Why Digital is the Next Frontier for India’s NGOs – 2025-05-07 10:31:00 , HT Brand Stories | Hindustan Times

In a sector where impact is often measured in stories rather than spreadsheets, a quiet shift is underway. The India Leaders for Social Sector (ILSS), in partnership with Koita Foundation, has launched the Koita Centre for Digital Transformation (KCDT) — a dedicated initiative to help NGOs across India build digital capacity, navigate complexity, and lead with confidence in a tech-enabled world.

“Digital transformation isn’t a tech problem — it’s a leadership challenge,” says Rekha Koita, Co-Founder and Director, Koita Foundation. “Without strategic clarity at the top, 70 percent of digital efforts fail. That’s why we’ve designed this centre to equip NGO leaders to lead change, not just manage it.”

India has over 3 million NGOs, but only a fraction have begun to embrace technology in a structured way. Many are still reliant on paper-based processes. As new technologies — especially AI-driven platforms — continue to emerge, the gap between early adopters and those left behind will only widen.

“Digital readiness is now existential,” adds Rizwan Koita, Co-Founder of the Koita Foundation and Co-founder of CitiusTech, India’s leading Health Technology company. “NGOs may not compete in the traditional business sense, but they do compete for impact delivery and relevance. Without a digital foundation, they will find it harder to attract support and harder to scale.”

The Koita Centre for Digital Transformation is structured around three interconnected pillars: deep capacity building through structured programs, a contextual digital marketplace for tools and vendors, and advisory support that guides solution design and implementation. It is, in essence, an ecosystem — one that integrates learning, mentorship, execution, and knowledge-sharing under one roof.

“Our training programs aren’t generic workshops,” says Rekha. “They’re deeply contextual, sector-informed, and designed to be translated into action. We work with expert faculty, provide peer-learning forums, and offer mentorship to help organizations move from theory to practice. It’s about helping NGOs walk the path — not just introducing the idea of digital transformation but ensuring they’re supported through the ups and downs of implementation.”

KCDT’s capacity-building component aims to demystify digital transformation. “Many NGOs don’t even know what’s possible,” Rekha explains. “So our curriculum starts with the basics — what is digital transformation, what can technology do for you, and what are the common pitfalls?” The courses dive into real-world examples, helping NGOs map technology to their program goals and internal operations.

One of the common early questions NGOs face is where to begin. “They have limited resources — in terms of funding, time, and people,” Rekha adds. “So it’s important to help them decide where technology can add the most value. That kind of strategic prioritization is a core part of our training.”

Even after NGOs understand their priorities, the execution phase poses another layer of challenges. “From vendor selection to system design to adoption, the path is not straightforward,” she says. “Implementations fail not just because people don’t use the system, but because the system wasn’t designed right in the first place. We focus on helping NGOs avoid those design pitfalls.”

Adoption, too, is a major barrier. Whether it’s internal teams or external stakeholders such as government workers, getting people to use the technology effectively is often harder than deploying it. “Our programs include mentorship and advisory services to help organizations navigate those tricky change management issues,” Rekha says. “Having someone guide you through the process is often what makes the difference between success and failure.”

Rizwan echoes this, highlighting the broader trend. “The world is changing rapidly. AI models and digital tools are evolving daily. But unless organizations are digitally literate, they won’t be able to take advantage of these advancements. Even basic tech won’t be usable if an NGO is stuck in a paper-based mindset.”

He believes the digital gap will increasingly define who thrives in the sector and who struggles. “The donor community is starting to expect more. They want to know how you track impact, how you make decisions, how you’re using data. That pressure will only grow.”

Anu Prasad, Founder and CEO of ILSS, brings a complementary perspective. “Our strength lies in leadership development. With KCDT, we’re integrating that with digital fluency. The Koita Foundation has been an exceptional partner — not just funding the initiative, but co-creating it with us.”

She highlights the deep research that preceded the launch. “We studied the sector extensively — different sizes of organizations, different levels of maturity, different regions. And we found that the challenges vary: some NGOs lack basic awareness, others are stuck between pilots and scale, and others struggle with adoption. So we designed our offerings to be modular and responsive to each stage.”

These offerings include a structured capacity-building program, a digital transformation playbook, a vendor and resource library through the DITSI platform, and tailored mentorship. “We’re also building products like the digital toolbook for social impact, which takes NGOs through use-case driven frameworks that are both strategic and executable,” Anu says.

Collaboration sits at the core of the model. Rekha points to the role of funders. “If funders expect NGOs to become more data-driven, they must also support them to do so — not just through financial resources, but also through encouragement, advice, and knowledge-sharing.” She believes that digital investment benefits both the funder and the NGO. “If a field worker can reach twice the number of beneficiaries using the same budget, the ROI is obvious. It’s a win-win.”

Anirban Chaudhury, Head KCDT, adds that collaboration with tech vendors is equally crucial. “Vendors need to understand the sector, get on the ground, learn its nuances. Only then can they create tech that’s truly useful. We’ve seen this happen — many of our long-time tech partners now intuitively understand what NGOs need.”

The goal of KCDT is not to push a one-size-fits-all solution but to create a dynamic support structure. “It’s a framework that evolves,” says Anu. “We’re constantly integrating feedback from program cohorts, monitoring adoption, and adjusting our content and delivery.”

Anirban sums it up: “We want to build digital muscle in the sector. And that doesn’t happen overnight. But with the right partners, the right mindset, and the right support — it’s absolutely possible.”

India Leaders for Social Sector (ILSS) is a pioneering leadership development organisation dedicated to strengthening India’s social sector. By equipping both crossover and sector-grown leaders with the mindset, skills, and strategic insight needed to drive impact, ILSS is reimagining what leadership means in the development ecosystem. Through specialised programs spanning Women’s Leadership, Fundraising, People Practices, Governance, and Digital Transformation, ILSS is building a future where visionary leadership is the cornerstone of lasting change.

Note to readers: This article is part of HT’s paid consumer connect initiative and is independently created by the brand. HT assumes no editorial responsibility for the content, including its accuracy, completeness, or any errors or omissions. Readers are advised to verify all information independently.

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