Reward to match your generosity

WE have all got used to supermarkets and online stores selling products labelled ‘two for the price of one’ or ‘buy one get one free’. In the same way, in the philanthropic world supporters of a nonprofit or a cause are rewarded for their compassion and generosity when their donations are “matched” or doubled. In these two scenarios, both the consumer and the donor get more bang for their buck as they say.

In the four weeks since we launched our various online missions to raise funds for COVID-19 relief work, we have also started a fundraiser on Facebook to widen the scope of individual giving and reach out to citizens beyond the limitations of our website. Our target on Facebook is to raise ₹25 crores from everyday givers. Even that will be a drop in the ocean to the amount required for India’s poor, who have been hit the hardest, to recover from the crisis.

Omidyar Network India, who invest in entrepreneurs finding solutions for social inequity and provide grants to nonprofits, has given us a ₹1crore endowment to match the first 10,000 donations made to our Facebook fundraiser. And to encourage everyone to give whatever they can, ONI has capped the maximum amount they will match to ₹1,000 per donor. So you give ₹500, they will give ₹500, you give ₹1,000 ONI will match it with another ₹1,000, you give ₹5,000 and the matching amount will remain ₹1,000.

So what are you waiting for? Donate here, and know that your money will go further and your impact on relief efforts will be greater.

ONI are a part of a larger ‘giving collective’ that we have brought together called the India Covid Response Fund. This will bring all our fundraising efforts under one umbrella, enabling both individuals and organisations to join and participate in collective action. While our efforts to support relief work complement those of the government’s, it is restricted to addressing the needs of the poor. The government has a much larger tab to pick up, one that can pay for the recovery of the whole of India and rejuvenate its economy.

So let us at least try and take care of those who have been left in the lurch and can’t help themselves right now – the daily wagers, the migrant workers, and poor communities without access to basic essentials. While the lockdown continues and coronavirus takes its toll on our health and our everyday lives, let us contribute whatever we can to win this extraordinary battle. And with the generosity of the matching grant from Omidyar Network India…we can do it faster.

Established in 2000, Give is the largest and most trusted giving platform in India. Our community of 2.6M+ donors have supported 2,800+ nonprofits, impacting 15M+ lives across India.

Aadeep