Azim Premji Social Startups Programme 2027
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Quick Answer
Support for development professionals under 40 to found and lead a new civil society organisation: an eight-month honorarium, then a two-year grant.
- Funding amount
- Varies
- Funding type
- Grant
- Provider
- Azim Premji Foundation
- Application deadline
- 54d — 31 Dec 2026
- Location
- Open to startups registered in India
About this grant
The Social Startups Programme of the Azim Premji Foundation helps development professionals create and lead new civil society organisations working towards social change. It is for people who have already spent several years working full-time on the ground in the development sector and now want to start their own organisation, rather than for organisations that already exist.
Selected applicants first receive an honorarium for eight months while they set up their organisation. After that, the support converts into a grant for two years. The 2027 cohort is open for applications until 31 December 2026.
The programme works in specific geographies, and each applicant chooses one and moves there. Selected founders must be based full-time in their chosen geography for at least three years. The geographies and the issues the Foundation supports in each are:
- Bengaluru: afterschool programmes, creches, community sanitation, food distribution, welfare rights, children
- Eastern Uttar Pradesh: rural livelihood, health, the urban informal sector, disability
- Odisha: rural livelihood, youth and adolescent girls, Adivasi communities, children, health
- North-East (Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim, Tripura): rural livelihoods, youth, health and mental health
This suits someone who has worked in a field role, say in livelihoods, health, child care or rights work, and wants to build a grassroots organisation in one of these regions. The organisation will be a not-for-profit civil society organisation, not a for-profit company.
Selection runs over several rounds from November to December 2026, including a statement of purpose, an online interview and a final in-person panel in the chosen geography, with the honorarium starting in January 2027.
Eligibility
See if you're eligible
Full eligibility criteria — entity type, stage, sector, founder profile and registration requirements — plus your fit for this program. Sign up to view.
Grant providers
Benefits & Funding
- Fund type
- Grant
What You Get
- Eight-month honorarium for the founder while working with communities and setting up the new organisation
- Guidance on registering the organisation, governance and statutory compliance, plus finance, budgeting, monitoring and HR
- A one-month residential boot camp, fieldwork, community interaction and peer learning
- Two-year seed grant that follows, for founders whose organisation is registered and whose grant proposal meets the programme's criteria (assessed in November–December 2027)
- The honorarium and grant amounts are not stated on the programme portal
- Cohort size
- 100 startups
- Bootstrap friendly
- Yes
Timelines & Process
Selection Process
Selection has several rounds: a real-time eligibility check, the full application, document verification by the geography team, a statement of purpose from shortlisted applicants (November 2026), an online interview with Foundation evaluators (November 2026) and a final in-person panel in the applicant's geography (December 2026). Selected founders start the eight-month honorarium in January 2027, after which it converts to a two-year grant.
Application Process
- 1
Check eligibility
Answer five questions on the portal before the application opens.
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How to apply
Four steps from draft to disbursement — one action each.
- 1
Draft your application
Answer the form inside the grant tracker — AI drafts each response using your past answers, so you're not starting from a blank page.
- 2
Submit on the official portal
Use the official application link and verify all details before final submission.
- 3
Follow up
Reach out 5–7 days after submitting to confirm receipt and ask about the review timeline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who can apply?
Development professionals under 40 with a graduate degree, at least three years of full-time development sector work, no registered organisation of their own, and a clear commitment to founding a new civil society organisation in one of the programme geographies.
What support do selected founders get?
An honorarium for eight months, which then converts into a grant for two years.
Can I apply if I already run a registered NGO or trust?
No. You must not already run a registered organisation. The programme is for founding a new one.
Do I have to relocate?
Yes. You choose one programme geography and must be based there full-time for at least three years.
Does fellowship experience count as work experience?
The programme home page says fellowships count and internships do not, but the eligibility form says internship, fellowship and volunteer experience should be excluded. Count only full-time development sector jobs to be safe, and check with the Foundation if fellowships make up part of your experience.
When is the deadline?
Applications for the 2027 cohort close on 31 December 2026.
In which languages can I apply?
The application portal is available in English, Hindi, Kannada, Odia and Assamese.
Sources
Data on this page is compiled from official program and provider references.
