Receipt of any foreign contribution by an Indian NGO requires a valid FCRA registration under the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act — there is no legal path around it. The foundations listed here have historically funded Indian civil-society work, ranging from lifelong individual fellowships (Ashoka, Skoll) to global challenge prizes (Wellcome). Grant sizes here span three orders of magnitude, and every programme states the eligibility, currency and application route in the funder's own terms.
16 programs
Wellcome
The Wellcome-Nature Mental Health Prize funds groundbreaking mental health science, awarding up to ₹9.52 crore to the winner and ₹2.38 crore to finalists, plus visibility and support.
Health Pharma Biotech · Social Impact · Mental Health · Science
Wellcome
A global challenge prize awarding up to £6.25 million (approx. ₹65.6 crore) to multi-disciplinary teams developing innovative solutions for snakebite outcomes in high-burden settings.
Health Pharma Biotech · Social Impact · Healthtech · Global Health
Wellcome
The Global Prize funds up to US$1,000,000 (approx. ₹8.33 crore) for new interventions addressing anxiety, depression, and psychosis, accelerating impact and policy prioritisation.
Mentalhealth · Globalprize · Healthtech · Anxiety
Ford Foundation (India office)
Grants to Indian civil-society organisations working on civic engagement and government, and on gender, racial and ethnic justice. FCRA registration required.
Civic Engagement · Governance · Gender Justice · Human Rights
DIV Fund
A non-dilutive grant of up to ₹13.5 Cr funds innovations improving lives in low/middle-income countries.
Edtech · Social Impact
Global Fund for Community Foundations
The Global Fund for Community Foundations awards grants to strengthen community-philanthropy organisations worldwide, focusing on grantmaking, governance, and fund development.
Social Impact · Community Philanthropy · Grantmaking · Organizational Development
Mercatus Center, George Mason University (USA)
Funds individuals and teams with scalable zero-to-one ideas for social improvement.
Grant · Fellowship · Equity Free · Non Dilutive
Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation
A venture-philanthropy firm funding early-stage social enterprises with up to US$300,000 in unrestricted grants and three years of hands-on support.
Social Impact · Early Stage · Global · Venture Philanthropy
Gates Foundation
Grants fund AI solutions that accelerate charitable giving, prioritising global health and development.
Ai Saas Enterprise · Edtech · Social Impact · Ai Ml
Ashoka: Innovators for the Public
A lifelong fellowship for social entrepreneurs whose innovations have the potential to reshape a field, with a living stipend for the launch period and lifelong access to the Ashoka network.
Social Entrepreneurship · Civic Engagement · Education · Environment
APNIC Foundation
Grants support projects expanding digital inclusion and internet access across Asia Pacific.
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The Ashden Awards fund and recognise innovative sustainable solutions in health, food, energy, water, climate action and global high schools.
Health Pharma Biotech · Agri Food Rural · Climate Energy Ev · Social Impact
Moonshot Platform
The Moonshot Awards fund young changemakers aged 15-30 with equity-free grants and two-year mentorship for innovations addressing UN Sustainable Development Goals globally.
Young Changemakers · Sdg · Global · Innovation
Earthna
The Earthna Prize, a global award by Earthna (a Qatar Foundation centre), funds traditional and indigenous knowledge projects tackling critical sustainability challenges, with a US$1,000,000 prize pool.
Global · Sustainability · Indigenous Knowledge · Traditional Knowledge
Play for Nature
Grants up to ₹13.5 lakh for civil society organisations worldwide using sport to conserve IUCN Red List species or ecosystems.
Social Impact · Biodiversity · Conservation · Sport
The Earthshot Prize
The Earthshot Prize, founded by Prince William, awards £1,000,000 annually to five solutions across nature, air, oceans, waste, and climate.
Environmental Solutions · Global Prize · Sustainability · Innovation