BYI Grantmaking FAQs

1. What is BYI’s Grantmaking project?

Helping people in need is a continuous year around process in BYI and we have been doing this since inception. Over the years, we have supported various causes like poverty, healthcare and education.

At BYI, we encourage the youth to experiment and bring in best practices they learn at other organizations and share with the group. One of our youth had been interning at the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation for the past few summers and the Grantmaking project evolved from her learnings from there. The Grantmaking process implements certain techniques and creates a structure for an unbiased selection for the next organization to support.

2. How did BYI choose organizations earlier?

BYI members suggested the organizations based on some research and final selection was done based on some standardized process and criteria

3. Why is BYI extending the selection process to the bigger community? Why You?

BYI could have selected the organizations themselves just like they have done before. But the Grantmaking process recommends taking inputs from the bigger community. That way we have more perspectives. We are trying this out as a “Proof of Concept” of the techniques learnt at the Gates Foundation. BYI is trying this for the first time. That is why we are inviting you to vote on the organizations shortlisted by BYI.

4. Which organization will you donate the funds to?

The organizations will be chosen by a voting process. BYI members will try to persuade the audience (the Baybasi members) to support their organization and its cause through a live presentation. Each group will have 5 minutes to convince the audience to support them. At the end, everyone will vote anonymously and a winner will be chosen. This is to provide a structure to the “Organization Selection” process instead of just selecting an organization by a “verbal recommendation”.

5. How will you raise funds?

The Guiding Principle of BYI is raising funds “in-lieu” of a service. For example, we sold flowers and diyas during Durga Puja, did nails, face painting, sold artifacts made by rural artisans etc.. Our most recent virtual concert Action for Amphan was a big success. We plan to continue doing these types of events. BYI does not set fundraisers on the internet and request people to donate money. Coz the underlying idea was to make sure youths understand the hard path of raising funds even if it is for a noble cause.

Raising funds is “out-of-scope” for the grantmaking project.

6. How much will you donate?

In the past when we worked with non-profit organizations we have chosen specific projects that we wanted to support. Target funds will be decided based on the projects we choose and it’s needs around it. It goes through a process after the selection of the organization. This is “out-of-scope” for the grantmaking project.

7. Will this be an ongoing process?

This is proof of concept (POC) for the Grantmaking and we will assess the next ones based on the response received from this POC.

8. When is the final presentation?

The final presentation is on Saturday, Sept 19 from 6 to 7pm. It will be via a Zoom webinar, details will be sent out soon. The BYI team is working hard, and are eager to present to you; we hope to see everyone on the final presentation.

9. What is BYI?

BYI is “not” a fundraising initiative alone, while raising funds is a pillar to support any project.The key objectives of BYI are:

Ensure continued engagement of Baybasi kids in the community.
Exposure to charitable programs and organizations for instilling special values in the youth.
Provide the youth a first hand opportunity of community building experience through youth leadership opportunities.
Help accumulate high school service hours through these services.
Help build compelling stories/experiences for college application.