• Paper / Report

The Power of Data for Impact Part 2: An overview of data enablers in the social sector

  • Source : ISDM
  • 2 May 2024
The report delves into data enablers within India’s social sector ecosystem. It maps key actors, including government open‑data initiatives at central and state levels, private-sector platforms, consulting firms, cloud providers, volunteers, academia, and global organisations like the UN. Through case studies and policy analysis, the report demonstrates how these intermediaries facilitate adoption of data-driven solutions by SPOs. It presents concrete recommendations for both implementing organisations and enablers, driving a holistic approach to strengthen data infrastructure, governance, capability, and partnerships across the sector.
  • Paper / Report

Navigating Outcomes-based Financing in India: Perceptions of the Not-for-Profits

  • Source : ISDM
  • 3 June 2024
This ISDM/CIFSI report surveys 71 Indian non‑profits to understand their perspectives on outcomes‑based financing (OBF)—models where funding is tied to measurable results. It outlines how OBF promises greater accountability, efficiency, and outcome orientation, while also revealing nonprofits’ concerns around financial risks, readiness, and misaligned expectations between funders and implementers. The findings highlight the need for improved dialogue, capacity, and tools to support nonprofits in navigating OBF effectively, ensuring sustainable adoption and reducing friction between funding providers and recipients
  • Paper / Report

Research Fellowship compendium: Community Philanthropy in India

  • Source : ISDM
  • 2 February 2024
Community philanthropy is rooted in local knowledge, shared ownership, and collective action to drive social change. This compendium brings together research that explores how communities across India mobilise resources, challenge power imbalances, and create sustainable impact. Through diverse case studies, these papers examine the role of community-led giving in addressing systemic inequalities, amplifying grassroots leadership, and shaping more inclusive development pathways. This compendium is a culmination of the research reports and insights as part of the research carried out by the Research Fellows for the cohort in 2024.
  • Paper / Report

Effective Boards, Effective Organisations

  • Source : ISDM
  • 2 January 2023
This article outlines the critical role of effective boards in ensuring organizational success in the social sector. It covers governance best practices, board composition, and strategic oversight. The discussion offers recommendations for enhancing board performance and accountability, thereby reinforcing ethical governance and fostering mission-driven leadership for improved organizational effectiveness.
  • Paper / Report

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

  • Source : ISDM
  • 1 January 2024
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.
  • Paper / Report

Talent Management Practices in the Indian Social Sector

  • Source : ISDM & CSIP
  • 9 September 2022
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

Talent Management in the Indian Social Sector: A Summary Report

  • Source : ISDM & CSIP
  • 2 September 2022
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.
  • Paper / Report

Talent Management in the Indian Social Sector: A Joint Study by ISDM, CSIP & Ashoka University

  • Source : ISDM & CSIP
  • 2 September 2022
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.
  • Paper / Report

What is compensation?

  • Source : ISDM
  • 3 September 2022
The study found the existence of a positive relationship between education and experience levels within an organization, with the salary of the executive staff. Managerial performance has a positive relation to compensation, and the two measures of such performances used by organizations are fundraising and cost-effectiveness, especially when deciding the CEO’s compensation levels. The study also finds that executive-employee level factors such as intrinsic motivation could have a negative impact on the compensation levels of an organization’s staff, as intrinsically motivated individuals may accept wages for their efforts that are lower than the norm in the organization/sector.
  • Paper / Report

Regional Consultations on Talent Management in the Indian Social Sector

  • Source : ISDM & CSIP
  • 9 September 2022
This report is one of the first outputs of the ecosystem study on Benchmarking Talent Management in the Indian Social Sector, 2021-22. The report presents findings from consultations with organizational leaders from six different regions of the country, on key aspects of talent management, including factors that drive talent in the sector.
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