Bengaluru, June 24, 2025: Give Grants today announced the launch of dus spoke India Inc 2025, its latest report capturing the current state of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in India and offering a roadmap for the future. The report brings together perspectives from 47 CSR leaders and 78 nonprofit heads, alongside a detailed analysis of CSR data from India’s top 200 companies. The participating CSR leaders collectively manage over INR 6,800 crore in CSR funds annually. Combining practitioner insights with granular data, dus spoke India Inc 2025 explores how CSR has evolved from compliance-driven philanthropy to a potential catalyst for systemic change — and what will be needed for it to fully realise that potential.
At 1.2 lakh crore, CSR will be the largest stable source of private funding for India’s development needs in the coming decade, the report said. As India Inc continues to outperform most global markets, India’s CSR is poised for high growth. It is likely to be the largest source of funding, outstripping philanthropy and individual giving.
Geographic disparity persists because industrial growth is disparate. Funds remain concentrated in a few industrialised states. CSR funding follows industrial concentration, not development needs. States with higher GDP and stronger industrial presence, like Maharashtra (15%), Karnataka (9%), Gujarat (8%), and Delhi (5%), receive the largest share of CSR funds. Low-income states, including much of the North East, Bihar (less than 1%), and Uttar Pradesh (around 4%), are left underfunded despite high poverty and weak SDG outcomes, simply because fewer companies operate there.
Government nudges have yet to deliver equitable CSR flows. Despite being national priorities, low-income regions, including the North East and aspirational districts, remain underfunded. Just eight companies account for 60% of CSR spend in the North East, while only seven companies contribute nearly 37% of CSR funds directed to aspirational districts, the report said.
Risk appetite for innovation is low. CSR investments remain heavily concentrated in core themes education (34%), health (27%), skilling (12%), climate (10%), rural development (8%), and others (7%). Funding for emerging priorities or early-stage innovation is scarce, with 73% of nonprofits reporting little or no support for pilots or experimental initiatives.
Nonprofits remain deeply dependent on CSR funding, with half receiving more than 50% of their annual budgets from corporate sources. The report highlights the need for CSR funders to move from transactional engagements to trust-based, long-term partnerships that empower NPOs to drive lasting change.
Despite shared goals, most companies execute corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in silos. Among those surveyed, 68% cited poor strategic alignment as a barrier to collaboration, while 40% pointed to brand concerns and governance complexity as limiting factors.
Looking ahead, the report notes that India’s top 200 companies- responsible for over 50% of total CSR spend- will play a defining role in shaping CSR’s next chapter. With CSR contributing just 1-2% of what the government spends on social services, the sector’s greatest opportunity lies in supporting innovation and pilots that others can scale, positioning CSR as an impact multiplier rather than just an impact creator.
Commenting on the launch, Sumit Tayal, CEO of Give Grants, said: “CSR in India has evolved remarkably over the past decade. The next phase will be about bold choices, directing funds where they are needed most, taking risks to innovate, and working together across sectors to drive large-scale change. dus spoke India Inc 2025 lays out both our achievements and our unfinished agenda.”
The dus spoke India Inc report underscores the need for a paradigm shift from fragmented, compliance-driven CSR efforts to unified, strategic investments that target root causes of inequity. The report calls for a deepened commitment to direct more funds toward underrepresented regions; invest in nonprofit institutions to create sustainable, long-term impact; and support early-stage ideas and pilot programs that can grow into scalable solutions.
It also encourages partnerships between corporations, nonprofits, and government to amplify outcomes. The report reaffirms Give Grants’ commitment to advancing India’s CSR ecosystem and supporting companies to deliver high-impact, purpose-driven giving.
