How does the IPN platform support NGOs in fundraising? How is it different from Sattva’s CSR and other philanthropic funding opportunities?
The IPN platform supports NGOs in fundraising through Donor Connects. This feature efficiently matches donor requirements with suitable NGOs, based on the information shared by NGOs on the platform.
Sattva is an impact consultancy which works closely with various prominent CSRs and Philanthropic organisations and supports them in identification and selection of the right NGO partners for providing funding support.
IPN acts as a facilitator between NGOs and Sattva donor-facing team (who works directly with CSRs and other donor segments), and enables efficient matchmaking service, connecting eligible NGOs with relevant RFPs/donor requirements. Additionally, IPN streamlines and standardises the fundraising process through the platform to prevent duplication of effort.
Please note: IPN does not play any role in influencing any funding decisions.
What is IPN’s role in enabling funding for nonprofit organisations?
IPN serves as a crucial link within the Sattva closed RFP process, fulfilling two primary roles:
NGO Discovery: Sattva donor-facing team uses the IPN platform database to identify NGOs which are eligible for RFPs released by donors.
Data Gathering and Due Diligence: The IPN platform collects relevant data from NGOs, which is then used for due diligence and shortlisting by Sattva donor-facing team in line with the donor requirement.
What is the process of acquiring funding through IPN Donor Connects?
Fundraising through IPN Donor Connects follows the process mentioned below:
Outreach: Sattva's donor-facing teams use the IPN platform to discover and engage with organisations that best align with the donor's criteria.
Long listing: NGOs are then long listed for the funding opportunity and receive an email or platform notification prompting them to review, update, or complete their profile on IPN.
Due Diligence: The long-listed NGOs undergo a thorough due diligence process to ensure compliance and suitability to donor requirements. This stage is highly reliant on the documentation and information* shared under the different sections of NGO profile(detailed below).
Shortlisting: Based on the due diligence report, Sattva donor-facing team and the donor proceed to shortlist organisations based on the specific requirements outlined in the RFP, or donor preferences.
Proposal Submission: Shortlisted NGOs are invited to submit their proposals for evaluation.
Selection: Based on the proposal evaluation, NGOs receive a formal communication informing them of the outcome of the RFP process, providing clarity on whether they have been selected or rejected for the funding opportunity.
Please note:
While this process is the standard practice, it may be subject to modifications if the donor explicitly requests a separate approach in their RFP.
Post the due diligence phase, the Sattva donor-facing team will directly engage with the NGOs for the proposal submission, evaluation and selection.
*Detailed information on documentation and information sharing on the platform has been mentioned below
What is the eligibility criteria for NGOs to be discovered through IPN for a potential funding opportunity?
Eligibility criteria for each funding opportunity is defined by the donors and may vary from one opportunity to another.
Sattva donor-facing team assesses this eligibility criteria to identify NGOs on the IPN platform that match the donor’s requirements.
How do I know if I have qualified for a funding opportunity?
Once you have qualified (long listed) for a funding opportunity, you will receive an email or platform notification prompting you to review, update, or complete your NGO profile on IPN.
What kind of documentation and information is required for accessing the Donor Connects?
To participate in the RFP process through Donor Connects, NGOs will need to share a wide range of documentation and information for indicating eligibility and clearing due diligence. However, IPN minimises redundant efforts, as NGOs need to share their documentation and information on one platformandget the opportunity to be discovered for multiple funding/collaboration opportunities.
IPN plays a crucial role in streamlining the RFP process by standardising 80% of the process through NGO profiles. NGOs only need to provide unique donor-specific requirements to the respective donors, further enhancing efficiency and reducing duplication of effort. Hence, NGOs can avoid sharing the same documentation again for each RFP (and instead use their updated NGO profile on IPN for that).
The information to be shared by the NGO on IPN can be classified under three levels:
Basic information: This section captures information that helps us discover NGOs based on donor criteria. This includes information on your date of registration, headquarters, geographical reach, sector focus, budget and others.
Compliance: This section captures compliance details including statutory regulations, registrations, documentation and reporting, financial details, donor details etc. This helps the Sattva donor facing team evaluate the organisation’s alignment to basic due diligence requirements, which is critical for improving the discovery.
Compliance Plus: This section captures advanced compliance information such as governance details, leadership and board, execution capabilities of the organisation etc. These are details required during a full due diligence process in case an NGO is long listed for a funding opportunity.
How can an organisation improve their chances of being discovered and long listed for a funding opportunity?
The likelihood of an NGO being long listed for an opportunity depends heavily on two factors:
The % of profile completed (based on the data shared under basic and compliance information)
How up-to-date your profile is
These two metrics play a crucial role in boosting an NGO's visibility on the platform, ultimately increasing its chances of being considered for potential donor connections.
Please note:
These factors do not necessarily assure that you are long listed for a funding opportunity but they do increase your chances of being considered for opportunities.
Being long listed for an opportunity is also greatly determined by donor preferences and RFP requirements.
How is the due diligence process conducted?
The due diligence process at Sattva aims to assess the credibility and reliability of nonprofit organisations long listed for funding. It may involve reviewing financial statements, legal compliance, past performance, board and leadership and organisational capacity. Sattva donor-facing team may conduct due diligence and request additional documentation from you to prepare your due diligence report. Once this process is completed, we will reach out to you with updates and next steps.
There are three versions of due diligence conducted at Sattva:
Basic due diligence: This version of due diligence assesses the organisation’s basic compliance requirements and profile fitment.
Rapid due diligence: Apart from the basic due diligence, this version also assesses the organisation’s credibility and transparency.
Full due diligence: Full due diligence involves an end-to-end assessment of the organisation’s governance, execution capabilities apart from the aspects covered across basic and rapid due diligence.
Please note: To access basic and rapid due diligence, an NGO needs to share information across basic and compliance levels in their profile. To access full due diligence, an NGO additionally needs to share compliance plus level of information.
How does the fund matchmaking work on IPN?
The fund matchmaking process is a personalised approach at IPN that aims at mapping registered nonprofits and other impact enterprises with suitable donors, based on donors' specific needs and focus areas. Unlike automated algorithms, this process relies on our team's expertise and understanding of both the grant seekers' requirements and the donors' priorities. We appreciate and adhere to the manual understanding and validation of organisation data (the level of details the registered users provide) for internal discovery and due diligence of nonprofits for the funding matchmaking process. Through the organisation profile and other requested details, our team collects, carefully reviews, and validates the data you share to ensure alignment with our donor’s funding expectations and goals to make informed decisions on the RFPs.
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