What types of projects does ILP fund?
Your contributions are utilized to fund such projects in four key areas:
1) Functional Adult Literacy: Primarily focused on women's education and skills training.
2) Back to School: Residential & non-residential 'bridge' courses that bring children up to speed before putting them back in government schools.
3) Strengthening Mainstream Schools and improving quality of education: Working together with the local community and government to ensure that there is self-sustenance. Development of innovative and effective teaching methods.
4) Mass Literacy Initiatives: Raising literacy levels over a large geographic area (block/ district/ state) by effective utilization of government resources & applying successful intervention models
Where can I get information about all the projects ILP currently funds?
Detailed project information is available here
What criteria do you use to fund a project?
Project evaluation is done based on
1. Whether the project is in line with ILP's mission.
2. Whether the organization has a valid FCRA Registration from the Government of India to receive foreign funds.
3. The resources and experience of the project coordinators.
4. Evaluation by experts/consultants of the credibility, secular and non-partisan nature of the organization.
5. The organization's project plan.
What metrics do you use to track project success?
ILP projects’ performance is tracked against quantitative metrics and for qualitative impact.
Quantitative Metrics
These are defined based on the type of activities (also referred to as methods of intervention). Some examples of interventions and the corresponding metrics are listed below.
1) Intervention: Enrollment Campaigns
a. Balwadi / Anganwadi Enrollments
b. Out of School children
2) Intervention: Supporting a Balwadi / Anganawadi
a. Attendance Tracking
3) Intervention: Bridge Schools/Retention Programs
a. Drop out Numbers
b. Out of School Children
c. Attendance Tracking
d. Children enrolled into main stream schools
4) Intervention: Adult Literacy Programs
a. Literacy Class Attendance
b. Skills training coverage
Qualitative Impact
We ensure that our interventions bring about social change, create awareness, and empower the community. Examples of some qualitiative metrics are:
1) Community mobilization including empowerment of School Development and Monitoring Committees, Self Help Groups, Youth groups etc.
2) Working with networks, specific activities, issues highlighted with the network etc (Advocacy)
Does ILP fund regular (government/mainstream) schools?
ILP's primary mission is to provide non-formal education to women, adults and children. Where regular formal schools are available, ILP funds initiatives that supplement mainstream schools, by supporting services like para-teachers and after school support. We have seen that this methodology helps immensely to improve attendance at government schools.
How do you find your organizations to partner with?
Most often we find them with help from people like you who are familiar with the work of the organization and make a recommendation to ILP. We also seek out organizations that are serving in underserved areas.
Is there a document about ILP that prospective partner organizations can use?
Please contact projects@ilpnet.org for a synopsis of ILP and a project application form.
Are these organizations confined to rural areas only?
No. Our goal is to partner with any organization dedicated to the cause of literacy.
In my village, we have an organization. Will ILP support this organization?
If the project proposed and the organization meet ILP's criteria, it will certainly be considered for funding. ILP evaluates whether funds should be sent, depending on the project's scope and goals, and availability of funds.
Does ILP support funding of programs that run daycare centers providing care for children of rural working women?
Recognizing the role of Early Childhood Education in a child's education, ILP does support balwadi and anganawadi centers. These centers also ensure that older siblings do not drop out of school to take of their younger brothers and sisters.
Will ILP provide functional, formal, informal, vocational training/education for abused and neglected children/women? What about men?
Yes. ILP supports alternate formal schools that promote self-sustenance and become models that can be replicated / adopted by mainstream schools
Will ILP provide partial funds to groups receiving remaining funding from another organization/group?
Yes, if the project and organization align with previously mentioned requirements.
What is the time required to start funding a project once ILP receives an application from the organization?
If ILP has sufficient funds to take on a project, it usually takes up to 3-4 months to evaluate and approve the project before sending funds.