CSO Partners believes that the path to inclusive growth in India is through active participation of a wide variety of players, especially civil society organizations (CSOs). There are more than 3 million registered NGOs‚ foundations and associations working throughout India. There are also around 300,000 gram panchayats (village-level local self government bodies) across the country. However‚ many of these organizations face challenges such as a shortage of adequate financial and quality human resources.

By engaging at various levels with diverse groups, including governments, corporate bodies and individuals, CSO Partners seeks to adopt four broad roles:

• Being a Think Tank for the social sector
• Providing a Connecting Platform to various civil society organizations
• Being an Incubator of social innovations
• Providing Advisory Services to NGOs and Corporates

Role 1: Being a Think Tank for the social sector

The vastness and diversity of the social problems in India highlight the need for regular and accurate information being transmitted to the high stake holding groups such as the business sector, civil society organizations, and the government. To be effective contributors to inclusive growth, all stakeholders are required to keep pace with the rapidly changing national and global scenarios.

Role 2: Providing a Connecting Platform to various civil society organizations

Inclusive growth requires sustained and collaborated efforts from diverse social actors. Additionally, CSO Partners believes in the value of leveraging the capacities, resources and networks brought forth by various civil society organizations. In keeping with this, CSO Partners adopts a three-pronged strategy in order to fulfill its role of providing a Connecting Platform to various civil society organizations:

Role 3: Being an Incubator of social innovations

Through this role, CSO Partners aims at indentifying infrastructural gaps within the social sector. These findings further lead to incubating innovative ideas in order to promote replicable and sustainable programme models in identified areas.

Examples of the social innovations which have been incubated by CSO Partners are UnLtd, the Corporate Disaster Resource Network, NGO Marketplace, etc.

Role 4: Providing Advisory Services to NGOs and Corporates

CSO Partners provides advisory services to NGOs and Corporates in order to support and strengthen their social initiatives. Through institutional strengthening, capacity building and strategy development, CSO Partners helps NGOs and Corporates develop pertinent and sustainable social programmes which contribute to the process of inclusive growth.

NGO Advisory services are provided through support on Governance, Management Systems, Human Resources, Market Linkages, Capacity Building, Accreditation, the NGO Advisory Panel, etc.

Through Corporate advisory services, CSO Partners provides support to develop meaningful programmes that are beneficial and relevant to both society and business. The support services offered range from CSR Strategy & Programme Design, Managing CSR Programmes, Social & Environmental Risk Management, to Monitoring and Evaluation, etc.