HCL Grant, an initiative by HCL Foundation. The foundation is a philanthropic arm of HCL Technologies. NGOs working in the field of environment, health and education can apply for this coveted grant on the HCL Grant Portal
HCL Grant was established in 2015. It is a commitment by HCL to strengthen transformation in the areas of Education, Health and Environment, by reaching out to marginalized, isolated and underdeveloped rural communities, and achieve sustainable socio-economic development.
Objective of Grant
HCL Grant is to recognises the unique NGOs for their power to transform their ideas into reality and thereby, transforming the communities.
Key facts
A unique aspect of the HCL Grant is that the organizations are recognized not only based on the ‘idea’, but also for their power to transform ideas into implementable projects and thereby transform Indian villages in a sustainable way.
HCL Grant has announced Edition VII for recognizing the NGOs Transforming Rural India.
Grant Amount
HCL Grant awards the winning NGOs in each of the categories of Environment, Health and Education, a grant of Rs. 5 Crore for a 3–5-year project.
The HCL Grant rewards the other finalists too, who are doing great work in their own right. So, the 2 other finalists in each category receive a grant of ₹ 25 lakhs for a year-long project which is mutually agreed with HCL Foundation after the final Jury meet.
The application portal for HCL Grant for this year is live now. Through this portal, NGOs looking to apply for this year’s Grant can fill the online application form, which includes organizational profile and project abstract along with some mandatory documents.
Deadline for HCL Grant edition VII
In view of these unprecedented times and on ground situations, deadline to apply for HCL Grant edition VII is extended till July 2, 2021 midnight.
How to apply
Applicants can submit their entries online through the HCL Grant portal on HCL Grant’s official website on the link: https://www.hclfoundation.org/user/hcl-grant/register.
Who can apply?
HCL Grant is applicable for NGOs working in the field of Education, Health and Environment with experience of implementing projects in rural India. Organizations with innovative, replicable, and sustainable models, that can make significant contribution towards rural development in the categories of Education, Healthcare and Environment are eligible for the grant.
There will be no charge or fees while submitting the application. There is no authorized individual, third party, company, agency, or organization to accept application on behalf of HCL Grant or ask for any benefit either monetary or in kind, for completing the application process.
The current unprecedented times has further emphasized on the need to acknowledge the crucial role of the fifth estate – NGOs in bridging the gaps and helping the communities gain access to the essential resources and highlight extra ordinary work they are performing in the field of Education, Environment and Health thereby bringing a difference to people’s life.
Compendium on Winners
Apart from the prize money, HCL Grant also annually releases a compendium which features not just the winners, but also the work of other 30 shortlisted NGOs, 10 from each category. This is a step towards acknowledging the valuable contribution of NGOs and re-establishing the value of strong governance in civil society and providing international visibility to Indian NGOs doing pathbreaking work in the rural development sector.
Past Winners
The winning NGOs of HCL Grant 2021 were:
• Sahas (Environment) – Bengaluru
• India Health Action Trust (Health) _ Bengaluru
• Child Rights and You (Education) _ Delhi