Philanthropy Strategy & Foundation Building
You leave with a giving framework that holds — governance, theory of change, and advisory structures that make your philanthropic intent durable, defensible, and distinctly yours.
Discuss this service →Philanthropy Advisory · India
You know what you want to give.
I help you build how.
I help individuals build giving practices that are intentional, structured, and built to last — from first gift to formal foundation.
What I bring —
and why it's different
Most advisors in this space come from one world. I come from two.
My career began in corporate finance — M&A, investor relations, strategic planning. That world shaped how I think: rigorously, structurally, always with an eye on long-term value.
Then, in what felt like happenstance at the time, I found myself at the edge of the social sector — first through India's skilling ecosystem and the NSDC, where I began to understand how public-private partnerships work at scale. That exposure was clarifying. I made a quiet choice: this was the space I wanted to be in. And I stayed — for fifteen years. Eight of those as Founding CEO of SVP India – Kolkata Chapter. SVP — Social Venture Partners — is the venture philanthropy model: engaged donors, long-term nonprofit partnerships, embedded strategic support — the kind that stays in the room long after the grant is made. Building the Kolkata chapter from scratch gave me something rare: a clear view from both sides of the giving relationship.
For the last decade, I could clearly see white spaces on both sides. On the nonprofits side: organisations doing exceptional work, unable to communicate it. On the funder side, genuine intent, real resources and no clear map. The gap isn't a funding problem. It's a translation problem. Connecting The Dots exists to be that translation.
Six capabilities.
Applied to your work.
I work on the problems that sit between intention and execution — the strategy that isn't clear, the India context that's missing, the narrative that hasn't been written, and the connections that aren't yet in place.
Milestone-Based Planning
Your vision becomes a plan that can survive real-world complexity — clear milestones and defined ownership. You stop making one-off decisions and start executing.
Discuss this service →India Context Advisory
You stop guessing about India and start making confident decisions — with nonprofit due diligence, FCRA compliance clarity, budget benchmarks, and ecosystem knowledge that turns a complex landscape into familiar ground.
Discuss this service →Network & Resource Connection
You get introductions that would otherwise take years — to the donors, foundations, and nonprofit partners who can move your work forward. The right doors open, at the right moment.
Discuss this service →Capacity Building & CSR Alignment
Your organisation becomes fundable, accountable, and ready to scale — with governance systems, fundraising infrastructure, and impact measurement that satisfies your mission and your funders.
Discuss this service →Narrative & Proposal Development
Your work gets the story it deserves — a proposal, narrative, or positioning piece that funders read and say yes to. Every ask becomes easier when the story is already doing the work.
Discuss this service →Three kinds of clients.
One kind of work.
Individuals — in India and abroad
You want to give well. You want your giving to be intentional, structured, and built to last — not a series of one-off decisions. I help you build a practice that's as considered as everything else you do.
CSR-Eligible Companies
You have a mandate — and an opportunity. I help you move beyond compliance, build a giving strategy that reflects your values, and create partnerships that actually deliver.
Nonprofits & Foundations
You're doing important work. You need the thinking, the planning, and the connections to do more of it — reach further, sustain longer, grow with a far-reaching purpose.
What clients say
Snigdha brought both strategic depth and ground-level insight to our India strategy — from contextualising our philanthropic vision to rigorous due diligence on potential partners. Her guidance on programme design spanning skilling, STEM education, food access and healthcare has been instrumental in ensuring our investments are feasible, measurable, and built for long-term impact. I value her deeply as a thought partner and trusted advisor.
Snigdha has worked with multiple NGOs over the years and has always shown incredible dedication, commitment, and hard work in everything she does. She has always been approachable, available, and extremely patient — someone who is genuinely kind, humble, and always willing to help. What I admire most is that she truly cares about the work she does. She has immense empathy towards the people and NGOs she works with, and her support and guidance always come from a very genuine place.
Most good giving starts
with one conversation.
If you're navigating philanthropy in India — as a company, an individual, or an organisation — I'd like to understand what you're working on. Not a pitch. Not a proposal. A starting point.
Before you reach out —
a few things people ask.
- What does a typical engagement look like?
- Most engagements run 9–12 months — long enough to move from strategy to execution. You're not hiring me for a report; you're hiring me for the work that follows it. I engage at one day a week as a baseline, with the understanding that specific moments may call for more.
- What's the investment?
- Retainer-based, typically across a 9–12 month engagement. Scope and investment adjust with complexity — more days, more depth, more commitment. I prefer not to take on one-off projects; the value is in sustained partnership, not a single deliverable.
- Can you help build an operations or leadership team?
- Yes — and this is often where the work becomes most tangible. Defining roles, finding the right people, supporting the hiring process — building a team that can carry the work forward is a core part of what I do for clients who are growing or professionalising.
- Are you limited to Kolkata, or can you help us connect more broadly?
- Not at all. My networks run deep in Kolkata but extend across India — and into diaspora and international philanthropic circles. A significant part of the value I bring is connecting clients to the right people in the right places, wherever that leads.
- Can the time commitment flex as our needs evolve?
- Yes. We agree on a baseline and adjust together as specific moments require — a hiring sprint, a board presentation, a critical decision point. I don't disappear between retainer days; I stay engaged with what's unfolding.
Start the conversation
I work with clients across India and in the diaspora — foundations, HNI individuals, and organisations navigating complex philanthropy or CSR challenges.
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01
You talk, I listen
The first call is 30 minutes. I want to understand your situation before I say anything useful. No pitch, no checklist — just a real conversation.
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02
We go deeper
If there's something worth exploring, we have a second conversation. This is where I start to see what's actually needed — and whether I'm the right fit.
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03
A clear path forward
If we're aligned, I'll outline scope, timeline, and investment. Nothing open-ended. Once we begin, you'll hear from me twice a week — calls, documents, thinking together — for as long as the work requires.