Call for Entries Open for the Third Edition of HCL Grant 2017 – 2018

Grant of Rs 15 Crores for Three Thematic Categories

India CSR News Network

NEW DELHI: HCL Grant, a CSR project of HCL Technologies, is trying to contribute to development through its engagement with NGOs by giving them grants to extend its great works.

The growth and development of our nation has been built on the four estates – the legislature, judiciary, executive and media. The HCL Grant, is a recognition of the rise of the Fifth Estate – Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), which have now become critical agents of change that play a decisive role in building a stronger, future-ready India. HCL Grant supports such change agent NGOs that reach out to marginalized, isolated and underdeveloped rural communities, and achieve sustainable socio-economic development in the areas of Health, Environment and Education.

Nidhi Pundhir, Director CSR, Lead HCL Foundation said in her message, “For the third edition of HCL Grant, HCL Foundation is currently inviting applications in the following 3 categories – Environment, Education and Health. From each category, one NGO will be awarded a grant of Rs. 5 Crore each, adding up to a total Grant of Rs 15 Crore. The NGO will be selected through a robust evaluation process consisting of multiple levels of assessment, including field level due diligence.”

THE THEMATIC GRANT CATEGORIES

Following is the indicative list of program areas that could be proposed to seek HCL Grant funding. Please note this is not a comprehensive list – this is to give a sense of the broad areas that the HCL Grant is aimed at:

ENVIRONMENT

• Conservation of environment, the indigenous flora and fauna.
• Access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and clean energy for all.
• Combating climate change and its impact.
• Protecting, restoring, and promoting sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystem and wetlands
• Conservation of natural water bodies, including river rejuvenation, oceans, natural springs, lakes and others.
• Combating desertification, deforestation, land degradation, biodiversity loss, pollution and promoting use of renewable resources. (Please note – proposals that come from agricultural domain only, will not be considered)
• Wildlife conservation and preservation.

EDUCATION

• Right to Education for All by upscaling initiatives that strengthen Elementary, Secondary, Higher Education, Adult Literacy.
• Education that promotes learning opportunities through skill development and confidence building, including digital literacy.
• Education that leads to better livelihood opportunities and improved income & better living for young people and adults.
• Equitable, inclusive, and relevant quality education, leading to gender equality and human resource development.

HEALTH

• Equitable & Universal access to Health for All – segments of population and ailments.
• Access to clean drinking water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, prevention and elimination of water borne diseases.
• Maternal, adolescent, child health and nutrition and eradication of communicable diseases.

Inclusion and gender transformative approaches are underlying principles for HCL Grant.

In 2016 , the first HCL Grant was felicitated by the Honorable President of India, Pranab Mukherjee, to Going to School in the category of Education. This NGO has reached out to more than 70,000 children in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, providing 21st century  entrepreneur skills, through HCL Grant,  using innovative story telling method.

On February 21st, 2017, during its second edition, the HCL Grant was felicitated by Honorable Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Mr. Arun Jaitley to Foundation for Ecological Security – Ahmedabad (Environment), Child in Need Institute-Kolkata (Health), Meljol- Mumbai (Education).

These NGOs were selected from over 3000 NGOs that applied this year, following a step by step process, including the stages of field level evaluation, eminent Sub Juries and the Jury. While honoring the HCL Grant Recipient NGOs, Jaitley mentioned, “HCL is the first one to institutionalise the mechanism of Corporate Social Responsibility, through HCL Grant. I must compliment HCL for going into the larger society, creating an independent Jury, looking at areas which need support and getting the Jury to select the best, so that the winners can be role models for others.”

To know more about this initiative by HCL Foundation and APPLY FOR HCL GRANT, please Click here.

The last date for receiving applications is June 5th, 2017. For any questions that you might have, please write to hclgrant@hcl.com