TaRa AtmaNirbhar Grant Application 2022

We are excited to announce the launch of a unique grant worth INR 5 lakhs. The grant is an initiative of Tarachand Ramnath Seva Trust (TRST) in collaboration with TBL Consultancy services. Atma is the implementing and capacity-building partner in this grant. 

What makes this grant unique is that it will provide an opportunity for NGOs in Pune to receive 6 months of customised capacity-building support worth INR 2.5 lakhs and an additional, unrestricted fund of INR 2.5 lakhs. 

5 NGOs will be selected in this cohort. We encourage NGOs with operations in Pune to apply soon before 30th October using this link.

For more information please read the FAQs below. Still, have more questions or need support filling out the application? You can contact by writing to [email protected]. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

• Does this grant have financial support? When will this grant be received?

Yes, there is INR 5 lakhs award in the grant which is split into two components - there is capacity building support for 6 months worth INR 2.5 lakhs and on successful completion of the same, there is unrestricted funding of INR 2.5 lakhs. The organisation can choose how they want to utilise the money. As this is a capacity-building programme, we encourage the NGOs to use the grant for building organisational capacities like systems and processes, technology and human resources for effective development.

• Is capacity building a mandatory component of this grant?

Yes, there is a 6 months capacity building programme which is built into the grant. This programme will provide customised support as per the needs and requirements of the selected NGOs. Support will be provided by experts from the field. The unrestricted funding will be given only on successful completion of capacity building.

• Who will be providing the capacity-building support?

The capacity building will be mainly provided by Atma Education, an accelerator with over 14+ years of experience in improving the strength, scale and sustainability of NGOs. Read more about Atma. The project is supported by TRST (Tarachand Ramnath Seva Trust) who have been instrumental in advancing structured philanthropic support from family foundations. This programme is also in partnership with TBL Consulting firm which provides strategic consulting to HNIs, CSRs and non-profits. Read more about TRST and TBL.

• What is the duration of this programme?

The capacity-building programme is for six months from January 2023 to June 2023.

• How many NGOs will be finally selected for the grant?

A total of five NGOs will be selected for the TRST AtmaNirbhar grant programme.

• Will the capacity-building programme support be in-person or virtual support?

There will be both in-person and virtual support. The one-on-one project-based support on organisational development areas will be mainly virtual, however, there will be a few common workshops that will be conducted offline/in-person for the selected cohort.

• We do not have 12A and 80G certificates yet, can we still apply?

Since there is a financial grant component, it is mandatory to have 12A and 80G certificates before applying for this grant.

• Our operations are based outside of Pune, can we still apply?

No. This grant is only open to NGOs operating in the Pune district. Organisations that are headquartered elsewhere but have significant operations in Pune can apply for this grant and take the capacity building and financial support for their programmes/branch in Pune.

• We are registered but our programme is still in conception/pilot stage. Can we still apply?

We do not recommend applying for the programme if you are still in the conception/pilot stage as this is not an incubation grant or support. Organisations that are implementing their programme operations on ground for at least 2-3 years are better suited to absorb the organisational development support offered through this programme.

• How much time commitment is required for this programme?

The AtmaNirbhar Grant Support requires hands-on involvement and time commitment of the founder and possibly core team members if required. The time requirement will be higher in the first 6 months which will involve workshops and projects and it will be less frequent in the next 6 months which will include monitoring and review calls.

• I have never received capacity-building support - should I still apply for the grant?

Yes, definitely. This grant is designed to invite more organisations to invest in capacity building to become more effective in their operations and be ready for growth.

• What can I hope to achieve from the capacity-building support?

The selected NGOs will be given access to 6 months of dedicated and customised capacity-building support by Atma which will be provided in two formats - one is through workshops (total 3) on common capacity needs of the cohort and secondly, customised 3 projects per NGO will be designed along with support in implementation.  

Through this 6 month programme, we aim to jumpstart NGOs on their journey to growth. At the end of the intervention, the NGOs will be able to see some tangible shifts and value addition in the knowledge upgradation, developed skills and abilities and organisational processes.  Post-intervention, we will be measuring retention of knowledge, ability to apply skills learned and implementation of some of the processes.

• How will I be eligible for the additional 2.5 Lakhs grant post-completion of the Capacity Building Process? 

Answer: Once the organizations complete the capacity building, the organizations will give a proposal for 2.5 lakhs to the committee with a presentation, basis on the proposals, approval will be given and if approved, the 2.5 Lakhs grant will be awarded to the organizations.