Policy influencing & lobbying

The policy influencing and lobbying vision is primarily to work with the government & corporate sector to create an encouraging atmosphere to encourage social giving and investment by promoting philanthropy for social justice. The idea is to get the government and companies to match individual giving (like it is done in the US and Europe) thus promoting absolute accountability. For example if an employee from the TATA group gives Rs. 5000 p.a. and this is matched a 100% by the company thus making it an overall social investment of 10,000. Then the government matches this by 50% thus this makes the overall give worth 15,000. Now the government would have used this fund for some social empowerment anyway. But with matching grants the individual and corporate who have donated monitor the entire amount of 15,000 thus promoting accountability and transparency overall i.e. within the sector and also with the government. This in a nutshell is philanthropy for social justice where all stakeholders work in synergy with each other not just by giving but by getting involved, thus measuring and assessing impact through the empowerment done by their social investment or giving. Thus iCONGO aspires to build a lobby of just, caring and responsible citizens who advocate for full transparency and accountability at all levels.

iCONGO Recognition & Knowledge Programs (IRKP)

This action area shall also include organising the social justice and action conclave, commissioning the Karmaveer Puraskaar, (National awards for social justice and action) followed by the certification and accreditation for NGOs, CSR and SMEs. Besides the awards that shall be held annually, iCONGO also plans to promote the 26th of November as the National Social Action Day to coincide with the day when our constitutional pledge was adopted, thus rekindling the spirit of our pledge as GOOD INDIAN CITIZENS. This is being built up as a multi sectoral common platform where all sectors shall work together to create the process. We are also the knowledge partners for the We care Film Fest to highlight issues of disability and are strategic alliance partners for the WHARF International conference organised by Wockhardt and Harvard Medical International, the CSR forum organised by ISB at Hyderabad and are also planning a knowledge event and awards for NASSCOM Foundation. iCONGO is also the knowledge and content partner for an exclusive consumer portal promoted by GE Money.