What Connecting Dreams Foundation does

Connecting Dreams Foundation (CDF) is an Indian non-profit foundation incorporated in Delhi in 2013 that operates as a social-innovation intermediary for grassroots leadership development. The organization delivers programs across four leadership verticals — Education and Future Leadership, Enterprise and Livelihood Leadership, Rural Leadership and Governance, and Climate and Sustainability Leadership — targeting schools, youth, micro-enterprises, panchayats, climate-affected communities, and grassroots NGOs.

Its core delivery infrastructure is the Changemaker Academy, a blended-learning platform combining training programs and fellowships, bootcamps and immersive learning, toolkits and handbooks, certifications and assessments, and mentoring journeys. Program design is governed by two proprietary frameworks: a 3C Model (Collect Dreams, Create Solutions, Change Lives) and a 5C Model (Clarify Vision, Co-create, Catalyse, Crystallise Impact). A separate AI for Development program promotes responsible AI adoption across teachers, youth changemakers, civil society organizations, rural entrepreneurs, and panchayats.

CDF does not sell products or services to beneficiaries; programs are delivered free of cost and the foundation is funded through partnerships and grants with 100+ institutional partners. It reports outcome metrics of 27 Lakh+ lives positively impacted, 1,25,000+ grassroots leaders trained, 250+ rural changemakers supported, and engagement with 50+ schools, while operating with a headcount of 101-250 employees from its South Delhi headquarters.

Name

Connecting Dreams Foundation

Legal name

Connecting Dreams Foundation

Website

https://connecting-dreams.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2013

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Connecting Dreams Foundation is a Delhi-based non-profit that builds grassroots leadership capacity across India's education, livelihood, rural governance, and climate verticals through its Changemaker Academy and 3C/5C methodology, targeting schools, youth, panchayats, micro-enterprises, and grassroots NGOs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Non-profit Leadership Development Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

Keywords

• Leadership development programs
• Grassroots capacity building
• Social innovation services
• Youth leadership training
• Community development initiatives

Headquarters

HQ city

Delhi

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. Partnership and Grant Funding: CDF operates as a foundation relying on partnerships with institutions, corporations, and development organizations to fund its programs and operations. The foundation works with partners to co-create impact rather than selling products or services commercially.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Connecting Dreams Foundation delivers non-profit leadership development programs that train grassroots changemakers, rural entrepreneurs, teachers, and panchayat members across India. It operates a Changemaker Academy offering fellowships, bootcamps, toolkits, certifications, and mentoring, alongside an AI for Development program that promotes responsible AI adoption for inclusive and sustainable development. The foundation applies its proprietary 3C (Collect Dreams, Create Solutions, Change Lives) and 5C (Clarify Vision, Co-create, Catalyse, Crystallise Impact) methodology frameworks across four leadership verticals: Education, Enterprise/Livelihood, Rural Governance, and Climate.

Product overview

Connecting Dreams Foundation operates as a social innovation organization with four leadership verticals (Education and Future Leadership, Enterprise and Livelihood Leadership, Rural Leadership and Governance, Climate and Sustainability Leadership) supported by two core programs: Changemaker Academy, a multi-product platform offering training programs, fellowships, bootcamps, toolkits, certifications, and mentoring; and AI for Development, focused on responsible AI adoption across education, youth, civil society, entrepreneurship, and local governance sectors. The organization employs a 3C Model (Collect Dreams, Create Solutions, Change Lives) and 5C Model (Clarify Vision, Connect, Co-create, Catalyst, Crystallise Impact) to guide its grassroots leadership development approach.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Changemaker Academy: A leadership capacity building initiative offering blended learning, training programs, fellowships, bootcamps, toolkits, resources, certifications, and mentoring networks for grassroots changemakers.
• AI for Development

Products and services

• Changemaker Academy A leadership capacity building platform that offers training programs and fellowships, bootcamps and immersive learning, toolkits/resources/handbooks, certifications and assessments, and mentoring journeys and networks. It is designed for youth changemakers, rural leaders, teachers, and grassroots entrepreneurs across India.
• AI for Development A program promoting responsible AI adoption for inclusive and sustainable development, targeting teachers and classrooms, youth changemakers, civil society organisations, rural entrepreneurs, and panchayats and local governance bodies.

Quantifiable outcome

• 27 Lakh+ lives positively impacted
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Partner Organizations (100+)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCDF collaborates with 100+ partners and institutions including schools, NGOs, government bodies, and corporate partners to co-create inclusive, sustainable and scalable impact. Partners engage through program delivery, beneficiary referral, resource sharing, and collaborative initiative development across education, livelihood, governance, and climate verticals.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Dasra: India-focused philanthropic intermediary that builds capacity of grassroots nonprofits and convenes funders. Comparable operating model around partner enablement and capacity building for NGOs and social enterprises.
• Pratham Education Foundation: One of India's largest NGOs focused on education and youth skills, with comparable program scale and grassroots delivery networks. Directly comparable on education vertical and partnership-driven funding model.
• Akshaya Patra Foundation: Large Indian nonprofit operating across education and community development with corporate-partnership-driven funding. Comparable scale, partnership model, and school-engagement approach.
• Barefoot College: Indian rural development organization training grassroots leaders (especially women) in solar, water, education, and livelihood skills. Closely comparable on rural changemaker training and sustainability verticals.
• Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM): Indian development nonprofit working on education, livelihood, and health in rural communities with a strong volunteer and grassroots leadership model. Closely comparable on rural leadership development focus.
• SEWA (Self-Employed Women's Association): Indian grassroots organization focused on women's livelihood and enterprise development. Directly comparable on the rural enterprise and livelihood vertical and the community-led engagement model.

Broad incumbents

• GiveIndia: India's largest online donation platform and philanthropic infrastructure provider. Comparable on the donor and partnership engagement model, with overlap on rural livelihood and education causes.
• Tata Trusts: India's largest philanthropic foundation funding across education, livelihood, health, and rural development. Operates as a grantmaker and program operator, overlapping with CDF's multi-vertical approach but at materially larger scale.

Regional players

• WRI India: India arm of a global sustainability research organization working on climate, governance, and sustainable cities. Comparable on the climate and rural governance verticals from a more research-driven orientation.

Emerging players

• Haqdarshak: Indian social enterprise enabling citizens and panchayats to access government schemes and entitlements. Closely comparable on the rural governance and 'AI for panchayats' intersection.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CDF_India

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Connecting Dreams Foundation