Reliance Foundation and Gates Foundation select six SheConnects grantees to reach nearly one million women and open Round Two grants of up to ₹4.2 crore.
NEW DELHI (India CSR): The SheConnects Digital Accelerator, a joint initiative of Reliance Foundation and the Gates Foundation, marked two major milestones with the announcement of six non-profit organisations selected under Round One and the launch of the Request for Applications for Round Two. The announcements were made at an event in New Delhi attended by representatives from government, academia, philanthropy, civil society and the technology ecosystem. The Accelerator aims to scale proven, high-impact digital solutions, catalyse innovative partnerships, strengthen evidence on effective inclusion models, foster South-South learning and contribute to a more inclusive digital ecosystem. The GSMA Foundation will support selected awardees through capacity-building bootcamps, peer-to-peer learning and technical assistance to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of their programmes.
Leaders Share Vision
Speaking at the event, Deepthi Reddy, Chief – Women Empowerment, Reliance Foundation, outlined the programme’s vision and formally announced the opening of Round Two. She said empowering women with the tools and confidence to participate fully in the digital world was essential to building a more equitable future. She noted that empowered women not only transform their own lives but also catalyse broader social change. Reddy added that Reliance Foundation had a long-standing commitment to identifying and scaling transformative solutions and welcomed the first cohort of partners bringing distinctive ideas to advance the mission. Saachi Bhalla, Deputy Director – Gender Equality, Gates Foundation, said the Accelerator provided non-profit organisations with an opportunity to develop and scale solutions that advance meaningful digital inclusion while generating practical evidence for India and the Global South. She added that the success of digital transformation should ultimately be measured by whether technologies improve people’s lives and make innovation more inclusive and impactful.
Six non-profits will receive ₹25.84 crore under the SheConnects Digital Accelerator, while Round Two offers grants of up to ₹4.2 crore.
Six Grantees Selected
Following a rigorous evaluation process, six non-profit organisations were selected for the inaugural round of grants, with a collective commitment of Rs. 25.84 crore. Project Concern International India will strengthen economic resilience and digital agency among rural women through its government-supported EmpowerHer platform in Odisha. The M. S. Swaminathan Research Foundation will enhance the agency of coastal fisherwomen across five states through digital skills and improved post-harvest facilities. Myna Mahila Foundation will use the Myna Bolo chatbot to expand last-mile healthcare access. The Digital Empowerment Foundation will support rural women entrepreneurs through Soochnapreneur Business Mitras and one-stop centres across four states. A Society for Promotion of Inclusive and Relevant Education, or ASPIRE, will combine shared digital infrastructure with community-based training for women across four states. Chaitanya will equip self-help group members with digital skills to navigate restrictive social practices and unlock opportunities for economic advancement.
Empowered Women Drive Digital Transformation and Create More Equitable Futures Across India Together
Round Two Opens
The SheConnects Digital Accelerator has invited Indian non-profit organisations to apply for Round Two, under which each selected grantee may receive funding of up to ₹4.2 crore per project. The grants are intended for projects lasting between 15 and 18 months and targeting post-pilot, scale-stage solutions that have strong potential for scalability, sustainability and replication. The Accelerator is seeking innovative, woman-centred designs that combine technology, including artificial intelligence, chatbots and regional-language tools, with behaviour-change communication. It also plans to share research findings, evidence and implementation insights generated through the supported projects to inform policymakers, funders, practitioners and the wider digital inclusion ecosystem.
Support Extends Beyond
In addition to financial grants, selected organisations will participate in expert-led bootcamps, technical monitoring, evaluation and learning assistance, and structured knowledge-sharing exchanges. Applications must be submitted in English through a two-step online process via the official application portal by September 4, 2026, at 11:59 PM IST. Detailed eligibility criteria and application guidelines are available at the Reliance Foundation website under the SheConnects Digital Accelerator update. Enquiries may be sent to SheConnectsDigitalAccelerator@gsma.com. The initiative is designed not only to support individual projects but also to build a stronger ecosystem of organisations capable of advancing women’s meaningful digital participation across India.
Inclusive Technology Must Improve Lives and Expand Meaningful Opportunities for Women Everywhere Sustainably
Partners Drive Impact
The SheConnects Digital Accelerator was founded by Reliance Foundation and the Gates Foundation to advance women’s digital inclusion by scaling proven and high-impact solutions. Grants in India are supported by Reliance Foundation, while the initiative is also supported by the Gates Foundation and managed by the GSMA Foundation. Reliance Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Reliance Industries Limited, works across rural transformation, education, health, sports for development, disaster management, women empowerment, urban renewal, and arts, culture and heritage, and has touched nearly 97 million lives across more than 98,000 villages and urban locations. The Gates Foundation works globally to improve health, reduce poverty and expand educational opportunities and is led by CEO Mark Suzman and Chair Bill Gates. The GSMA represents the global mobile ecosystem and works across Connectivity for Good, Industry Services and Solutions, and Outreach to promote innovation, interoperability, policy development and positive societal change.
