HCL Foundation (HCLF), the CSR (corporate social responsibility) arm of HCL Technologies, announced the winning NGOs of the seventh edition of HCL Grant, a flagship program dedicated to supporting diverse, innovative and inclusive initiatives of NGOs for sustainable transformation of rural India in areas of environment, health and education.
Three winning NGOs, one each in the development areas of environment, health and education, received ₹5 crores (US$671,140) each for three to five-year projects. The remaining two finalists in each category will receive one-year grants of ₹25 lakhs (US$33,557) each, making a total grant of ₹16.5 crores (US$2.21 million).
The winning NGOs of HCL Grant 2022 are:
- Environment - Professional Assistance for Development Action (PRADAN)
- Health- The Association for People with Disability (APD)
- Education - Language and Learning Foundation (LLF)
Established in 2015, HCL Grant has emerged as one of India's biggest and most coveted institutionalized CSR grants recognizing the rise of the Fifth Estate - the NGOs. The HCL Grant supports India's most innovative NGOs and their breakthrough projects in environment, health and education to help transform rural communities across the country. Under the HCL Grant program, HCLF has so far committed ₹95.75 crores (US$12.85 million), including this year's Grant. In the past six years, the HCL Grant has reached over 840,000+ beneficiaries and it continues to transform the lives of at least 2.3 million people from 30,000+ villages from remote districts in 19 states and two Union Territories of India.
Ms. Robin Ann Abrams, Chairperson of the Jury, ESG & Diversity Board Committee Chair Board Committees Member - Nomination and Remuneration, Audit, Risk Management, HCL Technologies said, "In the last seven years, HCL Grant has helped us go beyond the limits of our capacities to extend our CSR work to the remotest corners of the country. Focused on core priorities of environment, health and education, HCL Grant has set standards in enhancing accountability in civil society, accelerating systemic change, strengthening government response, and fortifying the change-making quotient of communities. Despite the pandemic and lockdowns, our due-diligence processes continued on-ground, and we remained committed to our larger goal of nation-building and rural transformation."
Ms. Nidhi Pundhir, Director, HCL Foundation, said, "The HCL Grant recognizes not only ideas, but also the power to transform these ideas into implementable projects. It is heartening for us to note that with HCL Grant, we are co-creating stories of development transformation in the country. HCL Grant is a step toward recognizing the Fifth Estate - the Non-Government Organizations (NGOs). Through HCL Grant, HCL Foundation aims to achieve sustainable rural development by supporting NGOs doing pathbreaking work in the environment, health and education categories. NGOs have become critical agents of change, playing a decisive role in nation-building. Heartiest congratulations to all the finalists and winners."
The NGOs were chosen after screening and review of applications by an eminent jury, monitored and audited by Grant Thornton, the governance partner of HCL Grant. The distinguished jury members were: Ms. Robin Ann Abrams, Chairperson of the Jury, ESG & Diversity Board Committee Chair Board Committees Member - Nomination and Remuneration, Audit, Risk Management, HCL Technologies; Mr. Suresh Narayanan, Chairman, and Managing Director, Nestle India Limited; Mr. B. S. Baswan, Former Director, Indian Institute of Public Administration, and Former Secretary, Human Resource Development Ministry; Ms. Pallavi Shroff, Managing Partner, Shardul Amarchand Mangaldas & Co; Dr. Richard Lariviere, Sanskrit Scholar & President Emeritus, Field Museum (Chicago), and Mr. Shiv Nadar, Founder, HCL Group, Chairman Emeritus & Strategic Advisor to the Board.
On this occasion, HCL Foundation released the sixth volume of the compendium "Fifth Estate – NGOs Transforming Rural India in Environment, Health and Education." As part of the HCL Grant, HCL Foundation helps NGOs enhance and strengthen their organizations and institute governance structures to make them future-ready.
