Washington, D.C. to celebrate India Giving Day

Social sector leaders, influencers and philanthropists to gather at event at George Washington University on March 2nd

Event registration link

Washington DC is getting ready to host the first India Giving Day event in the area.  This is an   innovative community event to accompany the national campaign, to take place in Washington, D.C. on March 2nd. The event will take place at George Washington University’s prestigious Elliott School of International Affairs and will feature engaging panel discussions, opportunities for networking and idea exchange, and a chance to hear from the campaign organizers themselves.

Indian Americans are the highest earning ethnic group in the country, and their philanthropic contributions are significant. In 2022 alone, Indian Americans gave over $1 billion to charitable causes on the subcontinent. A new campaign has sprung up to amplify this trend towards generous giving: India Giving Day (IGD).

Read: First-ever India Giving Day on March 2 (February 9, 2023)

This new campaign is powered by the India Philanthropy Alliance (IPA), a network of nonprofits doing transformative work across India. India Giving Day has been designed as an annual event that builds off of the momentum of Giving Tuesday and other ‘giving days’ that have been met with great success in the past few years. The campaign is backed by the IPA and led by Steering Committee members Alex Counts (IPA), Manisha Bharti (Pratham USA), and Sejal Desai (Akanksha Education Fund). The overall goal of this campaign is to raise money and support for participating non-profits in the spirit of celebration and appreciation for giving.

One of the key focus areas of this event will be the role of youth in philanthropy and social change.“There are so many terrific nonprofits working in India and with a constituency here in the United States, but many face a serious threat,” says campaign director Alex Counts. “Their top donors are aging and they need to attract and engage a new generation of supporters and volunteers to secure the future of their organizations.  With focused effort, I am sure they can succeed.”

Read: India Giving Day announced to grow India’s philanthropic pie (October 6, 2022)

Young professional panelists Ashwath Narayanan, Alaine Johnson, and Kurien Thomas will all share with the audience their perspective on how to engage young people towards social change. “I am excited about this event because of all the leaders that will be present in one room,” says young philanthropic leader Payton Souders, “We will have business executives, non-profit leaders, philanthropists, and young professionals all gathered together to celebrate an important cause.”

This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Please join us by registering at the link below. For further details, contact igdinfo2023@gmail.com.