DHAN Foundation

Name

DHAN Foundation

Legal name

Development of Humane Action (DHAN) Foundation

Website

https://dhan.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1,001–5,000 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development and Microfinance Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Community Food Services (624210), Community Food Services (62421)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro primary industry

Rural Livelihoods & Economic Empowerment (BPAGABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Agriculture & Food Security Development (BPAGABAB), Sustainable Agriculture & Food Systems Funds (FSANAJAE), Development Finance & Blended Finance Facilities (BPADAOAD), Agriculture, Food Security & Nutrition Technical Assistance (BPADAEAG)

Keywords

• Community development programs
• Microfinance services
• Self-help group banking
• Rural development programmes
• Poverty eradication initiatives

Headquarters

HQ city

Madurai

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Microfinance Interest Income: DHAN Foundation through its Kalanjiam Community Banking Programme provides credit to SHG members. The savings that members mobilize in their groups are provided as loans to members in need of credit to meet their consumption and production needs. Savings of the SHG members have reached Rs. 499 crores in their institutions, with loan outstanding at Rs. 798 crores.
2. Member Contributions to Institutional Costs: Poor women contribute to meet all the running cost of their institutions, which makes their institutions financially self-reliant. Contribution stood at Rs. 67 crores.
3. Bank Linkage Services: Annual credit turnover of Kalanjiams through Bank-linkage has reached Rs. 300 crores. DHAN facilitates linkages between SHGs and banks, earning through service fees.

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

DHAN Foundation runs a portfolio of community development programmes organised around community-owned People's Institutions. Its flagship offering is the Kalanjiam Community Banking Programme, which mobilises savings from and provides credit, micro-insurance, and micro-pension products to about 1.5 million poor households across 14 Indian states. Supplementary programmes cover tank-fed agriculture and water conservation (Vayalagam), rainfed farming, small millet nutrition, coastal conservation, panchayat governance, healthcare (SUHAM), education (HELP), housing (HOPE), ICT for poor, and heritage tourism.

Product overview

DHAN Foundation operates as a professional development organisation offering a multi-layered portfolio of community development programmes, specialised thematic institutions, and support service centres. The core offerings include: DHAN Kalanjiam Foundation (community banking for poverty reduction serving 1.5 million households), DHAN Vayalagam Foundation (tank-fed agriculture and water conservation), Small Millet Foundation (nutrition security through small millets), Panchayat Development Foundation, and Coastal Conservation and Livelihood Programme. These are complemented by SPICE institutions including KDFS (development finance), SUHAM (healthcare), ICT for Poor, HELP (education), and HOPE (housing). Cross-cutting support is provided through centres for HR development, finance, research, policy planning, digitisation and data analytics, and development communication. The DHAN Academy provides development management education. This is not a single unified product but rather a comprehensive ecosystem of interconnected development programmes and institutions working toward poverty eradication through community empowerment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kalanjiam Community Banking: Community banking programme based on SHG bank linkage model for poverty reduction among poor women
• Vayalagam
• The DHAN Academy
• Small Millet Foundation
• Panchayat Development Foundation
• KDFS
• SUHAM
• HELP

Products and services

• DHAN Kalanjiam Foundation (Community Banking Programme)
• DHAN Vayalagam Foundation (Tank-fed Agriculture Development)
• The DHAN Academy (Development Management School)
• Small Millet Foundation
• DHAN Panchayat Development Foundation
• Coastal Conservation and Livelihood Programme (CALL)
• Rainfed Farming Development Programme (RFDP)
• Kalanjiam Development Financial Services (KDFS)
• Sustainable Healthcare Advancement (SUHAM)
• ICT for Poor
• Holistic Education for Life Learning Programme (HELP)
• DHAN Housing and Habitat Development of Poor for Empowerment Confederation (HOPE)
• Centre for Heritage and Development Tourism

Quantifiable outcome

• 2 lakhs families moved out of poverty (self-declared)
• +4 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Sir Ratan Tata Trust (SRTT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2000Partnership between DHAN Foundation and Sir Ratan Tata Trust (SRTT), Mumbai to establish The DHAN Academy - the Development Management school. The Academy was begun in December 2000 with the aim of becoming a Centre of Excellence in Development Management.
• HDFC ParivartanmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDHAN and HDFC Parivartan have been collaborating for the past four years through various development projects to enhance the lives of poor and marginalized populations. Collaboration has helped the local community achieve a better quality of life and an enhanced standard of living.
• Redington FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerRedington Foundation supports enhancing the water and Energy accessibility to the tribal community and the urban ecosystem's vitality and resilience through urban waterbody restoration through a community-driven approach.
• Hinduja FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHinduja Foundation supports conserving and redefining the purposes of urban water bodies in the coastal area to support sustainable livestock rearing through a community-driven process.
• SBI FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSBI Foundation supported Gram Seva Project in Kariyapatti Block of Virudhunagar District, Tamil Nadu contributing to DHAN Foundation receiving Best Performing NGO Award.
• McGill UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerImplemented Scaling up Small Millet Post-harvest and Nutritious Food Products Project (2016-2018) along with McGill University to develop and apply ways for scaling up small millet processing and value addition technologies.
• Canadian Mennonite UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLed the Revalorising Small Millets in Rainfed Regions of South Asia (RESMISA) project (2011-2014) along with Canadian Mennonite University, Canada, LI-BIRD, Nepal and Arthacharya Foundation, Sri Lanka to improve cultivation and consumption of small millets.
• Tamil Nadu Agricultural UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch institution partner for small millet interventions, contributing to technology development and capacity building.
• Indian Institute of Millet Research, ICARmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in small millet mainstreaming efforts, recognized DHAN Foundation with National Siridhanya Award 2019 under Best NGO category.
• Government of IndiamajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMultiple government partnerships including UNDP supported Endogenous Tourism for Rural Livelihoods project, post-tsunami relief and livelihood restoration, and various state government collaborations.
• Insurance CompaniesmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with multiple insurance companies for providing micro-insurance products to poor families - reaching 1 million families with annual premium of Rs. 40 crore providing risk cover of about Rs. 1200 crores.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• BRAC: One of the world's largest development NGOs operating microfinance, education, healthcare, and livelihoods across multiple countries - comparable multi-vertical anti-poverty model, but at global scale.
• Ujjivan Small Finance Bank: Indian Small Finance Bank evolved from microfinance roots serving underserved poor and women - comparable microfinance-to-banking trajectory and customer segment to DHAN Kalanjiam/KDFS.
• Spandana Sphoorty Financial: Indian microfinance institution serving low-income women via group lending - closely comparable client base and JLG model to DHAN's Kalanjiam but as a regulated, listed NBFC-MFI.
• Grameen Bank: Bangladesh-based global pioneer of microfinance and group-lending to the poor - same microfinance/poverty-eradication mission as DHAN Kalanjiam, but at vastly larger global scale and with a banking license.
• ASA International: Listed microfinance institution operating across South and Southeast Asia - directly comparable business model to KDFS but with for-profit structure and broader geographic footprint.

Regional players

• Mann Deshi Mahila Sahakari Bank: Maharashtra-based women's cooperative bank serving rural poor women with microfinance and livelihood programs - directly comparable women-led rural microfinance mission to DHAN Kalanjiam, but focused on a different Indian geography.

Direct peers

• PRADAN: Professional Assistance for Development Action is an Indian NGO promoting women's collectives and livelihoods - directly comparable to DHAN's Kalanjiam model; M.P. Vasimalai was a key founding member of PRADAN before establishing DHAN.
• SEWA (Self-Employed Women's Association): Indian trade union and cooperative of self-employed women providing financial services, health, childcare, and insurance - comparable women-led, multi-service institution serving poor women, similar in mission to DHAN Kalanjiam.
• BASIX Social Enterprise Group: Indian livelihood-promotion social enterprise offering microfinance, agricultural services, and skill-building to poor households - closely comparable in customer segment (rural poor) and integrated service model to DHAN.

Others

• NABARD: India's apex rural development bank that funds SHG-bank linkage and watershed programs - directly comparable program area to DHAN Vayalagam/Kalanjiam, and a key financial partner to DHAN.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/foundationdhan
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/cfpdhan
• Facebookfacebook.com/DHAN-Foundation-2421738921387153
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/dhan-foundation-offical
• Instagraminstagram.com/dhanfoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about DHAN Foundation