Funding her Future

Cultivate a safer future

01

Expand investment in gender-based violence prevention

Support GBV organizations to create intergenerational benefits for women and girls.

There is a strong opportunity to unlock greater public funding by supporting GBV. 64% of organizations working on GBV in our sample report applying gender-transformative approaches in their programmatic work, reflecting deep sectoral expertise. India's policy ethos has consistently supported such programs, providing a strong foundation for greater CSR investment to strengthen last-mile delivery.

Cultivate a safer future

01

Expand investment in gender-based violence prevention

Support GBV organizations to create intergenerational benefits for women and girls.

There is a strong opportunity to unlock greater public funding by supporting GBV. 64% of organizations working on GBV in our sample report applying gender-transformative approaches in their programmatic work, reflecting deep sectoral expertise. India's policy ethos has consistently supported such programs, providing a strong foundation for greater CSR investment to strengthen last-mile delivery.

Cultivate a safer future

01

Expand investment in gender-based violence prevention

Support GBV organizations to create intergenerational benefits for women and girls.

There is a strong opportunity to unlock greater public funding by supporting GBV. 64% of organizations working on GBV in our sample report applying gender-transformative approaches in their programmatic work, reflecting deep sectoral expertise. India's policy ethos has consistently supported such programs, providing a strong foundation for greater CSR investment to strengthen last-mile delivery.

ADVANCE DECISION-MAKING POWER

02

Strengthen agency through existing Participation platforms

Invest in the capabilities that enable women to shape decisions that affect their lives.

India has already built large platforms for women’s participation through self-help groups and local governance. The next opportunity lies in strengthening legal and financial literacy, women’s ownership of assets and mobility, and leadership pipelines and networks that enable women to exercise agency and leverage existing platforms more effectively. This work requires patient capital and remains an area where domestic philanthropy is significantly underleveraged.

ADVANCE DECISION-MAKING POWER

02

Strengthen agency through existing Participation platforms

Invest in the capabilities that enable women to shape decisions that affect their lives.

India has already built large platforms for women’s participation through self-help groups and local governance. The next opportunity lies in strengthening legal and financial literacy, women’s ownership of assets and mobility, and leadership pipelines and networks that enable women to exercise agency and leverage existing platforms more effectively. This work requires patient capital and remains an area where domestic philanthropy is significantly underleveraged.

ADVANCE DECISION-MAKING POWER

02

Strengthen agency through existing Participation platforms

Invest in the capabilities that enable women to shape decisions that affect their lives.

India has already built large platforms for women’s participation through self-help groups and local governance. The next opportunity lies in strengthening legal and financial literacy, women’s ownership of assets and mobility, and leadership pipelines and networks that enable women to exercise agency and leverage existing platforms more effectively. This work requires patient capital and remains an area where domestic philanthropy is significantly underleveraged.

DEEPEN IMPACT

03

Strengthen livelihoods into economic self-determination

Redirect existing skilling and livelihood investments toward gender-specific outcomes.

Women are increasingly accessing skilling, entrepreneurship, and financial services, but economic gains remain limited. India already has large-scale livelihood access infrastructure. Funding that addresses safe mobility, childcare support, income progression, digital and financial literacy, and wage equity can help women increase their incomes, build assets, and strengthen financial autonomy.

DEEPEN IMPACT

03

Strengthen livelihoods into economic self-determination

Redirect existing skilling and livelihood investments toward gender-specific outcomes.

Women are increasingly accessing skilling, entrepreneurship, and financial services, but economic gains remain limited. India already has large-scale livelihood access infrastructure. Funding that addresses safe mobility, childcare support, income progression, digital and financial literacy, and wage equity can help women increase their incomes, build assets, and strengthen financial autonomy.

DEEPEN IMPACT

03

Strengthen livelihoods into economic self-determination

Redirect existing skilling and livelihood investments toward gender-specific outcomes.

Women are increasingly accessing skilling, entrepreneurship, and financial services, but economic gains remain limited. India already has large-scale livelihood access infrastructure. Funding that addresses safe mobility, childcare support, income progression, digital and financial literacy, and wage equity can help women increase their incomes, build assets, and strengthen financial autonomy.

BUILD ON EXISTING INVESTMENTS

04

Embed gender intentionality across health and education

Make gender outcomes an explicit goal within large-scale health and education investments.

Health and education attract a substantial share of philanthropic capital in India, creating an opportunity for a gender lens to influence outcomes at scale. The opportunity is to make these outcomes more intentional by investing in areas such as adolescent health, menstrual health, SRHR counselling, reproductive autonomy, and girls’ school retention. Targeted support for classroom safety, caregiver engagement, and school-level practices can help create more enabling health and education systems for women and girls.

What does the literature show?

BUILD ON EXISTING INVESTMENTS

04

Embed gender intentionality across health and education

Make gender outcomes an explicit goal within large-scale health and education investments.

Health and education attract a substantial share of philanthropic capital in India, creating an opportunity for a gender lens to influence outcomes at scale. The opportunity is to make these outcomes more intentional by investing in areas such as adolescent health, menstrual health, SRHR counselling, reproductive autonomy, and girls’ school retention. Targeted support for classroom safety, caregiver engagement, and school-level practices can help create more enabling health and education systems for women and girls.

What does the literature show?

BUILD ON EXISTING INVESTMENTS

04

Embed gender intentionality across health and education

Make gender outcomes an explicit goal within large-scale health and education investments.

Health and education attract a substantial share of philanthropic capital in India, creating an opportunity for a gender lens to influence outcomes at scale. The opportunity is to make these outcomes more intentional by investing in areas such as adolescent health, menstrual health, SRHR counselling, reproductive autonomy, and girls’ school retention. Targeted support for classroom safety, caregiver engagement, and school-level practices can help create more enabling health and education systems for women and girls.

What does the literature show?

STRENGTHEN THE ECOSYSTEM

05

Support locally grounded evidence and gender research

Support the evidence and learning needed to improve programs, strengthen sector practice, and inform future funding decisions.

Greater investment in long-term research, learning-oriented evaluation, and community-led studies can strengthen program design and implementation while improving the reporting infrastructure that funders rely on. This can help organizations move beyond proving delivery within grant cycles and generate the learning needed for more sustained, scalable, and transformative change.

STRENGTHEN THE ECOSYSTEM

05

Support locally grounded evidence and gender research

Support the evidence and learning needed to improve programs, strengthen sector practice, and inform future funding decisions.

Greater investment in long-term research, learning-oriented evaluation, and community-led studies can strengthen program design and implementation while improving the reporting infrastructure that funders rely on. This can help organizations move beyond proving delivery within grant cycles and generate the learning needed for more sustained, scalable, and transformative change.

STRENGTHEN THE ECOSYSTEM

05

Support locally grounded evidence and gender research

Support the evidence and learning needed to improve programs, strengthen sector practice, and inform future funding decisions.

Greater investment in long-term research, learning-oriented evaluation, and community-led studies can strengthen program design and implementation while improving the reporting infrastructure that funders rely on. This can help organizations move beyond proving delivery within grant cycles and generate the learning needed for more sustained, scalable, and transformative change.

EXPAND WHO IS INCLUDED

06

Use evidence and community insight to strengthen inclusion

Scale what works through stronger evidence, evaluation, and community-led learning.

There is an opportunity to strengthen the evidence base on outcomes for women, girls, and LGBTQIA+ communities. Promising pilots require additional funding, capacity, and rigorous evaluation to support scale. Investments in disaggregated evidence, outcomes-focused evaluation, and community insight can help identify effective models, improve inclusive program design, and build the India-specific evidence needed to expand impact.

EXPAND WHO IS INCLUDED

06

Use evidence and community insight to strengthen inclusion

Scale what works through stronger evidence, evaluation, and community-led learning.

There is an opportunity to strengthen the evidence base on outcomes for women, girls, and LGBTQIA+ communities. Promising pilots require additional funding, capacity, and rigorous evaluation to support scale. Investments in disaggregated evidence, outcomes-focused evaluation, and community insight can help identify effective models, improve inclusive program design, and build the India-specific evidence needed to expand impact.

EXPAND WHO IS INCLUDED

06

Use evidence and community insight to strengthen inclusion

Scale what works through stronger evidence, evaluation, and community-led learning.

There is an opportunity to strengthen the evidence base on outcomes for women, girls, and LGBTQIA+ communities. Promising pilots require additional funding, capacity, and rigorous evaluation to support scale. Investments in disaggregated evidence, outcomes-focused evaluation, and community insight can help identify effective models, improve inclusive program design, and build the India-specific evidence needed to expand impact.

GO WHERE NEED IS GREATEST

07

Support gender Underserved areas Through Place-Based Investment

Use philanthropic capital to complement public investment and strengthen gender outcomes where need is greatest.

India is increasing public investment across underserved regions and states through infrastructure, livelihoods, and local development. The North-East, identified through our data as a priority geography, illustrates where philanthropic capital can complement growing public investment. The opportunity can extend to states such as Bihar and Jharkhand, where public investment is creating opportunities to strengthen outcomes for women. Philanthropic capital can support locally led organisations and last-mile actors to complement these investments and deepen their impact.

What does the literature show?

GO WHERE NEED IS GREATEST

07

Support gender Underserved areas Through Place-Based Investment

Use philanthropic capital to complement public investment and strengthen gender outcomes where need is greatest.

India is increasing public investment across underserved regions and states through infrastructure, livelihoods, and local development. The North-East, identified through our data as a priority geography, illustrates where philanthropic capital can complement growing public investment. The opportunity can extend to states such as Bihar and Jharkhand, where public investment is creating opportunities to strengthen outcomes for women. Philanthropic capital can support locally led organisations and last-mile actors to complement these investments and deepen their impact.

What does the literature show?

GO WHERE NEED IS GREATEST

07

Support gender Underserved areas Through Place-Based Investment

Use philanthropic capital to complement public investment and strengthen gender outcomes where need is greatest.

India is increasing public investment across underserved regions and states through infrastructure, livelihoods, and local development. The North-East, identified through our data as a priority geography, illustrates where philanthropic capital can complement growing public investment. The opportunity can extend to states such as Bihar and Jharkhand, where public investment is creating opportunities to strengthen outcomes for women. Philanthropic capital can support locally led organisations and last-mile actors to complement these investments and deepen their impact.

What does the literature show?

emerging opportunities