Lila Poonawalla Foundation

What Lila Poonawalla Foundation does

Lila Poonawalla Foundation (LPF) is a Pune-headquartered Public Charitable Trust established in 1995 by Mrs. Lila Poonawalla and Mr. Firoz Poonawalla. It provides merit-cum-need based scholarships and a structured 'Beyond Scholarship' skill-development program for academically strong girls from financially disadvantaged families in India, operating across six cities — Pune, Wardha, Amravati, Nagpur, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru. As of the most recent disclosures, the foundation has supported over 17,000 scholars since inception and reports touching 41,005+ lives including family members, with cumulative scholarship disbursement plus partner contributions of ₹150 Crores+ (≈ USD 18M).

The core product set comprises three scholarship programs — the School Project '2morrow 2gether' (7th grade through graduation, launched 2011), Undergraduate Scholarship and Skill Building (Engineering, Nursing, Pharmacy, Sciences), and Postgraduate Scholarship and Skill Building — supplemented by the 'Beyond Scholarship' module covering essential skills, technical/functional skills (IoT, AI, ML), professional competencies, mentoring, industry exposure, and placement support. Delivery is community-led, relying on 40+ academic partner colleges for selection and outreach, 30+ corporate CSR and international foundation partners for funding and volunteer engagement, and 310+ active volunteers. LPF holds FCRA registration, 80G tax exemption, and Credibility Alliance certification.

LPF is a donation-monetised non-profit with no commercial pricing. Revenue is sourced from corporate CSR (SKODA AUTO Volkswagen India, Tata group, Cummins, Ansys, Volvo, IKEA Foundation, etc.), international foundations (IKEA Foundation, CAF America, InMaat Foundation, Share and Care Foundation), and individual donors including an alumni 'Family Cares' giving circle. Reported outcomes include 90-95% education completion, 65-70% gainful employment within one year, and 38-43% placement within the first year of course completion, with starting salary packages for engineering graduates reported in the INR 2.5L-12L range. The organization employs 11-50 staff across an all-women team and operates under a Board of Trustees chaired by Mrs. Lila Poonawalla.

Name

Lila Poonawalla Foundation

Legal name

Lila Poonawalla Foundation

Website

https://lilapoonawallafoundation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Lila Poonawalla Foundation is a Pune-based non-profit Public Charitable Trust that provides merit-cum-need scholarships and skill-building programs for financially disadvantaged girls, having supported over 17,000 scholars across six Indian cities since 1995.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Educational Non-Profit Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Civic and Social Organizations (8134)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Need-Based Grants & Bursaries (EDAIAOAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE), Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK), Degree-Level Scholarships (Undergrad/Masters/PhD/Postdoc) (EDAIAOAE), Research Grants, Fellowships & Stipends (International) (EDAIAOAJ)

Keywords

• Girls education scholarships
• Women empowerment programs
• Skill development training
• Educational charitable trust
• Merit cum need scholarships

Headquarters

HQ city

Pune

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and CSR Funding: LPF operates as a non-profit public charitable trust that receives funding from corporate CSR partners, foundations (India and international from USA/UK), individual donors, and well-wishers. Corporate partners provide funding beyond direct scholarships including employee volunteering, mentoring, and placement support.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Lila Poonawalla Foundation is a non-profit Public Charitable Trust that provides merit-cum-need based scholarships to academically bright girls from financially disadvantaged families across India, supporting education from 7th grade through postgraduation. The foundation supplements financial scholarships with a 'Beyond Scholarship' program covering essential skills, technical/functional skills (IoT, AI, ML), professional competencies, mentoring, industry exposure visits, and internship/placement support. Programs are delivered across six cities in India (Pune, Wardha, Amravati, Nagpur, Hyderabad, Bengaluru) and are funded through corporate CSR contributions, foundation grants, and individual donations.

Product overview

Lila Poonawalla Foundation operates a unified scholarship program portfolio consisting of three core programs: the School Project '2morrow 2gether' (supporting girls from 7th grade through graduation), the Undergraduate Scholarship and Skill Building Project, and the Postgraduate Scholarship and Skill Building Project. All programs offer Merit-cum-Need Based Scholarships accompanied by the 'Beyond Scholarship' module that provides essential skills training, technical/functional skills, professional competencies, campus readiness, mentoring, industry exposure, and internship/placement support. The foundation operates across Pune, Wardha, Amravati, Nagpur, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru districts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LILA (Leading Indian Ladies Ahead): Motto and program naming convention used for scholarship recipients - LILA Juniors (school), LILA Seniors (higher secondary), LILA Girls (undergraduate), LILA Fellows (postgraduate)
• 2morrow 2gether

Products and services

• School Project – '2morrow 2gether' Merit-cum-need based scholarship program that supports girls from 7th grade through graduation, providing financial scholarships along with personal and professional skill building programs for girls from non-aided and partially aided schools in Pune city and rural areas (family income below Rs. 1,25,000).
• Undergraduate Scholarship and Skill Building Project Merit-cum-need based scholarship and skill building program for girls aged 17-25 from poor or lower-middle-class households (annual income below Rs. 3,50,000) pursuing undergraduate studies in Engineering, Engineering after Diploma, Nursing, Pharmacy, and Sciences across Pune, Wardha, Amravati, Nagpur, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru.
• Postgraduate Scholarship and Skill Building Project Merit-cum-need based scholarship and skill building program for academically meritorious but financially challenged girls pursuing postgraduate studies in multiple streams within Pune District, including overseas scholarships.
• Beyond Scholarship Program Holistic skill building and development program covering essential skills (self-defence, health awareness, time management, English communications), technical/functional skills (IoT, AI, Machine Learning), professional competencies (personality development, presentation skills, leadership), campus readiness, mentoring by industry experts, industry exposure visits, and internship/placement support for LPF scholars.

Quantifiable outcome

• 90-95% of supported girls complete their education
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

49 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• ABB India LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate CSR partner providing funding and employee volunteering for LPF scholarship and skill building programs. Supports women leaders in technology.
• Aditya Birla GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate CSR partner supporting LPF through funding for girls' education programs.
• Ansys InccoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate CSR partner providing funding and volunteering support for LPF programs. Signed CSR agreement in October 2019.
• BMC Software IncminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate CSR partner providing funding and employee volunteering for diversity and inclusion initiatives.
• SKODA AUTO Volkswagen IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKey corporate partner providing funding, employee volunteering, mentoring, industry exposure visits, and placement opportunities for LPF scholars. Offers internships and has employed multiple LPF alumni.
• Tata TechnologiescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate CSR partner providing funding and volunteering support. CFO Savitha Balachandran expressed appreciation for partnership to enable young women to pursue independence and careers in tech.
• ConcentrixcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate CSR partner providing funding and volunteering support. SVP Ravinder Singh Rana emphasized commitment to stay closely associated with LPF.
• HSBC Technology IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner that joined hands with LPF for COVID-19 Essential Relief Kits donation to affected families of LILA Juniors.
• Seco Tools India Pvt. LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner that signed MoU with LPF to support 70 girls studying in 11th and 12th standard. Provides funding and volunteering support including shop floor exposure visits.
• AmdocscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner conducting Corporate Employability Program (CEP) for 4 years, teaching non-academic curriculum including Big Data, AI, and Interview Skills.
• FICCIminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFICCI Flo partnered with LPF in January 2020. FICCI is the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry.
• Cummins IndiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate CSR partner providing funding and venue support for LPF programs. Ex-GM Arun Kumar noted immense pride in LPF's work.
• Forbes MarshallminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner with Director Rati Forbes on LPF Board of Trustees. Forbes Marshall Group supports LPF through various engagement programs.
• Dassault SystemesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing employment opportunities. LPF alumni Rashmi works as Product Manager at Dassault Systemes India.
• Atlas Copco India LtdminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner focused on bridging gap between genders and supporting women leaders. Ex-Managing Director Giovanni Valent expressed pride in LPF's work.
• Alfa LavalminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistorical corporate partner. Mrs. Lila Poonawalla's career at Alfa Laval led to founding of LPF.
• WhizAIminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner supporting LPF through funding and engagement programs.
• AryakaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing funding support for LPF programs.
• Bajaj FinservminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing CSR funding support for LPF programs.
• BiltemaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing funding support for LPF programs.
• BNYminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing funding support for LPF programs.
• BroseminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing funding support for LPF programs.
• ClarionminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing funding support for LPF programs.
• CommvaultminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing funding support for LPF programs.
• Crane CominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing funding support for LPF programs.
• Embassy GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing funding support for LPF programs.
• HoerbigerminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing employee volunteering support for LPF programs.
• HöganäsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing funding support for LPF programs.
• KirloskarminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner. Senior leader Suhas Kirloskar has been working with LPF for 8 years helping promising girls develop skill sets.
• Mukul Madhav FinanceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing funding support for LPF programs.
• NihilantminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing funding support for LPF programs.
• PTCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing funding support for LPF programs.
• QualysminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing funding support for LPF programs.
• SafranminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing funding support for LPF programs.
• SandvikminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing funding support for LPF programs.
• Scienaptic SystemsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing funding support for LPF programs.
• SGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing funding support for LPF programs.
• Tata Autocomp SystemsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing funding support for LPF programs.
• TietominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing funding support for LPF programs.
• UnitedminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing funding support for LPF programs.
• VivictaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing funding support for LPF programs.
• Volkswagen Group Sales IndiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing funding support for LPF programs.
• VolvominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing funding support for LPF programs.
• YobohominorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing funding support for LPF programs.
• 3M IndiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing funding support for LPF programs.
• AlleimaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing funding support for LPF programs.
• Cummins College of Engineering for WomenminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAcademia partner in Pune and Nagpur supporting scholarship awareness and participating in selection committees.
• Datta Meghe College of EngineeringminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAcademia partner in Wardha supporting scholarship awareness and providing infrastructure for training programs.
• HVPM College of Engineering & Technology, AmravatiminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAcademia partner in Amravati. Principal Dr. A.B. Marathe has expressed commitment to empowering greater number of girls through the association.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Nanhi Kali (KC Mahindra Trust / Mahindra Foundation): Nanhi Kali sponsors the education of underprivileged girls from Class 1 to 10 (and beyond), combining scholarships with digital learning and mentorship. Closest direct competitor to LPF's '2morrow 2gether' school scholarship program for girls.
• Milaan Foundation: Milaan Foundation runs the 'Girl Icon' program providing scholarships, mentoring and life skills to underprivileged adolescent girls across India. Directly comparable to LPF's merit-cum-need scholarship plus skill-building model for girls from low-income families.
• Akanksha Foundation: Akanksha runs schools and scholarship programs for underprivileged children in Mumbai and Pune, including alumni college and career support. Directly comparable school-to-career pipeline model anchored in the same cities LPF serves.
• American India Foundation: AIF operates the 'Maitri' and 'Learning and Migration Program' scholarships alongside FCRA-funded programs targeting underprivileged Indian children, including a strong focus on girls' education. Comparable scholarship-plus-skill-building model with international donor base.

Broad incumbents

• CRY (Child Rights and You): Large Indian child rights nonprofit funding education, healthcare and protection projects for underprivileged children, including girls' education. Broader mandate but overlapping donor base, geographic focus and education-scholarship components.
• Pratham Education Foundation: One of India's largest education NGOs, running large-scale literacy, numeracy and secondary-completion programs for low-income children with a strong girls' education focus. Comparable as a larger, broader-education nonprofit serving overlapping beneficiary segments.
• Bharti Foundation (Satya Bharti Schools): Corporate CSR foundation funding rural education through schools and scholarships, with a strong girls' enrollment focus. Comparable as an India-based corporate foundation running education scholarship programs at scale.

Regional players

• Magic Bus India Foundation: Magic Bus runs youth employability and education programs for underprivileged adolescents in India, including mentoring and job-readiness. Comparable as an education-to-employment nonprofit serving similar demographics, with overlapping corporate CSR partners.
• Aga Khan Foundation (India): International foundation funding girls' education, secondary-completion scholarships and skill development across South Asia. Comparable international grantmaking foundation with need-based scholarship programs for disadvantaged girls.

Emerging players

• Salaam Bombay Foundation: Salaam Bombay provides skills training, mentoring and scholarships for adolescents from Mumbai slums, with a particular focus on adolescent girls. Comparable in the 'beyond scholarship' skills/mentoring dimension though narrower geographically.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FoundationLila
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCUuu253DHFZ86LNfdF35HZg
• Facebookfacebook.com/LilaPoonawallaFoundationIndia
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lila-poonawalla-foundation---india
• Instagraminstagram.com/lilapoonawallafoundation_lpf

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Lila Poonawalla Foundation