GiveIndia - The Business of Philanthropy

GiveIndia is an online donation platform that bridges the gap between the donors and credible Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs). The focus of GiveIndia has been on individual donations with a vision to create a culture of giving, where every Indian donates at least 2% of their income for the poor. In 2013, the Government of India has introduced Corporate Social Responsibility Bill according to which corporates would need to invest at least 2% of their profits in CSR activities. GiveIndia had not been seeking donations from individuals but is placed at the right spotto exploit this opportunity. Dhaval, the CEO is facing a dilemma. Corporate donations could significantly increase his funding; however, it could also lead to GiveIndia deviating from its mission of creating a giving culture. He had other problems to contend with, such as the question of investing in GiveIndia brand, pitching business reasons for philanthropy and employee compensation and retention issues.

This case presents the evolution of GiveIndia from a modest start to becoming India’s largest donation platform in 2013 with over 5.4 million US$ revenues from direct and indirect contributions. It provides a rich context to understand the working of a social enterprise which adopts business principles for a philanthropic cause, and the challenges it faces. The case highlights issues related to the philosophical moorings of the organization and the tension resulting from emerging opportunities and the chances of a mission drift. It also focuses on the problems which social enterprises typically face as they straddle two different worlds of a business enterprise and a social/charitable organization. The case can be used to discuss issues related to marketing, branding and Human Resource Management in a social enterprise and helps develop a holistic understanding of complex linkages across disciplines.