Desai and Associates (D&A), in collaboration with the Asia Venture Philanthropy Network (AVPN) and KPMG, on behalf of USAID with support from the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs (MoHUA), has developed a comprehensive report on the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WASH) sector in India. This report underscores the critical role of private sector investment in bridging the significant funding gap to meet SDG 6 by 2030. It highlights progress and persistent challenges in urban sanitation, solid and liquid waste management, and used water treatment. The report provides detailed assessments of the WASH investment environment, sector-specific evaluations, and policy recommendations to enhance private sector participation and financial solutions, emphasizing the urgent need for innovative and sustainable financing to improve community well-being and environmental sustainability.

D&A along with IPE Global and Nikore Associates has developed a comprehensive guide for investors aiming to integrate gender considerations into their investment strategies, particularly within the healthcare sector. Developed under the USAID-supported SAMRIDH Blended Finance Facility, the toolkit provides practical tools and a four-stage life cycle framework to enhance gender inclusivity across the investment process. It outlines strategies for identifying and supporting women-led and women-focused enterprises, assessing gender inclusivity, and fostering an inclusive investment ecosystem. The toolkit also features SAMRIDH's case study, showcasing its successful implementation of gender lens investing, thereby setting a benchmark for similar initiatives in India and beyond. This resource is designed to inspire and guide investors in promoting gender equality while achieving financial returns, ultimately contributing to a more equitable and prosperous society.

The "Catalysing Change: Blended Finance for Climate Action" report presents an in-depth analysis of blended finance as a transformative approach for climate change mitigation and adaptation. It highlights how this innovative financing model combines public and private capital and is crucial in closing the funding gap for environment-focused projects. The report details the mechanisms through which blended finance mobilizes resources, minimizes investment risks, and maximizes the impact of climate financing. It emphasizes the necessity of innovative financial structures, particularly in regions prone to climate change impacts, advocating for investments in renewable energy, sustainable agriculture, and green infrastructure. The case studies on the Industree Foundation, KOIS's REAL Fund, and the Green Climate Fund's Solar Rooftop Drive in India provide practical examples of the application of blended finance and its potential to drive scalable, sustainable projects.

Desai & Associates and Villgro Innovations Foundation are proud to announce the release of their groundbreaking white paper titled, 'A Practitioner's Guide to Effective Blended Finance Solutions for Social Enterprises.' Supported by the Lemelson Foundation, this white paper presents the key barriers and opportunities to scaling blended finance solutions for social enterprises and SMEs in India and bridge the financing gap faced by them.

Over the past few years we have witnessed how the COVID-19 pandemic has compounded existing inequalities in India, across critical sectors such as healthcare, education and MSMEs. Therefore, the need of the hour is to look beyond traditional models of socioeconomic development and embrace more innovative models of financing social impact such as blended finance. This white paper – “Unlocking the Promise of Blended Finance in India” – is the first in a series of such analytical outputs that are a part of a broader effort by Impact Investors Council (IIC) and Desai & Associates (D&A) to socialise the development community and the Indian government on the benefits of blended finance to support their financial and development agendas.

Presents the history of and the case for the participation of NGOs and civil society in the UN with an elaboration od the multistakeholder approach of the Internet Governance Forum.