A Lotus Rise platform · Opening early 2027
Give to the people doing the work in India.
Setu introduces a small number of Indian nonprofits that we have checked carefully. Your gift reaches them through a US charity, so you receive a tax receipt and they receive funds they can legally use.
- A US tax receiptEmailed by a US charity the same day you give.
- Monthly or onceChange or stop a monthly gift at any time.
- News at 30 and 90 daysA short update from the NGO, in its own words.
- Checked in personSeven checks, repeated before every grant.
Projects
Four ways to help SAMADHAN’s work in Delhi.
Give to the part of the work that matters most to you, or let SAMADHAN use your gift where it is needed most.
Early support for babies and their parentsTherapists teach parents exercises to do at home every day, so a child with a developmental delay gets help as early as possible.Opens early 2027See the project 
Small classes, and a way into a regular schoolAbout five children to each teacher, with the aim of moving every child who is ready into a regular school.Opens early 2027See the project 
Paid work for mothersSince 2000, the mothers of SAMADHAN’s children have earned an income making laddoos, spices and Nutri-mix to sell.Opens early 2027See the project 
Skills for teenagersFrom 12 to 16, students learn block printing, card making, bookbinding and gardening in SAMADHAN’s pre-vocational unit.Opens early 2027See the project
Photos are illustrative and were not taken at SAMADHAN. Credits are on each project page.
Give to SAMADHAN
In US dollars, with a US tax receipt.
A preview until giving opens. No card is charged.
The first cohort
A few organisations, each one checked carefully.
We would rather introduce a few organisations we know well than list thousands we have never visited. We share what we find about each one. SAMADHAN is the first, and we are vetting the next few now.
- 01SAMADHANVetting in progress
- 02–06Still to come
How giving works
From your gift to the NGO, in four steps.
Indian NGOs can only accept money from abroad into one designated bank account, and a US tax deduction requires a US charity to be involved. This process meets both requirements.
- STEP 01
You recommend a gift
Give by card or bank transfer, in US dollars, once or every month. You choose the organisation, and you can cover the card fee so your whole gift arrives.
We ask for your name and address because, since June 2026, Indian law requires every NGO to report the original donor behind a foreign gift.
- STEP 02
A US charity receives it
Your gift is made to a US 501(c)(3) public charity, which emails you a tax receipt the same day. We will name the charity here, and on every receipt, before giving opens.
Your gift is tax-deductible in the US. The charity makes the final decision on every grant, which is what makes the deduction valid.
- STEP 03
The charity makes a grant
Each month, the gifts for each organisation are combined into one grant under a written agreement, after we check the NGO’s licence again.
The grant is paid into the NGO’s FCRA account at the State Bank of India, New Delhi Main Branch, the only account Indian law allows for foreign donations.
- STEP 04
The NGO reports back
The NGO uses your gift for the work described on its Setu page, and sends you a short update after 30 days and again after 90: a few lines, a photo and one figure.
If an NGO misses an update, we pause new gifts until it catches up, and we let you know.
| Your gift, with the card fee covered | $103.00 |
|---|---|
| Card processing, about 3% | −$3.00 |
| Vetting, grants and reports, planned 6% | −$6.00 |
| Lotus Rise | $0.00 |
| Reaches the NGO | $94.00 |
How we check
Seven checks before we list an NGO.
Most of these come from public government records, so you could check them yourself. We do it for you, and we check again before every grant.
Websites and listings are kept separate. Lotus Rise also builds websites for NGOs. Buying one does not get an NGO listed, and choosing not to does not keep it out.
- Registered as a society, trust or section 8 companyRegistration certificate
- 12A and 80G registration with the Income Tax DepartmentApproval orders
- FCRA licence active, with matching purpose and statesfcraonline.nic.in
- FC-4 returns filed for the last three yearsMinistry of Home Affairs
- Audited accounts for the last three yearsChartered accountant
- Listed on NGO DarpanNITI Aayog
- A visit in person, and two references who are not fundersSetu team
If an NGO no longer passes a check, we remove it from the list and pause new gifts. We write to everyone who has given to it to explain why.
01 · SAMADHAN, New Delhi
“When I joined SAMADHAN 10 years ago, I was not very confident about myself. Today, I have made sure that both my daughters are well educated and I feel more in control of my life.”
Since 1981, SAMADHAN has worked with children with intellectual disabilities in two low-income neighbourhoods of Delhi. It offers early support for babies, therapy and a school, and paid work for mothers, who make spices and laddoos to sell.
- 1981
- Registered in New Delhi on 9 December
- 2
- Centres, in Dakshinpuri and Dwarka
- 2000
- The year mothers began earning through its food and craft units
- FCRA
- Licensed to receive foreign gifts, no. 231650031
What you get back
A receipt the same day, and news from Delhi within a month.
After 30 days, and again after 90, the NGO sends you a short note about what your gift paid for.
Receipt for a charitable contribution
Thank you, Alex.
- Amount
- $50.00, monthly
- Recommended for
- SAMADHAN, New Delhi
- Received by
- US 501(c)(3) partner, named at launch
- Goods or services received
- None
The charity has full control over the grant. Keep this receipt for your tax records.
Day 30 · From SAMADHAN
A few lines from the team about the month, and one figure that changed. Written by the people doing the work, with photos only where families have agreed.
For Indian NGOs
Reach donors abroad, with a page we build together.
Listing on Setu is free for NGOs that pass our checks. We write your page with you, and you approve every sentence.
Or start with a free check of your website, the way a donor sees it:
Speed, mobile, search and accessibility, in about a minute. No sign-up needed.
Who is behind Setu
Built by Lotus Rise, with a team in India and abroad.
Lotus Rise
Neeraj Vir
Strategy, partnerships, and the legal and tax structure.
India
Prabodh Bhambal
Our relationships with NGOs in India, the SAMADHAN partnership, and fundraising in India and the US.
Product and design
Ryan Ward
The Setu platform, the website report and the website builds.
Operations
Parul Ohri
Scheduling, follow-up with partners, and the day-to-day running of the cohort.
Questions
Common questions.
Is my gift tax-deductible?
Yes, in the US. Your gift is made to a US 501(c)(3) charity, which then makes the grant. Gifts from the UK and Canada are not yet tax-deductible through Setu.
Why do you say I “recommend” a gift?
US rules require the charity’s board to make the final decision on every grant, and that is what makes your gift deductible. In practice, the charity follows your recommendation unless the NGO stops meeting our checks.
Why do you need my address?
Since June 2026, Indian rules require an NGO to report the original donor behind any foreign gift it receives through an intermediary. We share your details with the NGO for that report and with no one else.
What does it cost?
Card processing costs about 3%, which you can choose to cover. A further share pays for vetting, grants and reporting. We will publish the exact figure before giving opens, and we aim to keep it between 5 and 7%. Lotus Rise takes nothing from your gift.
Does buying a website from Lotus Rise help an NGO get listed?
No. Listing is free and depends only on the checks above. An NGO can be listed without paying us anything, and buying a website does not get it listed.
When can I give?
When the first cohort opens in early 2027. Until then, the giving page is a preview and does not take any money.