‘Dolphin Tank’ is a unique platform, fostering growth and sustainability in the cause areas that matter
Mumbai: #LivingMyPromise (LMP), a pioneering community-driven philanthropic initiative, raised INR 2 crore during the fourth season of ‘Dolphin Tank’, a format inspired by the ‘Shark Tank’. NGOs with annual budgets ranging from INR 30 lakh to INR 2 crore and typically more than five to seven years old are eligible to participate. After collectively raising 4.7 crore from the previous three editions, the 4th season, which was held virtually on October 5, 2024, raised close to 2 crore with 15 LMP promisors backing 14 NGOs supporting a variety of causes.
As part of #DaanUtsav celebrations, LMP launched the ‘Dolphin Tank’ in 2021 to simplify giving by offering a community-driven platform for LMP Promisors while enabling NGOs to effectively present their work and raise essential funds. LMP’s promisors reflect their unwavering passion for changing society through the transformative nature of philanthropy, and these creative fundraising efforts such as ‘Dolphin Tank’ underline this passion. The participating NGOs make a three-minute pitch, which is almost conversational, allowing them to focus on the causes they are working for and their unique solutions.
Gunjan Thaney, Head of LMP, speaking about the successful 4th edition of ‘Dolphin Tank’, said, “The #LivingMyPromise Dolphin Tank format simplifies the process of giving, making it easy and efficient for both funders and NGOs. With just a three-minute pitch, organizations have the opportunity to raise funds, demonstrating that philanthropy doesn’t need to be overcomplicated. Instead of burdening NGOs with extra tasks, Dolphin Tank allows them to focus on achieving their goals while enabling promisors to engage as deeply as they wish—whether through financial support, offering their time and expertise, or even expanding their networks. This approach keeps the philanthropic process flexible and impactful for everyone involved. With the past 3 successful editions, this year again saw some incredible work being eagerly supported by our community of philanthropists.”
‘Dolphin Tank’ is a unique platform, fostering growth and sustainability in the cause areas that matter. The NGOs pitch to a panel of ‘Dolphins’, a jury of LMP promisors who generously extend support to these impactful organizations, many times above and beyond monetary resources and often even helping them refine their pitches from a donor’s perspective. Many noteworthy success stories have emerged from this noble event and allowed organizations to come into the spotlight for their trailblazing work. This unique approach to fundraising offers a groundbreaking way for NGOs to secure important resources while making philanthropy more accessible and streamlined. As Dolphins are wiser than Sharks, the name is befitting, reflecting a novel concept that focuses on empowering NGOs through impactful collaborations.
The participating organizations work for various causes, such as animal protection, protecting children against sex trafficking, and aiding persons with disabilities, among others. Raj Mohan, founder of Sustainable Green Initiative and a climate leader; Govind Iyer, a philanthropist and Chairperson at SVP India; Sudhir Shenoy, a Management leader and champion for disability inclusion; and Meenakshi Ramesh, a civic volunteer and co-investor in a Social Fund were some of the notable LMP promisors who joined the virtual event as Dolphins.
Nandkumar Rane, a first-time participating promisor, said,“In a world where we’re often bombarded with news of conflict, division, and uncertainty, this event was a much-needed reminder of the goodness and hope that still exists. These incredible young founders are doing work that truly matters, and being part of this journey with them left me feeling both humbled and inspired. Each one of them spoke with such conviction, sharing innovative solutions and plans to scale their impact, often leveraging technology in ways that left me in awe. I committed resources to organizations working in education for women and underprivileged children, causes that my mother cared deeply about, making this a deeply personal experience for me as well.”