GuideStar India database

Dear Friends,

Towards a comprehensive database of Indian CSOs and NGOs

We are writing to inform you and your organisation of an important new initiative in the Indian NGO sector.  GIVE Foundation, the Credibility Alliance, MCC - Murray Culshaw Consulting, and CSS - Civil Society Systems are collaborating to build a comprehensive, online information system that will enable Indian CSOs/ NGOs to communicate their existence and work to national and international audiences.  Through such a system organizations can provide information to multiple audiences about their mission, programmes and finances through an online reporting framework.   Users of the system will include donors, institutional grant-makers, researchers, media personnel and other stakeholders interested in individual organisations in India’s CSO/ NGO sector as a whole.

Based on the GuideStar model operating in the US http://www.guidestar.org and the UK, the proposed GuideStar India database will:

·         Provide all CSOs/ NGOs an opportunity to explain their work
·         Streamline CSO/ NGO reporting to grant-makers, regulators and others
·         Support the growth of, and public confidence in, philanthropy
·         Promote continuous improvement in reporting and best practices by CSOs/ NGOs
·         Establish transparency and encourage accountability
·         Build a core database for national understanding of civil society

It is important to note that the GuideStar model does not evaluate CSOs/ NGOs or provide human analysis of activity.  All reports are a presentation of data that is self-reported by CSOs/ NGOs. 

 CSS - Civil Society Systems is working with host institutions to initiate GuideStar systems in countries around the world, including South Africa, Germany, South Korea, Hungary and India. While each system will ultimately be owned by an independent organisation within each country, the global nature of CSS’ work will also enable international donors and institutions to search and find organisations that interest them. 

On behalf of Guidestar India we now wish to gather information of your organisation for placement on the website and have prepared a questionnaire based on the information fields which have been agreed. It is enclosed. We request that the questionnaire be filled in by the Director or a senior staff member by 30 September 2006.

Please email the completed questionnaire to Aysha Sreekhanth at aysha@fundraising-india.org or post it to the below given address. On the other hand if you would like to complete the questionnaire online, please go to our website http://www.fundraising-india.org and click on ‘Guidestar India database’.

 
If you have any questions or queries, please do ask them of us.

 
We look forward to your cooperation in this important new initiative.

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