New Delhi: Speaking at the India Fundraising Conference (IFRC) 2026, Shridhar Venkat, CEO, The Akshaya Patra Foundation, highlighted the scale that sustained fundraising and institutional focus can achieve in the social sector. He noted that Akshaya Patra’s Shikshadhan initiative has grown 300 times over the past two decades and the organisation now serves mid-day meals to 2.4 million children every day across India.
Venkat underscored the role of structured fundraising and strong partnerships in building long-term impact. He shared that Akshaya Patra has raised over ₹1,000 crore to support its programmes, with nearly 70 percent of funds coming from corporate partners. He added that focused campaigns can deliver results at speed, citing an instance where ₹6 crore was raised within a month by a 12-member team. Describing the organisation’s approach in simple terms, he called it “food for education,” and reiterated the belief that feeding a boy supports a family, but feeding a girl supports a generation.
Amritha Kasturi Rangan, COO, A.T.E. Chandra Foundation, said, “From our experience, most funds sustain organisations for only 18–20 months, making retention and return on funding a critical challenge for the social sector. This is where gap funding, a clear fundraising strategy, and professional fundraising support become essential. Beyond capital, leaders must invest in understanding the broader ecosystem through networking, peer learning, and collaboration. Fundraising today is not just about raising money; it is about strengthening institutional capacity. Platforms like the India Fund Raising Conference play a critical role in educating leaders, sharing best practices, and building collective awareness to enable long-term, sustainable impact.”
Anu Prasad, Founder-CEO, India Leaders for Social Sector (ILSS), said, “The sector needs stronger fundraising capability, deeper collaboration with funders, and continued investment in leadership and institutional capacity. IFRC aims to equip nonprofit leaders with the tools, networks, and knowledge required to build resilient organisations that can deliver sustained impact at scale.”
The India Fundraising Conference (IFRC) 2026, organised by India Leaders for Social Sector (ILSS), brought together leaders, fundraisers, and sector practitioners for a two-day national convening focused on strengthening fundraising leadership and practice in India’s social sector.
Anchored in this year’s theme, “Capacity and Capital: Powering Impact,” the conference explored the critical interplay between funding and organisational capacity as central to building resilient, high-impact organisations. Through an enriching lineup of masterclasses, panel discussions, and learning labs, participants engaged with thought leaders and practitioners from across India and beyond to examine evolving funding landscapes, emerging opportunities, and persistent challenges. As in previous editions, the conference created space to explore diverse funding channels and innovative approaches to resource mobilisation, from digital tools and AI-enabled strategies to participatory giving and innovative finance, while fostering dialogue, collaboration, and shared learning across the fundraising community.
The Pitch Fest
Innovation, passion, and bold ideas took centre stage at the IFRC 2026 Pitch Fest, where inspiring nonprofits made their case for transformative social impact.
After a rigorous evaluation by our esteemed jury — Reshma Anand (Regional Director, Ford Foundation India), Ashwin Iyer (Senior Manager – Philanthropic Partnerships, Gates Foundation India), and Sri Rajan (Advisory Partner, Bain & Company) — we are thrilled to announce the winners.
The IFRC2026 Pitch Fest showcased the power of storytelling, innovative fundraising, and the incredible work being done in the social sector.