India Development Review

From difficult terrain and delayed approvals to questions of trust and community ownership, working in Northeast India presents unique challenges for development organisations.

Drawing on Bindi International Association's experience with solar electrification, this article explores six key lessons on building partnerships, navigating local contexts, and creating sustainable change.

Story link:

Lessons from working in the Northeast India A non-local nonprofit shares insights from their solar electrification programme, on why trust and local partnership matter more to work in Northeast India.

"Our programme reached 1,000 people" tells us what happened.

A strong case study explains how change happened, under what conditions, and why it mattered.
💬 What do you find most challenging about writing case studies: collecting stories, gathering evidence, or connecting the two? Comment below.

This playbook (toolkit) by IDR and Axis Bank Foundation offers a practical framework for writing case studies that combine lived experience, evidence, and ethical storytelling to communicate impact more effectively. 👉 Swipe to learn more.

↗️ Share this with colleagues working in communications, programmes, fundraising, monitoring and evaluation, or organisational leadership.

🔗 Access the full toolkit at:https://www.axisbankfoundation.org/download/knowledge-corner/case-studies.pdf
Created in partnership with Axis Bank Foundation, this 7-part playbook series offers practical tools and insights to help organisations build stronger, more intentional communications systems. This is playbook 5 of 7.

Shillong's Smart City plan is pushing out the very people who built its streets. Street vendors in Meghalaya — 80% of them women — won a landmark High Court case in 2022 under the Street Vendors Act 2014. Yet illegal relocations, cage-like structures, and exclusion from policy decisions continue.

Watch here:

IDR Explains | Why Shillong's street vendors are being pushed out Shillong's Smart City plan is pushing out the very people who built...

Who do we recognise as experts?

In the social sector, knowledge is often assumed to flow from institutions, professionals, and programme designers to communities. But some of the most valuable insights come from people navigating these realities every day.

💬 How does your organisation create space for community members to shape decisions, rather than simply respond to them? Share your thoughts in the comments.

When communities are treated as co-creators, participation becomes more than consultation. It becomes a way of designing programmes, shaping decisions, and generating knowledge together.

This post explores what co-creation asks of organisations—from listening before planning to recognising expertise where it already exists. 👉 Swipe to learn more.

🔗Read the articles this post is based on:

- ‘Flipping the script on capacity building’ by Ishwar Singh: https://idronline.org/article/diversity-inclusion/flipping-the-script-on-capacity-building/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=sm

- ‘ Listening, by design: Centring inclusion around marginalised voices’ by Deepanjali Lahiri: https://idronline.org/article/diversity-inclusion/listening-by-design-centring-inclusion-around-marginalised-voices/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=sm
Want to better understand the realities of working in the nonprofit space? Explore more honest conversations on burnout, fundraising, communications, storytelling, and social change work at idronline.org

Want to engage with public health but never had formal training?

Azim Premji University’s Certificate Programme on Public Health Fundamentals is designed to help professionals build that foundation through the lenses of equity, rights, and social justice.

👉 Apply now: https://azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in/programmes/certificate-on-public-health-fundamentals?utm_source=Web&utm_medium=CPC&utm_campaign=IDR_CPHF_CPC

As India continues to address challenges such as tuberculosis, non-communicable diseases, mental health concerns, healthcare inequities, and environmental health risks, there is a growing need for a deeper understanding of the systems, policies, and conditions that shape health outcomes.

Who will benefit?
• Professionals interested in public health action
• Those already working in health and related domains
• Professionals working in health grant-making organisations

Key features of the programme:
• Developing public health perspectives grounded in equity, rights, and social justice
• Critically analysing contemporary public health challenges in India
• Examining approaches and strategies used in public health interventions

📍 Blended format: 6 days in person + 9 Saturday online sessions
📅 Last date to apply: 31 July 2026
🗓️ Programme starts: 24 August 2026

For queries:
📞 8971889988
✉️ [email protected]

*This post is sponsored by Azim Premji University

CSR funding in India is at an all-time high. But more money doesn't necessarily mean easier access.

Companies are becoming more strategic about where and how they spend CSR funds. Geography, business priorities, implementation models, and organisational capacity are increasingly shaping funding decisions.

What does this mean for nonprofits seeking support?

Story link: https://idronline.org/article/philanthropy-csr/the-new-logic-of-csr-funding-in-india/?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=sm

The new logic of CSR funding in India CSR capital in India is at an all time high, but reaching it now demands a different kind of approach.

For generations, tea workers in Tripura's tea estates have lived on land they did not own. A 2022 land titling scheme promised greater housing security, but low wages, livelihood precarity, and confusion around ownership rights continue to shape workers' lives.

Read here:

The promise of a patta in Tripura’s tea estates A 2022 land titling scheme promised security for Tripura's tea workers. But gaps in information and implementation have blunted its impact.

A compelling story grabs attention. A strong narrative builds trust and support.
Many nonprofits share stories about their work, but without a clear organisational narrative, those stories can feel disconnected from the bigger mission.

💬 What's harder for your organisation: finding stories or connecting them to a larger narrative? Comment below.

This playbook (toolkit) by IDR and Axis Bank Foundation offers a practical framework to help organisations build a compelling narrative that aligns stakeholders and connects everyday work to long-term impact. 👉 Swipe to learn more.

↗️ Share this with colleagues working across communications, fundraising, programmes, and organisational leadership.

🔗 Access the full toolkit at: https://www.axisbankfoundation.org/download/knowledge-corner/craft.pdf
Created in partnership with Axis Bank Foundation, this 7-part playbook series offers practical tools and insights to help organisations build stronger, more intentional communications systems—regardless of their size or resources. This is playbook 4 of 7.

India built one of the world's most celebrated digital banking systems. But for millions of persons with disabilities, everyday banking can still be difficult or impossible to navigate independently. From inaccessible KYC processes to app designs that assume every user can see, hear, speak, and interact in the same way, financial inclusion remains incomplete.

Read here:

Do banks account for persons with disabilities? As digital banking services expand, persons with disabilities remain excluded due to inaccessible design. Here's how fintech can work for everyone.

Many nonprofits have meaningful stories to tell. The challenge is often finding formats that people will actually engage with.

A short video can build empathy. An audio message can make information more accessible. A photograph can communicate what pages of text cannot.

💬 What multimedia format has worked best for your organisation: video, audio, photography, or graphics? Comment below.

Contrary to popular belief, creating multimedia content doesn't always require expensive equipment or large production budgets. Sometimes, the most useful storytelling tool is already in your hands.

👉Swipe through for practical ways nonprofits can use smartphones to create more engaging and accessible content.

🔗Watch the full video by IDR’s multimedia editor, Shriya Roy, to learn more: https://youtu.be/ZxcUV_kFmCU?si=hSzesoag_gi7wcbk
Want to better understand the realities of working in the nonprofit space? Explore more honest conversations on burnout, fundraising, communications, storytelling, and social change work at idronline.org