GuideStar India
GuideStar India operates India's largest verified NPO database, providing Trust & Transparency Seals certification, due diligence tools, and API access to donors, corporate CSR programs, and NGOs across India.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersNew Delhi, India
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What GuideStar India does
GuideStar India is the operating initiative of Civil Society Information Services India (CSISI), a public charitable trust founded in 2009 and headquartered in Delhi with operations in Mumbai. The organization functions as India's primary information repository for Not-for-Profit Organisations, maintaining a verified database of 12,200+ NPOs spanning every state and district, supplemented by 200,000+ sector resources and relationships. Its core products are the NPO Profile Management Platform, an Advanced NPO Search tool filtering by certification level, geography, cause, financials and FCRA eligibility, and the Trust & Transparency Seals certification program — a five-tier credibility mark (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze+, Bronze) issued against a proprietary 7-pillar assessment rubric covering governance, finance, impact, and accountability.
The underlying technology is a web-based platform with API infrastructure enabling third-party integrations, hosted at guidestarindia.org. The Trust & Transparency Seals certification is the principal commercial offering: entry-level Engage verification is free to NPOs, while higher tiers require paid applications on an annual cadence, producing a subscription-like recurring revenue stream. API Solutions for platforms and Capacity Building / Due Diligence services extend monetization into B2B and professional services channels. Distribution combines a self-serve website, social and community channels (LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, WhatsApp, Changemakers Forum), and a channel partnership with TechSoup Global.
GuideStar India serves three primary customer segments: individual donors and philanthropists seeking to verify charity credibility; corporate philanthropy and CSR programs requiring vetted NGO partners; and NPOs/NGOs themselves seeking credibility certification and donor visibility. A fourth, secondary segment comprises researchers and policymakers using the platform's pan-India NPO surveys and data. The organization holds 12A, 80G, FCRA, and Darpan registrations, conferring official charitable-trust status, and is supported by philanthropy partners including Wipro Foundation and Benchmark Capital alongside technology partners such as Frappe (ERPNext).
GuideStar India firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- GuideStar India
- Legal name
- Civil Society Information Services India (CSISI)
- Website
- https://guidestarindia.org
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- GuideStar India operates India's largest verified NPO database, providing Trust & Transparency Seals certification, due diligence tools, and API access to donors, corporate CSR programs, and NGOs across India.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
GuideStar India industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Nonprofit Transparency Platform
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132), Other Similar Organizations (except Business, Professional, Labor, and Political Organizations) (813990)
- SIC
- Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Philanthropic & Charitable Trust Services (FSAAANAI), Philanthropy & Foundations Advisory (Donor-Advised Funds, Endowments) (FSAAABAH)
Keywords
Where GuideStar India is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- New Delhi
- HQ country
- India
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices1 record
Markets served
GuideStar India business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- NPO Certification Services: GuideStar India offers Trust and Transparency Seals at various levels (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze+, Bronze) which NPOs can apply for to enhance credibility. Certification is free for Engage Level (Entry verification) and likely subscription-based for higher certification tiers.
- API and Platform Solutions: Provides API solutions to power third-party platforms with GuideStar India's NPO data for philanthropy and impact programs
- Capacity Building and Due Diligence Services: Educational programs and frameworks to equip NPOs to build trust and transparency
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Annual | Engage Level - Free entry verification for NPOs |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels8 records
GuideStar India product offering
Product offeringCore offering
GuideStar India operates India's most comprehensive information repository of Not-for-Profit Organizations (NPOs/NGOs), providing verified profiles, a 7-pillar Trust & Transparency Seals certification program, and due diligence data for donors, philanthropists, and CSR programs. The platform enables NPOs to register and claim profiles, earn tiered certification (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze+, Bronze), and access capacity building, while giving donors and corporates tools to discover and verify credible charities across India.
Product overview
GuideStar India operates as a comprehensive platform for India's Not-for-Profit sector, offering a unified ecosystem of tools and services. The core platform consists of the NPO Profile Management Platform, which allows NGOs to register and maintain verified profiles, complemented by the Trust & Transparency Seals Certification program with five credibility tiers. The Advanced NPO Search enables donors and stakeholders to discover vetted organizations. Additional offerings include NPO Capacity Building Solutions for organizational development, an Opportunities Platform for engagement (offers, asks, events), and NPO Data & Analytics providing sector research and standards. The platform positions itself as the primary verification and transparency infrastructure for Indian civil society organizations.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- NPO Profile Management Platform Online platform enabling Not-for-Profit Organisations in India to register, claim, and maintain verified profiles containing organizational, financial, and governance information for public transparency and donor discovery.
- Trust & Transparency Seals Certification Credibility certification program with five tiers (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze+, Bronze) based on a 7-pillar assessment rubric covering Situation Analysis, Theory of Change, Programme Intervention & Resilience, Infrastructure, Finance & Compliance, Governance & Accountability, and Evidence of Impact and Learning & Reflection. Designed for Indian NPOs seeking third-party verification of governance and impact.
- Advanced NPO Search Public-facing search tool enabling donors, CSR teams, and researchers to discover Indian NPOs by certification level, geography (state, district, pincode), cause area, organization size, tax benefits (80G), and FCRA eligibility.
- NPO Data & Analytics Data, research, and analytics products including NPO surveys (including India's first pan-India NPO Survey with IIMA in FY 2022-23), sector reports, data standards, and taxonomies to help researchers, policymakers, and institutions understand the Indian nonprofit sector.
- NPO Capacity Building Solutions Professional services and educational programs designed to equip Indian NPOs with frameworks, tools, and knowledge to build trust, transparency, governance capacity, and prepare for due diligence and certification.
- Opportunities Platform Platform feature enabling Indian NGOs to publish and discover offers, asks, events, and announcements, facilitating engagement with supporters, funders, and the broader nonprofit community.
Quantifiable outcome
- 135+ NPOs vetted for advanced certification levels
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use GuideStar India
Customer profileNamed customers9 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
GuideStar India technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature3 records
GuideStar India partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- IIMA Research Team (Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad)corePartnered with IIMA Research team for the first pan-India NPO Survey in FY 2022-23 as part of India's Million Missions initiative, an initiative of CSO Coalition@75. This partnership produced seminal research on the Indian nonprofit sector.
- Wipro FoundationminorPhilanthropy partner supporting GuideStar India's NPO verification initiatives. Featured in supporter logos section.
- TechSoup GlobalminorGlobal technology partner for NGOs providing access to technology products and services for nonprofits. Listed as supporter/collaborator.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
GuideStar India competitors and assessment
Company assessmentRegional players
- Indian Centre for Philanthropy: Indian nonprofit focused on promoting philanthropy through research, training, and standards development. Regional peer with overlapping mission of strengthening the Indian philanthropic ecosystem, though more research and advocacy focused.
- Dasra: Leading Indian strategic philanthropy foundation that supports nonprofits through capacity building and funder connections. Regional peer addressing the same NPO transparency and capacity development needs, primarily through advisory services rather than certification.
- India Development Foundation: Indian nonprofit focused on NPO capacity building and compliance support, including FCRA and tax compliance. Regional peer with overlapping focus on NPO transparency and due diligence support, though more consulting-oriented.
- GiveIndia: India's largest online donation platform connecting donors with vetted nonprofits. Regional peer operating in same Indian market, with overlapping mission of enabling informed giving, though focused on donation facilitation rather than NPO certification.
Direct peers
- Charity Navigator: US-based charity evaluation service that rates nonprofits on financial health, accountability, and transparency. Direct peer in the charity verification and rating space, with similar mission of enabling informed giving through standardized assessments.
- Give.org (BBB Wise Giving Alliance): Evaluates charities against 20 standards for charity accountability. Functions as a direct peer with similar donor-facing charity verification services and standardized assessment methodology.
- Candid (formerly GuideStar USA + Foundation Center): Global leader in nonprofit information and verification, formed by the merger of GuideStar USA and Foundation Center. Directly comparable to GuideStar India as a nonprofit transparency platform with database, ratings, and research capabilities, but at significantly larger scale and global reach.
- GreatNonprofits: Platform for nonprofit reviews and ratings where users share experiences with charities. Direct peer as a nonprofit transparency and credibility platform, focused on user-generated content rather than formal certification.
Broad incumbents
- TechSoup Global: Global network providing technology products and services to nonprofits. Both a partner and partial peer, offering complementary services for NPO capacity building; broader incumbent in nonprofit support infrastructure globally.
- Charities Aid Foundation (CAF): International nonprofit providing philanthropy advisory, donor-advised funds, and charity services across multiple geographies. Broad incumbent offering verification-adjacent services as part of larger philanthropy infrastructure portfolio.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
GuideStar India social profiles
Digital presenceGuideStar India financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
GuideStar India leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
GuideStar India funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
GuideStar India M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about GuideStar India
What does GuideStar India do?
GuideStar India operates India's most comprehensive information repository of Not-for-Profit Organizations (NPOs/NGOs), providing verified profiles, a 7-pillar Trust & Transparency Seals certification program, and due diligence data for donors, philanthropists, and CSR programs. The platform enables NPOs to register and claim profiles, earn tiered certification (Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze+, Bronze), and access capacity building, while giving donors and corporates tools to discover and verify credible charities across India.
Is GuideStar India a public or private company?
GuideStar India is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was GuideStar India founded?
GuideStar India was founded in -1. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is GuideStar India based?
GuideStar India is headquartered in New Delhi, India, in the Asia region.
How does GuideStar India make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. NPO Certification Services are the primary driver. The others are API and Platform Solutions and capacity Building and Due Diligence Services.
Who are GuideStar India's main competitors?
Regional players on record are Indian Centre for Philanthropy, Dasra, India Development Foundation and GiveIndia. Direct peers are Charity Navigator, Give.org (BBB Wise Giving Alliance), Candid (formerly GuideStar USA + Foundation Center) and GreatNonprofits. Broad incumbents are TechSoup Global and Charities Aid Foundation (CAF).
Does GuideStar India have an API?
No public API is recorded for GuideStar India.
What industry is GuideStar India in?
GuideStar India's product category is Nonprofit Transparency Platform. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAA, Private Foundations, with a secondary code of FSAAANAI, Philanthropic & Charitable Trust Services. Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 8300.