A Global Community Giving Back
The Indian diaspora serves as a bridge between India and the world. Today, many Indian-born people residing in the US consider giving back to India as a core value, as a way to connect with their roots beyond family ties and sending money to relatives. Giving back includes service-oriented philanthropy and efforts in support of development in India.
In 2025, Dalberg, Indiaspora, and the India Philanthropy Alliance reported that Indian Americans donated $4-5 billion in 2024, nearly tripling their contributions compared to a baseline report in 2018. This growth indicates that the Indian diaspora is aligning heart with action and becoming a powerhouse of philanthropy.
From Remittances to Philanthropy
India is one of the world’s largest recipients of remittances. Indians who live abroad often send money home, but philanthropy constitutes a different kind of giving back. Remittances are about delivering personal financial support, while philanthropy aims at greater societal impact.
Indian-origin families generally start their charitable journeys by sending funds to friends in need or local charities, or by fulfilling direct community needs. This personal agency holds power. Once they have established a pattern of giving back, these families often start thinking about effective ways to contribute to long-term systemic change in India.
Why Diaspora Giving Is Becoming More Strategic
For many families looking to donate to India, trust and measurable impact are central to the decision. Donors prefer directing their gifts to credible institutions that produce tangible results. Their need to understand how their donation will be used, who will benefit, and how sustainable the outcomes will be is behind the growing popularity of trusted nonprofit partners like AIF that offer transparent reporting and a clear scaling of impact with contributions.
The Role of Advisors and Platforms
Giving smartly is as important as giving generously. The growing complexity of giving has increased the importance of philanthropy advisors, donor collaboratives, and trusted nonprofit platforms. With the increase in diaspora giving, more donors rely on such philanthropy advisors and donor collaboratives to identify trusted nonprofit charities and move away from occasional gifts to a more disciplined and strategic approach. The right partners will enable the Indian diaspora to move from goodwill to action, enabling greater impact.
AIF as a Civic Bridge
AIF’s own origin story is a shining example of the tremendous impact of cross-border philanthropy. Founded in response to the Gujarat earthquake of 2001, AIF was born in a time of crisis, out of the need for a credible civic institution to bridge the gap between the world’s two largest democracies. Since then, AIF has grown its impact from humanitarian relief to three core verticals: education, public health, and livelihoods.
AIF not only offers donors the opportunity to connect with a cause that resonates with them but also enables them to contribute to India’s growth and development through a trustworthy channel with roots in the communities it serves.
From Giving to Impact: How Diaspora Philanthropy Supports AIF’s Mission
Diaspora philanthropy can begin at a young age and take various forms. At the age of 12, Sanya Nadeem started online classes for kids in her area, teaching them subjects such as English, Geography, and Mathematics, and supporting them through a book club. With the $1,800 she earned, she made a gift to support AIF. Another young supporter, Maher Adoni, donated $1,000 to AIF from prize money he won through an essay competition, in which he wrote about democratization of education in rural India.
Like Sanya and Maher, many members of the Indian diaspora see giving as an expression of personal beliefs and values, beginning their philanthropic journeys with one-time gifts as a marker of milestones, or in tribute to family connections or a place that still feels like home. But over time, their giving often evolves to strategic philanthropy aimed at long-term change for marginalized communities, like those served by AIF’s work in the field.
Help Build the Next Chapter in AIF’s Story
Philanthropy can have a long-lasting impact if it is results-oriented and delivered through the right channels. Purposeful and strategic philanthropy by the Indian diaspora has long played an influential role in the shaping of India’s story and in the evolution of AIF, enabling AIF to deliver sustainable change in the communities that need it most.
If you’re a member of the Indian diaspora keen to give back meaningfully, check out the ‘Ways to Give’ section on the AIF website and share this blog with family and friends looking to contribute to a trusted nonprofit creating systemic change in India.
