Operations and Program Management

This strand focuses on designing, implementing, and optimising systems, processes, and resources to ensure efficient operations and the effective delivery of programmes, aligning organisational activities with mission-driven outcomes in the development sector.

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A Typology of Organisations in the Indian Social SectorPaper / Report

2 August 2022

A Typology of Organisations in the Indian Social Sector

The Indian social sector is vast and growing, but existing typologies fail to capture its diversity. Most research focuses on Western economies, where social enterprises differ in structure and demands. To address this gap, we first review existing typologies of social sector enterprises. Then, we propose a hierarchical typology tailored to India, considering multiple characteristics. Finally, we identify key factors for applying this framework. This approach aims to enhance understanding of India’s unique social sector landscape.

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Case Study
  • 1 April 2025

Teaching The Teachers

Adhyayan Quality Education Foundation collaborates with schools to implement self-review using Shaala Siddhi standards. At GSS Pabua (Arunachal Pradesh), teachers collect data on attendance, learning outcomes, and school resources via Google Forms and dashboards. These insights drive action plans across domains, from infrastructure to hygiene and exam scores. In 2023–24, attendance rose from ~30 % to ~50 %, and Class X pass rates jumped from 30 % to 83.3 %. Peer learning, cluster complexes, and evidence-based reviews enable more consistent and accountable improvements
Case Study
  • 1 April 2025

An App To Scale Rehab

Amar Seva Sangam (ASSA), based in Tamil Nadu, developed the Enabling Inclusion Android app to support community rehabilitation for children with disabilities. Physiotherapists and rehab workers use the app for appointment scheduling, tracking progress via standardized assessments, and GPS-enabled session management. Data shows that improved therapy compliance correlated with increased school enrolment (70 %→85 %) and reduced caregiver strain. With such evidence, ASSA scaled the initiative via government (RIGHTs) and World Bank funding, licensing the app to 23 NGOs. Their data-driven Centre of Excellence now guides nationwide adoption
Framework / Toolkit / App
  • 1 April 2025

MAAP (Malnutrition Assessment and Action Plan)

MAAP is a mobile app that uses AI to help detect child malnutrition at home. Parents, caregivers, and health workers can take a photo of a child to estimate height and spot early signs of malnutrition. It offers simple advice and links with government systems like Poshan Tracker 2.0. The app makes child growth tracking cheaper and easier, especially in remote areas. It’s being piloted now and aims to reach 1 million children by 2030
Academic / Journal Article
  • 1 January 2023

Progress on Sustainable Development Goal indicators in 707 districts of India: a quantitative mid-line assessment using the National Family Health Surveys, 2016 and 2021

This article evaluates advancements in India’s districts concerning SDG indicators by analysing data from the 2016 and 2021 National Family Health Surveys. The study identifies areas of progress and highlights regions requiring focused interventions to achieve SDG targets.
Case Study
  • 1 June 2024

Becoming educated

Documents scholarship initiatives at Farook College funded through alumni, faculty, and peer contributions to support underprivileged students, particularly girls, in accessing higher education. Shows self-sustaining mechanisms enabling competitive exam prep centers and placement support, fostering broader regional replication in Malabar.
Paper / Report
  • 1 November 2024

Effective Philanthropy with an Inclusive Development Lens Insights and Good Practices from Philanthropic Organisations

Drawing on insights from 37 philanthropic organisations, this report introduces the Six-Point PID Framework to guide philanthropies on their journey towards more inclusive practices. The framework emphasises six critical principles: focusing on marginalised communities, fostering trust among stakeholders, prioritising community-centric approaches, enabling long-term and flexible funding, promoting transparency and inclusivity, and encouraging collaborative action. It highlights how philanthropies can achieve meaningful impact by adopting these principles, shifting from traditional charity models to inclusive development strategies.
Paper / Report
  • 1 December 2023

Innovative Finance Made Simple: A Primer for Innovative Financing Instruments in India

This primer aims to demystify existing financial instruments in India, enabling and empowering social sector organizations to make informed decisions to access funding. It provides an introductory overview of innovative finance instruments, including stakeholders, processes, value propositions, applicability, and associated risks. The resource is designed to help social purpose organizations understand and navigate the landscape of innovative financing options available to them.
Paper / Report
  • 2 September 2022

Benchmarking of Employee Benefits in the Indian Social Sector

This report documents the key findings from the study on benefits benchmarking in the Indian social sector. It draws from a sample of 59 organisations to provide a comprehensive understanding of the employee benefits being provided by Indian social purpose organisations. Importantly, it also compares social sector benefits with those being provided by general industry.
Paper / Report
  • 1 January 2024

Towards Accountability and Resilience: A Capacity Needs Assessment on Governance and Compliance for Indian SPOs

This Needs Assessment Study on Compliance & Reporting for Social Purpose Organisations (SPOs) in India, conducted by the Indian School of Development Management (ISDM) in partnership with NAVGRAAM, seeks to explore the current state of compliance in the SPO sector. It identifies key challenges faced by SPOs of varying sizes and across different sectors. The study aims to assess their compliance capabilities, examine their capacity gaps, and propose holistic solutions that support sustainable growth for these organisations.
Case Study
  • 1 May 2023

danamojo: Sustaining a relational platform

This case study explores the journey of Dhaval Udani and danamojo, a social enterprise founded in 2016 to enhance charitable giving in India through digital technology. Focused on trust, transparency, and commitment, danamojo represents a new wave of organisations bringing specialised expertise to civil society while preserving its ethos. Despite being a young organisation, the case delves into its founder’s motivations, platform development, resource challenges, and culture of integrity. It highlights that beyond ideas, funds, and expertise, qualities like diligence, determination, and commitment are key to sustaining a meaningful and impactful social enterprise.
Paper / Report
  • 9 September 2022

Talent Management Practices in the Indian Social Sector

This report explores talent management practices and drivers of talent motivation which operate within the social sector. The report also outlines the talent investments made by organizations, and captures the factors driving talent to work in the social sector.
Paper / Report
  • 2 September 2022

Talent Management in the Indian Social Sector: A Summary Report

Talent management (TM) directly impacts organisational performance, especially in social purpose organisations (SPOs), where human effort cannot be replaced by technology or funding. An SPO’s success depends on its personnel’s experience, knowledge, skills, and behaviours. However, TM in SPOs remains underexplored. To address this gap in India, ISDM and CSIP – Ashoka University conducted the “Talent Management in the Indian Social Sector” study (2021–22), producing five reports, 18 case studies, and three literature reviews. This report summarises the key findings from these studies, offering insights into TM practices within the Indian social sector.

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