According to Dasra and Bain & Company's India Philanthropy Report 2023, private philanthropic giving in India has increased significantly since FY’2017, rising to an estimated $3.6 billion in FY’2022 from $2.9 billion. This upward trend can be attributed to factors such as the increasing wealth of Indian families, heightened awareness of philanthropy's significance, and the availability of tax benefits for charitable contributions.

Philanthropic platforms have played a crucial role in this growth by simplifying and formalizing giving, utilizing reliable technology, and fostering a more generous society.

As philanthropy continues to expand, its impact on education becomes increasingly significant. Philanthropic contributions have the power to bridge educational gaps, provide enhanced opportunities, and shape a brighter future for the country's youth, consequently driving social and economic progress.

In line with these efforts, Kind Circle stands as an exemplary platform that harnesses the transformative potential of technology to connect donors with impactful initiatives, especially those focusing on supporting education and empowering youth.  

1) Connecting Donors with a Diverse Range of Causes

Kind Circle serves as a conduit, seamlessly uniting donors with a myriad of noble causes through its distinctive array of circles. These circles empower donors to channel their resources into spheres of significance that deeply resonate with their philanthropic inclinations. At present, donors can actively contribute through the platform by initiating any of the following four distinct types of Kind Circles:

a) Memorial Scholarship Circle: 

The Memorial Scholarship Circle offers a heartfelt opportunity for individuals to create scholarships that honor the memory of their departed loved ones. By supporting education and empowering future generations, this circle breathes life into cherished legacies, leaving a lasting impact on educational empowerment. 

b) Community Scholarship Circle: 

The Community Scholarship Circle allows individuals to create long-lasting bonds with their alma maters, villages, communities, and society as a whole.  This circle enables the donor to uplift those in need by creating scholarship opportunities and fostering educational sustainability.

c) Employee Scholarship Circle: 

The Employee Scholarship Circle, offers a unique avenue for individuals to support deserving students hailing from underprivileged backgrounds, including the wards of the employees within their own organisations. This circle symbolizes a harmonious fusion of corporate social responsibility and educational equity. 

d) Cause-based Scholarship Circle: 

The Cause-based Scholarship Circle empowers donors to rally support for specific causes, crises, or esteemed professional domains. Whether it's nurturing sports talents, fostering artistic prowess, or advancing expertise in areas like law, accountancy, or healthcare, this circle magnifies the collective impact of donors. These efforts can drive groundbreaking transformations and create lasting change in these fields, unlocking new possibilities for aspiring individuals.

2) Streamlining and Simplifying the Donation Process

Kind Circle excels in optimising the donation process, delivering a seamless and effortless experience for donors by eliminating the need for repetitive research, individual transactions, and administrative hurdles. Through its user-friendly interface, the platform empowers donors to create a profound impact with just a few clicks. Moreover, the platform offers invaluable assistance in setting eligibility criteria and facilitating the application process. Leveraging the expertise of scholarship leaders, Kind Circle adeptly manages all facets of the application process on behalf of the donor, encompassing application reception, meticulous processing, stringent compliance, and responsive customer support.  This comprehensive support ensures that donors can focus on their philanthropic goals.

3)  Customisation and Progress Tracking:

Kind Circle understands that philanthropy is a deeply personal journey, and tailor-fitting its platform  to meet the distinctive preferences and exigencies of donors. By creating personalised circles, donors can set specific goals, and receive customised recommendations. This level of customisation enhances the donor experience, fostering a sense of ownership and connection with the causes they support. 

The platform goes beyond mere financial contributions by implementing an automated scholars tracking system, enabling donors to monitor and share the progress of beneficiaries within their circles. This feature proves particularly valuable for renewable scholarship funds, fostering ongoing engagement and providing opportunities for donors to offer mentorship aligned with their expertise and the scholars' aspirations.

4) Collaboration and Collective Impact:

"The strength of the team is each individual member. The strength of each member is the team." 

- Phil Jackson

Kind Circle embraces the power of collective giving, allowing donors to collaborate and amplify their impact. The platform facilitates donor circles, where like-minded individuals can pool their resources and tackle larger-scale projects and initiatives together. 

Research conducted by the Johnson Center for Philanthropy at the University of Pennsylvania reveals that giving circles can boost the size of donations by an average of 25%. This increase can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, giving circles provide a social context for giving, fostering a higher likelihood and greater generosity in donations. Secondly, they cultivate a sense of community, fostering a deeper connection to supported causes and increased motivation to contribute. 

Lastly, giving circles offer a valuable opportunity for learning, equipping members with knowledge about diverse causes and effective giving strategies. Overall, giving circles prove to be a potent tool for philanthropy, amplifying both the financial impact and the efficacy of charitable endeavors.

5) Transparency and Accountability:

Kind Circle holds transparency and accountability as essential cornerstones of effective philanthropy. The platform provides donors with comprehensive visibility into the utilization of funds, offering real-time updates, project milestones, and impact reports. Donors can readily access this information, ensuring a clear understanding of how their contributions are allocated. 

The platform's Online Passbook feature maintains a meticulous record of all incoming and outgoing fund transactions, encompassing donations and scholarships. Circle Admins can promptly share monthly or quarterly reports with donors, fostering trust and transparency. Unutilized funds in a Circle are thoughtfully redirected to a common pool, supporting students on the waitlist. Beneficiary details are regularly shared with the Circle, affirming that funds are exclusively allocated to the intended recipients, without any diversion to external entities or organizations.

6) Education and Engagement:

Kind Circle goes beyond facilitating donations, offering educational resources and donor engagement opportunities. It empowers donors to make informed giving decisions by deepening their understanding of social issues. By fostering an informed community, Kind Circle cultivates long-term commitment and impactful change. The blogs on the platform serve as a valuable resource, providing accessible and organised information on scholarships. Donors gain insights into their significance, operational aspects, and initiating a scholarship fund. These resources enable donors to actively contribute to empowering vulnerable communities.

7)  Access to extensive student database:

Kind Circle, in collaboration with Buddy4Study, India's prominent scholarship platform, grants donors exclusive access to a vast student database, boasting over 5 million registered scholars nationwide. This invaluable resource, cultivated over 11 years and projected to grow exponentially, allows donors to effortlessly connect with students from diverse backgrounds, including those facing financial constraints. 

By leveraging Buddy4Study's extensive database into Kind Circle, donors can seamlessly identify and engage with potential beneficiaries, saving valuable time and resources. This integration not only facilitates meaningful connections but also provides valuable data insights, empowering the platform to optimize scholarship support and foster educational opportunities for deserving students.

8) Tax Benefits:

Donating to Kind Circle not only enables you to create a positive impact on society but also provides potential tax advantages. Under the revised tax exemption act, effective April 1, 2017, donations exceeding Rs 2000 to Kind Circle qualify for a 50% tax exemption under Section 80G of the Income Tax Act.

The exemption is calculated by subtracting the donated amount from your taxable salary. For instance, if your taxable income per year is Rs 200,000 and you make a donation of Rs 20,000, then your net taxable income will be Rs 190,000. Your tax will now be calculated on this new amount based on the prevailing tax rates. Therefore, by contributing to Kind Circle, you not only assist students in funding their education but also benefit from the opportunity to claim a tax deduction. It's a meaningful way to make a difference while availing tax benefits.