Within the NGO: The list of services offered to voluntary organizaitons at Samanvaya reads like a professional presentation anywhere in the for-profit world.

• Starting an NGO
• Project Management
• Manpower Planning
• Managing
• Managing Communication
• Creating, Managing and Sustaining Funding resources
• Application of Information Technology in the organisation
• Organisational Capacity Building
• Building a knowledge-centred organisation

Outside the NGO: Individuals and organizations outside an NGO, as much as within it, bring their own set of concerns to the development process, and Samanvaya has a breadth of services tailored to them. Funding agencies are often concerned about the proper utilisation of funds by the voluntary organisations they support. Samanvaya provides the following services for the funding agencies:

• Assessment of the work of VOs with a report on acute and emerging problems.
• Organisational mentoring for the VO on behalf of the funding agency.

Increasing economic growth in India has created a number of corporates either newly interested in participating in development projects or in expanding their existing programs in development, as part of their social commitment. Non-profit work being typically outside the expertise of these companies, there is a need to provide them with guidance in selecting and supporting various VOs. Samanvaya provides corporates with guidance to plan, create and sustain their social projects.

Today, the role of technology in the development work is phenomenal. However technology application in the development sector has largely lagged the corporate sector, and has been limited to contact management, documentation and in a few cases, publishing. The reasons for this limited application have been a combination of lack of knowledge of the potential of IT among NGOs, and the non-availability of IT specialists, tools and techniques focussing on voluntary agencies. Samanvaya's IT Consulting services are designed to bridge this gap. They include:

• Creating an IT back-bone as an aid in management of VOs.
• Understanding and utilising the power of internet.
• Creating and maintaining on-line presence.
• Integrating IT to enhance the VO's work.

Samanvaya has created the equivalent of a full-service management corporation for the non-profit world. The firm offers include training programs in leadership, innovation and communication, it is actively building a knowledge-base of sustainable developmental practices around the world specifically related to management and technology, and media services such as the management and co-ordination of campaign communications for voluntary organisations. Besides publications on issues of general interest to the NGO community, Samanvaya also publishes SAMANVAYA Food Updates - a fortnightly e-zine which focuses on the sustainable food production practices in India and issues related to it.

In short, this is an organization whose work is quite different from that of the typical volunteer group we have seen profiled here at India Together. Samanvaya offers, as services, the tools needed to ensure the achievement of the NGO's goals on the one hand, and the managment needed to assure funders that their resources are well-spent on the other. This innovative approach to participating in the non-profit world has resulted in a well-thought-out self-description - Samanvaya views itself as a professional enabler for developmental groups.

A broad range of services: You might ask, then, what Samanvaya has actually done along this novel approach. A brief list of the organization's work suggests not only that there is a demand for such services, but also that consistent with Samanvaya's own breadth of applications, the organizations benefiting from this approach come from a whole slew of backgrounds, and for all sorts of purposes.

• Centre for Indian Knowledge Systems (CIKS), Chennai - Developing concept and initially managing their scheme for marketing of Organic Food Products in Chennai; Structuring their bi-monthly publication for farmers and re-designing the same to give a more user-friendly appearance.
• HARVEST - Auroville Water Services, Auroville - re-structuring the organisation for effective management of watershed based development work; training their staff in project management and communication skills.
• Auroville Health Service and GTZ (German Funding Agency) - produced a book on Waste Management for children.
• Relief Foundation, Chennai - concept development for their effort on creating network of NGOs working towards betterment of women and children; contributing towards their NGO network magazine.
• Nai Talim Samiti (Shri. Dharampal), Sewagram, Wardha - compilation of 15 volumes of archival material on various aspects of 18th century India; structuring and systemising the storage and retrieval method for all the compilation works of Shri. Dharampal.
• Community Development Panel, Confederation of Indian Industries (CII), Chennai - Samanvaya provides guidance to the community development efforts of CII and its corporate members.
• Tamilnadu Small and Tiny Industries Association (TANSTIA-FNF) Training centre, Chennai - Samanvaya is in the of a panel of consultants of this apex body working on providing training and consulting services for the small enterprise sector.

Samanvaya represents, in a sense, the evolution of work in development beyond concern and motivation, and towards professional application of these inspiring qualities.

India Together
October-November 2000