Centre for Advocacy and Research - India

What Centre for Advocacy and Research - India does

Centre for Advocacy and Research (CFAR) is a New Delhi-headquartered non-governmental organization founded in January 1998 that delivers community-based development programs for marginalized urban populations in India. Its programmatic portfolio spans water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), health, social inclusion, gender-based violence prevention, humanitarian response, and livelihood development. CFAR operates through a regional structure of at least eight city offices, with programmatic execution carried out alongside central and state government counterparts including NITI Aayog, the National Health Mission, and municipal corporations.

The organization's delivery architecture rests on three interlocking community platforms: Single Window Forums (SWFs) that convene residents and local officials, Community Resource Centres (CRCs) that anchor service provision at the neighbourhood level, and a Champions Programme that trains community members as frontline workers. CFAR supplements direct implementation with research and advocacy, contributing to national campaigns such as Swachh Bharat / Swachhata Hi Seva. The organization employed 82 staff at the time of the source data, and its work has been recognized through multiple awards.

As a non-profit, CFAR's revenue model is grant-based, drawing on institutional international donors (Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, WaterAid, Australian Aid, UNICEF) and bilateral/multilateral partners. It does not sell products or services to end beneficiaries; rather, it competes for restricted and unrestricted grants, positions itself as an implementation partner to government, and reinvests surplus into program scale. There is no commercial product, paid tier, or fee-for-service component described in the available data.

Name

Centre for Advocacy and Research - India

Legal name

Centre for Advocacy and Research

Website

https://cfar.org.in

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

CFAR is a New Delhi-based non-profit, founded in 1998, that runs community programs in WASH, health, gender-based violence response, humanitarian relief, and livelihoods for marginalized urban populations across at least eight Indian cities, funded by international foundations and bilateral aid agencies.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

New Delhi

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices8 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CFAR delivers community-based programs that connect marginalized urban populations in India to government entitlements and essential services. Its portfolio includes Single Window Forums/Helpdesks, Community Resource Centres, Champions networks, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) initiatives, social inclusion programs, gender-based violence prevention, maternal and child health interventions, and livelihood support. Programs are implemented directly with communities and in partnership with government bodies and international development funders.

Product overview

The Centre for Advocacy and Research (CFAR) is a non-profit organization founded in January 1998 that offers community-based programs and advocacy services rather than a unified technology product. Its portfolio consists of several interconnected community service initiatives: the Single Window Forum/Helpdesk that connects marginalized communities with government entitlements; Community Resource Centres (CRC) providing educational support to children in informal settlements; Community Learning Centres offering higher education guidance to first-generation learners; and the Champions Programme training community members to support neighbors. CFAR also conducts advocacy campaigns like Swachhata Hi Seva and maintains a repository of digital publications documenting its work across WASH, health, social inclusion, and gender-based violence. These programs operate through direct community engagement rather than a technology platform.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Single Window Forum / Helpdesk A community-based platform that helps people access government entitlements and resolve service gaps. Single Window Forum members assist marginalized communities in navigating digital platforms, understanding government processes, and organizing documents to access schemes and services.
• Community Resource Centre (CRC) A community-based learning hub established in informal settlements, providing educational support to children from marginalized communities. The CRC operates daily (4:30-7:00 PM), welcomes school students from classes 2 to 9, and offers homework help, creative activities, and a kid's library.
• Community Learning Centre A settlement-level learning space set up as part of the Azim Premji Foundation's urban poor project, providing online preparatory classes, internet access, and mentoring support to help first-generation learners pursue higher education opportunities.
• Champions Programme A community leadership initiative where trained community members (Champions) support neighbors in navigating government services, helping other families access their rights and essential support within their settlements.
• Breakfast Cart Initiative A community-driven solidarity initiative serving free breakfast to daily wage workers, implemented in collaboration with community-based organizations. The cart serves fresh, hot meals to over 150 workers each morning at employment hubs.
• Swachhata Hi Seva Campaign Support Collaborative sanitation awareness initiatives conducted in partnership with municipal corporations, including capacity-building workshops for officials, community awareness drives through street plays, and waste management training.
• Digital Publications and Knowledge Resources A collection of research publications, reports, and knowledge briefs covering WASH, health, social inclusion, gender-based violence, and COVID-19 topics. Includes SFD (Shit Flow Diagram) reports, learning briefs, training modules, and case studies documenting CFAR's community interventions.

Quantifiable outcome

• School attendance improved to 80-95% daily through mid-day meal programs with eggs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• WaterAid IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaterAid India is a key partner in WASH programs, supporting CFAR's water, sanitation and hygiene initiatives in urban informal settlements.
• DasraminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic philanthropy organization supporting CFAR's programs through capacity building and networking.
• NITI AayogcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment think tank partnership for policy-level engagement and program implementation guidance.
• Delhi Urban Shelter Improvement Board (DUSIB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMoU partnership to strengthen community engagement in Adarsh Basti settlements across Delhi.
• Dattopant Thengdi National Board for Workers Education and Development (DTNBWED)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for public consultations and worker empowerment programs in Delhi.
• Azim Premji FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUrban poor project implementing Community Learning Centres and youth engagement programs in Bengaluru settlements.
• UNICEF IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for health programs including newborn health and RMNCHA initiatives in Uttar Pradesh.
• National Health Mission (NHM)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for Kala Azar elimination, newborn health, and health system strengthening in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.
• Implementation Health Action Team (IHAT)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnical support partner for health programs in Uttar Pradesh.
• Bhubaneswar Municipal CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for WASH programs, Swachhata campaigns, and sanitation infrastructure in Bhubaneswar.
• Jaipur Municipal CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for climate-resilient WASH, menstrual health, and Swachhata initiatives in Jaipur.
• Pune Municipal CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for sanitation campaigns, school enrollment drives, and healthcare access programs in Pune.
• Maharashtra Women and Child Development DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for Pink E-Rickshaw Scheme enabling women's economic empowerment through cost-sharing model.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Oxfam India: Oxfam India tackles inequality and poverty through advocacy and on-the-ground programs with vulnerable groups, paralleling CFAR's focus on entitlement access for marginalized communities. Comparable scale, donor mix, and policy engagement orientation.
• Jan Sahas: Jan Sahas works on migrant worker rights, social inclusion, and rehabilitation of bonded labor—closely paralleling CFAR's work with unorganized and migrant laborers. Similar rights-based approach and direct engagement with marginalized communities.
• Sulabh International: Sulabh International is a sanitation-focused NGO in India known for low-cost toilets and waste management, overlapping with CFAR's inclusive sanitation and Swachhata campaigns. Both work with municipal bodies on urban sanitation in low-income communities.
• Habitat for Humanity India: Habitat for Humanity India addresses housing and sanitation for low-income families, aligning with CFAR's WASH and shelter-adjacent community development work. Similar international NGO structure, donor base, and last-mile delivery approach.
• Helpage India: Helpage India advocates for and delivers services to vulnerable elderly populations, sharing CFAR's rights-based advocacy model and community-level service delivery. Both engage with government welfare schemes and entitlements for marginalized groups.
• ActionAid India: ActionAid India is a rights-based NGO working with marginalized communities on women's rights, livelihoods, and social inclusion—closely aligned with CFAR's social inclusion and gender-based violence programs. Similar hybrid model combining community mobilization and government partnership.
• Smile Foundation: Smile Foundation runs education, healthcare, and livelihood programs for underprivileged children and families across India, mirroring CFAR's portfolio across health, education, and livelihoods. Similar donor-funded operating model and multi-state presence.
• SEWA: Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA) organizes unorganized sector women workers for social security and economic empowerment—directly comparable to CFAR's work with domestic workers, garment workers, and NULM-registered SHGs. Similar grassroots mobilization and entitlement access model.
• PRADAN: PRADAN promotes sustainable livelihoods among marginalized communities through women's Self Help Groups and community institutions, similar to CFAR's livelihood, SHG, and Community Associate platforms. Overlapping focus on empowerment and entitlement access.
• WaterAid India: WaterAid India is a leading WASH-focused NGO working with urban poor communities on water, sanitation, and hygiene—directly overlapping with CFAR's WASH programs in informal settlements. Also a strategic partner, it shares CFAR's beneficiary profile and municipal partnership approach.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses6 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CFARngo
• Facebookfacebook.com/CFARngo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/centre-for-advocacy-and-research---india

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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