Capital released against verified outcomes
Outcomes funded: Job Fulfillment and Job Creation
Fees, equity, IRR or repayment
Rolling
Applications reviewed on merit, year-round
About Wadhwani Grants
Outcome-linked capital to catalyze growth
What We Fund
Two outcomes, one rule
Track 1
Job Fulfillment
- Skilling and placement organizations
- People moved into employment
Outcome funded: a verified job placement
Track 2
Job Creation
- Enterprise-support organizations
- Businesses helped to grow and hire
Purpose
Fund what works. Measure what matters.
Focus geographies
- India
Why This Matters
Proven job creators need growth capital
Proven job creators fall between two funding models: pilot grants stop at the experiment, and return-seeking capital screens employment work out. We sit in that gap.
Pilot grants stop early
They help test ideas, but rarely fund the next stage of delivery that is already proven.
Return-seeking capital screens out impact
Employment outcomes create real public value, yet often do not fit investor return models.
Wadhwani Grants fills the gap
Outcome-linked grant capital that helps proven job creators expand what already works.
Who Should Apply
Built for proof, scale and ambition
This is for organizations creating employment outcomes today, and ready to grow them with evidence.
How It Works
From application to disbursement
Ready to take your first step?
Tell us about the employment outcomes you are already creating.
The Grant Model
Capital follows verified outcomes
What You Get
A complete model for outcome-linked growth
You keep doing what you do best; we fund the outcomes and the growth around them.
Outcome-linked capital
Multi-year grant funding released against verified employment outcomes.
Verification at our cost
We run verification through credible registries, audits and evaluation partners.
Programs and networks
Access Wadhwani Foundation programs and networks where they strengthen delivery.
ADD-ON
GenieAI access
Our AI-first technology layer, where it strengthens reach, mentoring or delivery.
ADD-ON
Programs, networks and GenieAI are add-ons: offered where they help, never a condition of funding.
FAQ
Straight answers
Clear answers for organizations reviewing the opportunity
What counts as a verified employment outcome?
A person placed in a job, or a new job created through an enterprise. Verification can run through national registries (such as EPFO/UAN in India, eSocial in Brazil, or IMSS in Mexico), independent audits, or evaluation partners, agreed with you at signing and suited to your country.
Is this a grant or an investment?
A grant. There is no equity, repayment, investor return, or beneficiary fee. Funding is linked to verified employment outcomes and is meant to add to your existing funding, not replace it.
How is this different from an impact bond?
It is simpler. There is no investor and no repayment structure. We fund outcomes you already deliver, and add funding for growth above your baseline.
What is a typical grant size?
There is no fixed size. Each grant is calibrated to your verified outcome volumes, country economics, delivery cost, and the growth you agree with us.
How does country pricing work?
Outcome rates are set for each country. We look at local costs, labor-market realities, comparable programs and your own unit economics before agreeing the funding structure.
Do we need to join other Wadhwani Foundation programs?
No. The grant is independent. Access to Foundation programs, networks or GenieAI may be offered where relevant, but these are optional and never conditions for funding.
What is out of scope?
We do not fund policy advocacy, research, events, certification, or training that does not lead to a job. We fund work that directly creates verified job placements or new jobs.
Can we apply if our verification history is limited?
Yes. If your outcome data is still developing, we can work with you to build a credible baseline before the standard structure begins. What matters is that the outcomes can become verifiable.
What if outcomes drop in year 2 or 3?
You receive less that year, not a penalty or breach. For outside causes we work through it together; for program issues we reset targets at the next review.
Will this favor the easiest cases?
No. The Grant Agreement defines who counts, and we pay more for harder-to-serve groups, so there is no reason to avoid them.
How do we apply, or get referred?
Three ways to reach us: direct outreach, a referral from a Wadhwani Foundation initiative, or self sign-up. Every application is then evaluated on merit, however it reaches us.
Start the conversation
If your work creates verified employment outcomes, apply now, or reach us with a question first.