Getting funding can be a daunting and challenging experience. In this regard, India’s Social Stock Exchange (SSE) appears to be a revolutionary change. Consider it a marketplace not for traditional stock but for creating a social impact. It gives a platform to NGOs and social entities to engage with investors who have a passion for philanthropy. SSE is more than a financial platform; it’s a road map for passion-driven organizations in this space who are committed to meaningful change.

Through SSE, NGO’s get listed in a medium –where they can portray their mission, vision, and values to attract a pool of impactful investors. With features such as Zero Coupon bonds, SSE can help nonprofits fulfill their vision. Taking the SSE route not only allows for the diversification of funding channels but also creates a sense of accountability and transparency.

The growth of SSE paints a hopeful picture of growth, sustainability, and inclusivity, supported by investors who believe that their collaboration can bring impactful change to society. As of June 26, 2024, The National Stock Exchange had registered 27 NGOs on its Social Stock Exchange platform.

Let’s look at top five NGOs that serve as a testament to how SSE registration has helped them fast track their goals while expanding operations to reach more beneficiaries with ease.

1. Educate Girls

Educate Girls made history by becoming the first non-governmental organization, focused on girl’s education, to get listed on the Social Stock Exchange of India’s NSE.

Founded in 2007, Educate Girls collaborates with state governments and mobilizes village communities to educate girls in India’s rural and educationally-backward areas, ensuring the mission aligns with the ‘Right to Education Act’ and “Beti Bachao Beti Padhao.” The NGO has enrolled 1.8 million girls in school so far and encouraged 2.2 million students with remedial learning. The listing on SSE is helping drive the NGOs mission forward.

2. SGBS Unnati Foundation

SGBS Unnati Foundation (SUF), started in 2011 with the aim of providing market-based vocational training models for underprivileged youth in India. Since its inception, Unnati has addressed employability of youth and skill development, targeting graduates from government undergraduate colleges.

Unnati is one of the first entities to get listed on the social stock exchange. Through the SSE, Unnati has established a relationship with the SSE’s unique financial tools, which include Zero Coupon Zero Principal (ZCZP) bonds, to access the most appropriate form of finance, geared towards a robust social impact as well as transparency in financial performance.

3. Bal Raksha Bharat (Save the Children India)

Bal Raksha Bharat, which is part of the Save the Children international network, is a fundamental organization that seeks to provide exemplary child rights services to children at risk throughout India.

Being registered under the SSE, is a promising route for them to secure funding to scale their interventions. The listing has not only enhanced Balk Raksha Bharat’s effectiveness of reporting on social impact, it has also made it easier for impact-driven investors to receive accurate and timely information on how their funds are triggering social change.

4. Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement

Having evolved from a small clinic in a tribal hamlet, Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM) has evolved over nearly four decades to establish themselves as a developmental organisation involved in building a new civil society in India through their ground level work and policy level action since 1984.

The Social Stock Exchange provides an extraordinary opportunity to bring new thinking and a new paradigm into economic growth and has the potential to make economic development compassionate.

5. Sarthak Educational Trust

Sarthak Educational Trust, is a platform working to empower people with disabilities. For the last 15 years, Sarthak has been committed to working for people with disabilities, their families, and communities to create sustainable change and make an inclusive India with equal dignity & respect for specially abled.

With the registration in SSE, Sarthak Educational Trust now has access to a platform that connects interested investors, providing them with an opportunity to champion the rights and empowerment of PwDs. By raising funds towards Sarthak, investors will be able to actively contribute to fostering skill development, education, and employment opportunities for PwDs, thereby creating a substantial impact on their lives.

(Updated on June 28, 2024)

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