There are many places to donate. What is different here?

Two things. First, Aabhaar supports the initiatives that are much smaller in scale, so would never get the publicity or support that big names (like C.R.Y) can muster. Second, we leverage personal networks to research and monitor the validity of the donation. So all donors can be assured that their money is really being used for humanitarian causes.

What part of my donation reaches charity?

100%. Every last bit of money goes to the program, none is kept by Aabhaar. Our administrative expenses are borne entirely by the founders.

Can I choose an initiative, project or person to support?

Yes. Unless specified, all donations go to a common pool which gets redistributed to supported initiatives based on need. If your choice is not currently supported by Aabhaar, we’ll evaluate it to be included.

What guidelines do you use to select initiatives?

  • No aspect of it should discriminate on the basis of caste, creed, religion or any other attribute.
  • Consider how many individuals does the charity benefit on average in a year.
  • Research how many people are actively involved in implementation. Include level of involvement, e.g. full-time employees, or volunteers. Ensure that those spending the most time supporting the charity are included in the count, irrespective of amount of time.
  • Review relevant information related to current budget (annual/monthly amount, deficiencies, items covered, etc.)
  • Review relevant information regarding current funding sources (how many, how much, how dependable, etc.)
  • Do a thorough needs-assessment. Like what are the current needs for uninterrupted operation? Is the need is ongoing or extend beyond a one-time support?
  • Seek a contact person(s) that can represent the charity and communicate with Aabhaar via phone conversations, site visits or emails/faxes.

What are the underlying principles for Aabhaar's donations?

  • Unprejudiced: We will fund only non-sectarian and secular community initiatives, projects or people. Initiatives that promote a particular political party or ideology are also excluded consciously.
  • Ethical: Supporting or funding an initiative, project or person should not be related to personal benefit of any Aabhaar member(s). In case of any potential ethical conflict, we will surface the facts quickly and transparently.
  • Trusted: Before supporting any initiative, project or person, we will strive to establish a personal, face-to-face communication between a Aabhaar member and grantee. Validation may entail one or more site visit(s) by an Aabhaar member or volunteer.