• Blog

RBPM- Why RBPM is critical for the Development Sector

  • Source : ISDM
  • 7 July 2025
As a social sector professional, I’ve often found myself in a conundrum about a relatively simple but critical question: “Are we truly creating lasting change in society, or are we just busy delivering activities?” The stark reality is that in this complex and resource-constrained development sector, having good intentions alone isn’t enough. We’re constantly requested to show and produce real data-driven results—to move beyond reports of activities and demonstrate measurable impact on the ground.That’s why I have always advocated that…
  • Framework / Toolkit / App

Compliance Excellence Assessment Tool (CEAT)

  • Source : ISDM
  • 1 April 2025
The Compliance Excellence Assessment Tool enables SPOs to assess their compliance health across key functions—finance, fundraising, statutory and regulatory, ethics and operations. Designed for completion by organisational leaders in consultation with department heads, the tool establishes a compliance baseline, midline, and endline that sets clear organisational benchmarks—striving for sector-wide standardization and adoption of good practices.
  • Paper / Report

STATE OF THE SECTOR REPORT: Outcomes Readiness among Indian Nonprofits

  • Source : ISDM
  • 1 August 2025
As India leads the way in outcomes-based financing (OBF) across sectors like education, health, and skilling, the social sector is undergoing a quiet but profound shift from measuring inputs to delivering results. But how equipped are Indian nonprofits to respond to this change? Our latest report offers the first of its kind assessment of outcomes readiness across 80+ nonprofits in India. Using a robust Outcomes Readiness Framework and a self-diagnostic tool, the study uncovers where nonprofits currently stand, where the capability gaps lie, and what it will take to strengthen their ability to deliver, measure, and improve outcomes.
  • Framework / Toolkit / App

Assistive Funder Toolkit

  • Source : Bridgespan
  • 1 January 2025
The Assistive Funder Toolkit designed by Bridgespan under the Pay-What-It-Takes (PWIT) initiative and hosted in collaboration with ISDM. The objective of the toolkit is to provide a simple way for funders to assess for themselves and explore how they can become “assistive funders” that embody the Pay-What-It-Takes principles and promote strong, resilient nonprofit partners and amplify their impact. The target audience of the toolkit will primarily be institutional funders (Domestic Foundation, CSRs, Global Foundations) and intermediary organizations that work with them.
  • Framework / Toolkit / App

Impact Assessment and Evaluation Guide

  • Source : ISDM
  • 1 March 2025
The guidebook will serve as a valuable resource, equipping our target audience with a comprehensive understanding of key concepts, processes and knowledge. In the landscapoe of development initiatives, the terms Monitoring and Evaluation and Impact Assessment (MEIA) are often used interchangeably, leading to confusion and inefficiency. This guidebook serves to provide clarity by defining each concept distinctly as recognising these nuances is essential for effective decision-making and resource allocation in the development sector.
  • Video

Understanding legal and regulatory compliance for NGOs1

  • Source : ISDM
  • 1 June 2025
Skill-labs are part of ISDM’s efforts to build sector-wide capacities in compliance and governance. They are designed as case-led, peer-learning sessions featuring sector practitioners and domain experts. This video is a recording of experience led disucssion that is a comprehensive FAQ-style guide to legal and regulatory compliance for non-profit organizations in India. It addresses key frameworks like Section 12AB, Section 80G, GST, and FCRA, explaining their significance and the common challenges NGOs face. The guide highlights the increased scrutiny and evolving donor expectations within the sector, and it emphasizes that compliance is crucial for maintaining credibility and securing funding. It also covers common pitfalls, such as failing to distinguish between foreign and domestic contributions or overlooking state-level labor laws.
  • Event Report

Understanding legal and regulatory compliance for NGOs

  • Source : ISDM
  • 1 June 2025
Skill-labs are part of ISDM’s efforts to build sector-wide capacities in compliance and governance. They are designed as case-led, peer-learning sessions featuring sector practitioners and domain experts. This document serves as a comprehensive FAQ-style guide to legal and regulatory compliance for non-profit organizations in India. It addresses key frameworks like Section 12AB, Section 80G, GST, and FCRA, explaining their significance and the common challenges NGOs face. The guide highlights the increased scrutiny and evolving donor expectations within the sector, and it emphasizes that compliance is crucial for maintaining credibility and securing funding. It also covers common pitfalls, such as failing to distinguish between foreign and domestic contributions or overlooking state-level labor laws.
  • Video

Strengthening Internal Financial Controls & Preventing Mismanagement 1

  • Source : ISDM
  • 1 June 2025
Skill-labs are part of ISDM’s efforts to build sector-wide capacities in compliance and governance. They are designed as case-led, peer-learning sessions featuring sector practitioners and domain experts. This video is an expert discussion around strengthening internal financial controls and preventing mismanagement in non-profit organizations. It emphasizes that financial controls are essential for ensuring accountability, preventing fraud, and building credibility with donors and regulators. The report differentiates between financial systems and controls, identifies the three main types of controls (operational, financial, and compliance), and highlights that effective implementation is more about organizational culture and discipline than cost. It also outlines the collective responsibility of the board, management, and staff in upholding financial integrity.
  • Event Report

Strengthening Internal Financial Controls & Preventing Mismanagement

  • Source : ISDM
  • 1 June 2025
Skill-labs are part of ISDM’s efforts to build sector-wide capacities in compliance and governance. They are designed as case-led, peer-learning sessions featuring sector practitioners and domain experts. This document provides a Q&A-style guide on strengthening internal financial controls and preventing mismanagement in non-profit organizations. It emphasizes that financial controls are essential for ensuring accountability, preventing fraud, and building credibility with donors and regulators. The report differentiates between financial systems and controls, identifies the three main types of controls (operational, financial, and compliance), and highlights that effective implementation is more about organizational culture and discipline than cost. It also outlines the collective responsibility of the board, management, and staff in upholding financial integrity.
  • Video

Grant Management and Donor Reporting – Best Practices1

  • Source : ISDM
  • 1 June 2025
Skill-labs are part of ISDM’s efforts to build sector-wide capacities in compliance and governance. They are designed as case-led, peer-learning sessions featuring sector practitioners and domain experts. This video is an expert discussion around grant management and donor reporting best practices for Social Purpose Organizations (SPOs). It addresses common challenges, such as the administrative burden and high costs of compliance, by providing a step-by-step roadmap for building robust systems. The document covers critical topics like ensuring accountability, structuring effective reports, and developing a collaborative relationship with donors. It emphasizes that a focus on transparency, timely communication, and outcome-oriented reporting can transform compliance from a burden into a strategic advantage, strengthening donor trust and securing long-term funding.
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