India Development Review

India Development Review (IDR) is India’s first independent online media platform for leaders in the development community.
Our mission is to advance knowledge on social impact in India. We publish ideas, opinion, analysis and lessons from real-world practice.

Articles by India Development Review

fcra licence

Nonprofit flow chart | Will I get my FCRA licence?

What are the chances that your nonprofit will get its FCRA licence? Here is a friendly guide to help you find out.

by India Development Review | 1 min read

Is Brooklyn Nine-Nine actually about nonprofits?

Using our favourite TV show to express our everyday angst.

by India Development Review | 1 min read

A new dictionary for nonprofits

Sometimes, the words we use in our daily nonprofit life don't do justice to the way things actually work. So, we decided to take those words, and add, subtract, or change one letter to come up with a new, more accurate definition.

by India Development Review | 1 min read

Maslows Hierarchy of Needs for Nonprofits

February 18, 2019

Hierarchy of needs for nonprofits

What would Maslow's famous model look like for nonprofits?

by India Development Review | 1 min read

Handloom weaving sustainable livelihoods

February 13, 2019

The funding landscape of sustainable livelihoods

Do funders prefer certain occupations over others? Who are their target groups? What methods do they use? This report looks at the rationale driving donor decisions within the sustainable livelihoods sector.

by India Development Review | 5 min read

February 11, 2019

So much 'work', so little time

Here's a glimpse into the daily calendar of a nonprofit team. We agree, the programme coordinator deserves a raise.

by India Development Review | 1 min read

digital security

January 29, 2019

IDR Select: Toolkits and upskilling

How to assess organisational capacity properly, ensure your work is digitally secure, and get your organisation's message across clearly through social media.

by India Development Review | 2 min read

livelihoods, jobs in India

January 23, 2019

Sustainable livelihoods: Where donors need to focus

After interviewing sector experts and 44 organisations, this report tells donors exactly what the sustainable livelihoods sector wants and needs.

by India Development Review | 6 min read

January 14, 2019

An ode to your younger, less-jaded self

GIFs from our favourite 70s teen romance, Grease, paying tribute to who you were when you joined the sector.

by India Development Review | 1 min read

December 17, 2018

Webcomic | Some of our favourite Sanitary Panels

Comic strips on manels, gender stereotypes and #NotAllMen.

by India Development Review | 1 min read

December 03, 2018

Four pie-charts that describe how we spend our time

If you don't relate to any of these, you're probably kidding yourself.

by India Development Review | 1 min read

November 28, 2018

IDR Explains | Development Impact Bonds

In just five minutes and five questions, get a quick introduction to Development Impact Bonds—what they are, how they work, and why there is so much debate around them.

by India Development Review | 5 min read

November 20, 2018

IDR Select: November's picks

From demystifying caste-based myths, blockchain, and M&E, to discussing women in the workplace, this month's selection has something for everyone.

by India Development Review | 2 min read

November 19, 2018

How to appear broke ‘enough’ on your next donor visit

Twelve foolproof ideas to show your donors exactly how much in need of money you are.

by India Development Review | 2 min read

October 30, 2018

IDR Select: #MeToo

Amidst the storm of coverage on the movement, here are some of the useful resources, points of view, and ideas that stood out for us.

by India Development Review | 2 min read

October 28, 2018

Dr Fernandez on urban health

Dr Fernandez on urban health and other important issues.

by Devanshi Vaid, India Development Review | 5:15 min

October 08, 2018

12 Disney gifs that describe your nonprofit life

Because Disney makes everything - including your work-related anxiety - more palatable.

by India Development Review | 1 min read

September 25, 2018

IDR Select: What caught our attention this September

This month's picks really make you consider: are we forcing our ideas of 'opportunity' and 'development' on the communities we work with?

by India Development Review | 2 min read

September 19, 2018

IDR Explains | Frontline Health Workers

In just eight minutes and five questions, get a quick introduction to Frontline Health Workers—who they are, what they do, why they matter, and their challenges.

by India Development Review | 7 min read

September 04, 2018

Does bottom-up development work?

Though it may seem like an ideal paradigm—with community members themselves actively participating—the impact of community-driven development may not be as significant as it seems.

by India Development Review | 4 min read

September 03, 2018

Nonprofit flow chart | Will you get funding?

Ever wondered what goes on while you are waiting to hear on your funding request? Here is a handy flow chart to help you get through those long hours, and evaluate whether you are going to succeed this time.

by India Development Review | 1 min read

August 28, 2018

IDR Select: On our radar this August

What does it mean to be born into inequality? Can singing about celebrating pleasure spark a conversation around consent? Want to refine your digital content? Find out in this month's selection of what's caught our attention.

by India Development Review | 3 min read

ESG Investing

Philanthropy & CSR

Driving ESG Investing in Asia

Integrating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) factors into investments may seem daunting. However evidence shows that it creates value for organisations. This AVPN report looks at how this can be achieved in the context of the Asian market.

by India Development Review | 5 min read

IDR Select

IDR Select: Our favourite picks

We've brought together a list of things that are on our radar; take a few minutes to read what's caught our interest.

by India Development Review | 2 min read

low-income housing finance

The gaps and opportunities in low-income housing

A study on this underserved area gives us a comprehensive idea of what the low-income housing landscape looks like, and how it can improve.

by India Development Review | 6 min read

Hurdles Open road

Philanthropy & CSR

How funders become their own enemy

The findings from this analysis provide the first-ever empirical dataset on 'what goes wrong' in nonprofit programmes. The results are unexpected, but familiar.

by India Development Review | 5 min read

Nonprofit Venn Diagram

Four Venn diagrams that perfectly describe nonprofit life

All your pain points captured neatly in four illustrations.

by India Development Review | 1 min read

get promoted

Nonprofit flow chart | Will I get promoted?

It's time for those dreaded conversations at work again. Have you done what it takes to make the cut for promotions this year? Find out with this flowchart.

by India Development Review | 1 min read

IDR feature image

Ecosystem Development

We are one! Thank you for helping us get here

As we celebrate our first birthday, here’s a short video on our journey and milestones so far.

by India Development Review | 1 min read

nonprofit colleagues as FRIENDS characters

Your nonprofit colleagues as F.R.I.E.N.D.S characters

If your colleagues were 'Friends' characters from the popular 90s sitcom, they'd best be described as...

by India Development Review | 1 min read

Do you have what it takes to be a philanthropist?

Being a philanthropist takes work. (Or, does it?) Here's a handy flow chart to help you figure out whether you've got what it takes to become one.

by India Development Review | 1 min read

We fixed your Women's Day WhatsApp forwards

We tried to be funny, but we couldn't. We were too busy rolling our eyes.

by India Development Review | 1 min read

Development Valentines

February 19, 2018

Our favourite #DevelopmentValentines

Didn't get the valentine you were dreaming of? Don't worry, we got you. Here's a collection of our favourite #DevelopmentValentines tweets from this year.

by India Development Review | 1 min read

nonprofit flow chart

February 05, 2018

Nonprofit flow chart | Will I get funding?

There are many tools to help us improve our decisions: flow charts, 2X2 matrices, decision trees, and so on. Here's one to help you decide whether or not to pursue a funder. Caution: Use at your own risk.

by India Development Review | 1 min read

nonprofit Christmas

December 18, 2017

Your nonprofit Christmas wish list

This year, we started making a wishlist for a #nonprofitchristmas. And then it hit us: why not approach our readers to crowdsource ideas? So that’s what we did. And as expected, you did not disappoint.

by India Development Review | 1 min read

how we work illustration

November 27, 2017

Your nonprofit life in graphs: There just isn't enough time

From getting that morning cuppa to the next promotion, nonprofit life can be all sorts of fun AND drudgery. Here it is, explained visually for easy reading on a busy Monday.

by India Development Review | 1 min read

#nonprofitpickuplines

October 30, 2017

#NonprofitPickupLines Part II

Back by popular demand, here's another collection of our favourite #NonProfitPickupLines. Because sometimes the sequel is just as good as the original.

by India Development Review | 1 min read

September 25, 2017

If your fundraising woes were iconic cricket moments

Does fundraising have you stumped? You’re not alone. These cricketers also know what it’s like to win some and lose some.

by India Development Review | 1 min read

Nonprofit Memes feature image

September 18, 2017

Indian miniatures on life in the social sector

Miniature painting in India dates back to as early as the 11th century. And yet, the scenes they depict hold relevance today. Especially for those of us working in social impact.

by India Development Review | 1 min read

Power PARI Captain_Elder_Brother

August 08, 2017

IDR Select: Power deserves scrutiny

How often do we speak up against established power structures, privilege and hubris? This month’s IDR Select brings you articles that ask the uncomfortable questions and force us to confront the status quo.

by India Development Review | 2 min read

Nonprofit pick-up lines

August 04, 2017

Nonprofit pick-up lines

Here are the best #NonprofitPickUpLines we could find, to ensure that you, like your grants, don't get rejected.

by India Development Review | 1 min read

IDR Select: Why the voiceless, the nameless and the silent matter

We bring you an interesting mix of ideas to dwell upon: why new philanthropy must focus on the most marginalised; the changing face of violence in India; why the Skill India programme fails to address some core issues on skilling; and more.

by India Development Review | 2 min read

IDR Select PARI for Slider

IDR Select: Looking beyond the obvious, solving the right problems

On our reading list this week: understanding the numbers behind the Swachh Bharat Mission; the absurd way we talk to survivors of sexual assault; five questions to help you identify the right problem; and more.

by India Development Review | 2 min read

Whale Image for slider

IDR Select: Five ideas that got us thinking

Take a few minutes to read some of the most compelling articles we discovered this month as we trawled the World Wide Web.

by India Development Review | 2 min read

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IDR is India’s first independent media platform for the development community.

We publish cutting edge ideas, lessons and insights, written by and for the people working on some of India’s toughest problems. Our job is to make things simple and relevant, so you can do more of what you do, better.

IDR is produced in partnership with Ashoka University’s Centre for Social Impact and Philanthropy.

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© 2019 India Development Review

India Development Review is published by the Forum for Knowledge and Social Impact, a not-for-profit company registered under Section 8 of the Company Act, 2013.
CIN: U93090MH2017NPL296634