Organisation Name:
Buddha Institute (BI)
Application Deadline:
15 November 2025
About Organisation
The Buddha Institute (BI), hosted under the Education for Employability Foundation (E2F), is a registered public charitable trust dedicated to fostering social transformation through entrepreneurship. It supports grassroots, for-profit enterprises working to create sustainable economic and social impact in rural India. The institute holds key registrations including 12A, 80G, CSR, and FCRA, ensuring compliance, transparency, and the ability to receive both domestic and foreign contributions. BI’s vision is to build a progressive and inclusive India by nurturing entrepreneurial changemakers. Its mission revolves around uniting diverse stakeholders—entrepreneurs, mentors, investors, and policymakers—to build an ecosystem that accelerates impact-driven enterprises. Through its programs, BI aims to promote compassion, self-reliance, and enlightenment while cultivating leaders who can drive large-scale transformation in underserved communities.
About the Grant
The Buddha Fellowship Program 2025–27 Cohort is the flagship initiative of The Buddha Institute. It is a 24-month structured intervention designed to empower Development Entrepreneurs who create sustainable rural enterprises and livelihood opportunities. The program provides a blend of mentorship, management guidance, and financial support to early-stage, for-profit enterprises working in sectors like agriculture, handicrafts, climate action, renewable energy, and rural development. Fellows receive individualized mentoring from industry experts, access to professional networks, and exposure to impact investors. In addition to capacity-building workshops, the program facilitates linkages with institutional partners and government schemes. Each selected Fellow receives a returnable grant of INR 10 lakh, disbursed over two years based on performance and social impact metrics. The goal is to scale micro-enterprises into sustainable, revenue-generating ventures contributing to poverty alleviation and rural economic growth.
Who can Apply?
The Buddha Fellowship Program is open to early-stage, for-profit enterprises led by entrepreneurs committed to creating measurable social and economic impact in rural India. Ideal applicants are founders of enterprises that engage rural communities as suppliers, producers, or employees, treating them as active contributors in the value chain. Applicants should demonstrate prior entrepreneurial experience, a scalable business model, and a clear vision for social transformation. Enterprises should be operational in key focus sectors such as agriculture, agritech, non-timber forest produce, livestock, handloom, handicrafts, waste management, and renewable energy. The Fellowship particularly welcomes changemakers who view rural regions as centers of innovation and value addition. Selected candidates must be willing to commit to the 24-month mentorship, capacity-building, and performance evaluation framework of the program. Women entrepreneurs and those from underrepresented communities are especially encouraged to apply.
How to Apply?
Applicants undergo a four-stage selection process: outreach and application screening, online interviews, in-person jury assessments, and due diligence field visits. Selected candidates will be notified for further onboarding into the program.
Application Deadline
Applications close on 15 November 2025. Early submissions are encouraged to allow sufficient time for review and selection.
Last Date To Apply
For more information, please visit the grant website here.
