibility criteria are required to fill the online application form which includes Organizational Profile and Project Abstract along with some mandatory documents.
Register your organization by filling in the following details - your name, your organization's name, a unique username, a valid email address, registered address (as per NGO registration certificate) including state and city, valid mobile number, relevant thematic areas in which your organization is working. To register, click here.
Once you register, you will get a link to your registered email address to set the password. Please click on the link and set your password, and then click here to login.
Log in, using the user name and password received on the registered e-mail id. To log in, click here.
Fill the Organizational Profile, review, save and submit. The Organizational Profile cannot be edited after submission. Please make sure to save your page every time before you leave the website. (Refer to instructions on the top of the page of project abstract form)
Fill the Project Abstract, review, save and submit. (Refer to instructions on the top of the page of project abstract form)
Under the ‘Documents’ tab, download Declaration Form by clicking on ‘Format Attached’, fill it by hand and upload it.
Mandatory Documents to be uploaded to complete the application
- Registration Certificate
- Audited financials for Financial Year 2020-21
- Audited financials for Financial Year 2021-22
- Audited financials for Financial Year 2022-23
- PAN Card
- 80G Certificate
- 80G Renewal Application / Provisional Certificate
- 12A certificate or 10(23C) certificate
- 12A Renewal Application / Provisional Certificate
- CSR Form 1
- Declaration Form (format attached)
Review and submit the form.
You will receive an e-mail acknowledging the submission of your application on the registered e-mail ID.
Prerequisites
- The applicant organization must be a registered entity and qualify the defined eligibility criteria. Further, the name on the application form must match with the registration certificate and other regulatory documents such as PAN, Audited Financials, 80G, 12A, FCRA, etc.
- The organization must have adequate experience of working in rural areas in India.
- The by-laws of the organization must allow it to undertake a project in the proposed thematic category.
- The organization must have a good rapport with the local administration in the proposed project’s location.
- The organization, including its governing body members, must not have any pending litigations.
- The organization must not be blacklisted by any government agency/department/ministry, donor, or international agency.
- The organization must not have faced cancellation of its license/registration/membership, etc., from the regulatory and/or statutory body. These shall cover (but not be limited to) FCRA, EPF, PT, Income Tax, 12A, 80G, GST, PAN, etc.
- The organization, including governing board members, must not have any negative media coverage or any other controversy associated with it.
- The organization or its board members or employees must not have any political or religious affiliations.
- The organization (if announced as winner or runners-up) must open a separate and new bank account for HCLTech Grant Funds.
- The proposed project must be in line with the provisions of Schedule VII of Section 135 of The Companies Act, 2013 and the CSR Rules 2014, and its amendments/clarifications.
- The proposed project must be in rural area/s.
- The proposed project must be designed for direct implementation by the applicant organization. Sub-granting of HCL funds is not allowed.
- The proposed project must be designed for a grant amount of ₹ 5 Crores (to be received from HCLFoundation) for a period of 4 years. It can be co-funded by a suitable donor that the applicant organization can bring onboard for any additional amount. However, HCLFoundation must be apprised of all funders and stakeholders in advance. Additionally, the organization must report the utilization, outreach, and impact explicitly achieved through the HCLTech Grant fund.
- The grant amount must not be used solely for infrastructure development such as construction, renovation, purchase of fixed assets like land, buildings, and vehicles, among others. Further, proposed infrastructure development costs must be spent in line with project objectives and activities defined.
- HCLTech Grant funds can be used to scale-up an existing project or for a new project where co-funding is involved. However, HCLFoundation must be apprised of all funders and stakeholders in advance. Additionally, the organization must be able to report the utilization, outreach and impact achieved specifically through the HCLTech Grant fund.
Eligibility criteria
The organization must be a registered not for profit entity in India i.e. either a Society or a Trust or a Section 8 (previously Section 25) company or any other organization (as prescribed under Section 135 of The Companies Act, 2013, the CSR Rules 2014, and its amendments).
The organization must have registered u/s 80G of The Income-tax, 1961. (including organizations who have successfully submitted application for renewal of 80G certificate, subject to further scrutiny).
The organization must have registered u/s 12A of The Income-tax, 1961. (including organizations who have successfully submitted application for renewal of 12A certificate, subject to further scrutiny.)
The organization must have registered with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs as CSR Implementing Agency through Form No. CSR-1. (including organizations who have successfully submitted application, subject to further scrutiny
All applicant organizations must have minimum 5 years or above functional existence (as per their registration certificate) in India on or before 31st March 2025, applying under Water, Biodiversity, Health, and Education category.
All applicant organizations must have average expenditure (as per income & expenditure account) of minimum ₹ 50 Lakhs or above for the last three financial years viz. 2021-22, 2022-23 and 2023-24, applying under Water, Biodiversity, Health, and Education category.
The organization must be in full compliance with applicable regulatory rules and must have valid documents for registration, audited financial reports, etc. Further, the organization must have valid and timely submissions for requisite statutory and regulatory compliances (wherever applicable). These shall cover (but not limited to) income tax, employee provident fund, professional tax, minimum wages, employee state insurance, goods and service tax and FCRA and / or other relevant regulation depending on the nature of funding/donations it receives.
If at any point in time, during the entire evaluation process, any organization is noted to have furnished false or wrong information, the organization will get disqualified from HCLTech Grant.
Transforming Lives, Spreading Smiles