NGOGrant guide

Erase Indifference Challenge 2026: A Guide for Indian NGOs

By Vekho P. Ringa · Published October 30, 2026

By the NGOGrant.in Editorial · Last verified 30 Oct 2026 against the official Erase Indifference Challenge page and its application page (form checked live on 30 Oct 2026)

Short answer: The Erase Indifference Challenge 2026, run by the Auschwitz Pledge Foundation, gives €90,000 in awards: one €20,000 Main Award and seven €10,000 Awards. It rewards existing initiatives with demonstrated results in reducing indifference to discrimination, not new ideas. NGOs from all over the world can apply, India included. Informal groups cannot. Deadline: 4 December 2026 (no closing time or timezone published by the organiser). Apply online in English through the organiser’s form.

Foreign grant: Indian NGOs normally need FCRA registration or prior permission (FCRA 2010) to receive these funds. General information only, not legal advice.

What the Challenge is, and who runs it

The Erase Indifference Challenge is run by the Auschwitz Pledge Foundation under its Erase Indifference initiative. The organiser calls it “a global initiative to recognize and reward projects that are already taking concrete steps to reduce indifference towards discrimination.” Read that sentence twice, because the whole application turns on it.

This is not a project grant in the usual sense. You are not asking for money to start something. You are showing work that has already happened, and the results it produced. The focus is also narrower than “anti-discrimination” in general. The organiser’s target group is “bystanders”: people who see aggression or discrimination against others and do nothing. An initiative that gets ordinary people to notice, speak up and act is the kind of work it is looking for.

The organiser names racism, antisemitism, discrimination against migrants and refugees, misogyny and discrimination against LGBTQ+ people as its main pillars, and its FAQ says projects on other forms, such as ableism or ageism, are assessed on the same criteria. For an Indian NGO, that leaves room for work on caste, religion, gender, disability or age, as long as the work is about changing how the wider public responds. Whether a given project fits is the organiser’s call, not ours.

At a glance (official terms)

The awards: how the €90,000 is split

Eight initiatives win. One receives the Main Award of €20,000, and seven receive €10,000 each, which adds up to the €90,000 pool. The organiser says the awards are “given in recognition of the initiatives’ existing work, results and impact.”

Two points matter for planning. First, the organiser says the Challenge “does not impose specific requirements on how the award is used”, and that there are no ongoing reporting or implementation requirements attached to the award. Second, winners must sign an award agreement with the Auschwitz Pledge Foundation, and by applying you agree that your initiative may be featured on the Erase Indifference Platform. The organiser publishes sample agreements on the Challenge page; read them before you apply, not after you win. Submitting an application does not guarantee an award.

Who can apply, and who cannot (official terms)

The FAQ says: “The Challenge is open to NGOs, startups, companies and public institutions from all over the world.” India is not excluded, so a registered trust, society or Section 8 company in any state or union territory reads the same rules as an applicant anywhere else. You can also apply in a partnership, but every partner must meet the same criteria.

The organiser says it cannot accept your application if you are:

• financed by or in any way related to political entities;
• implementing, or having previously implemented, activities or initiatives that are contrary to the mission of the Auschwitz Pledge Foundation;
• focused exclusively on commercial profit-making without social impact, academic research without practical bystander application, or proselytizing or religious activities.

Informal groups cannot apply. One team may submit one application only.

The initiative itself must be real and recent. It can be ongoing, completed or delivered in recurring cycles. A completed initiative must have ended no earlier than December 2023, and the organisation that ran it must still exist and be operational when you apply. The FAQ is also clear that projects giving direct support or services to people affected by discrimination are not the focus.

Our advice: a quick fit check before you start

This section is our guidance, not the organiser’s. Answer these honestly before you spend a week on the form:

• Has the initiative actually run, and can you show what changed? If it is still an idea, wait for a later edition.
• Is the work aimed at the wider public, and at bystanders in particular, rather than only at serving affected people? A legal aid clinic or a shelter, however good, is direct service. A campaign that trains college students to step in when they see caste or gender harassment on campus is closer to what the organiser describes.
• If it ended, did it end in December 2023 or later?
• Does your organisation have any link to a political party or political funding? If yes, stop here. Read the first exclusion carefully if a trustee holds party office.
• Can someone on your team write and speak in English at a working level? The form is in English, and finalists meet the Committee online.

How to apply, step by step

1. Read the Rules and FAQ on the official Challenge page. Note the deadline: 4 December 2026 (no closing time or timezone published by the organiser).
2. Download the organiser’s preview of the application questions (PDF), linked from the Challenge page. Draft your answers offline first, in a shared document, so two people can review them.
3. Collect your evidence: numbers you can stand behind, dates, photos, media coverage, survey results or evaluation notes. The organiser assesses “the information and evidence provided in the application”.
4. Open the official apply page and fill in the form. If the embedded form does not load for you, the organiser’s Google Form is the same application.
5. Submit, then check your inbox. The organiser says a successful application generates a confirmation email to the address you gave. If none arrives, check spam, then contact the organiser through its website.

Deadline and key dates

Deadline: 4 December 2026 (no closing time or timezone published by the organiser). The call opened on 30 October 2026. Finalist meetings are scheduled for 15–26 February 2027 and winners will be announced on 28 February 2027.

Our advice: because no hour or time zone is published, treat the deadline as earlier than it looks and aim to submit a few days before 4 December 2026. Online forms can time out and long answers can be lost.

How the organiser says applications are assessed

The Erase Indifference team first does a formal check and a preliminary review of content and evidence. At least 16 initiatives are then picked as finalists and invited to an individual online meeting with the team and external experts from the Challenge Committee. After those meetings, the Committee makes the final assessment and selects 8 winners. The Rules say the organiser values innovation and creativity, and initiatives that show real-world results, measurable outcomes and meaningful social impact.

Our advice: what a strong application shows

Again, this is our guidance, not the organiser’s.

• A clear before-and-after. Say what people did or believed before your initiative and what changed. Use only figures you can prove, with the period they cover. Our NGO impact measurement and evidence guide explains how to set this out.
• The bystander angle, in plain words. Explain who the onlookers were (classmates, neighbours, co-workers, social media users) and how your work moved them from silence to action.
• What is new about your method. A street play, a WhatsApp-based reporting drill, a school module: say why it works better than a poster campaign.
• Proof that the organisation is real and running. Keep your registration certificate, latest annual report and audited accounts ready, even though the organiser does not ask for Indian registrations by name. If your annual report is thin, our NGO Profile and Annual Report Templates can help you put one together.
• A careful final read. Run your draft through our proposal review checklist before you press submit.

Common mistakes

• Pitching a new project. The awards are for existing results.
• Describing a direct-service programme (counselling, shelter, legal aid) without showing how it changes public indifference.
• Applying as an informal group, or through a collective that has no registered entity behind it.
• Sending two applications from the same team for two projects. Only one is allowed.
• Using a completed initiative that ended before December 2023.
• Claiming outcomes you cannot back with evidence. Finalists are questioned on what they wrote.
• Leaving the form to the last day when no closing hour is published.

Our advice: getting your Indian paperwork in order

This section is our guidance for Indian NGOs, not a condition set by the organiser. The organiser does not mention FCRA, NGO Darpan, 12A or 80G. As a general caveat, Indian NGOs normally need FCRA registration or prior permission to receive foreign funds, and the award would come from a foundation outside India. If your NGO has neither, speak to your CA before you apply. Our FCRA registration and prior permission guide explains both routes, our guide to the FCRA bank account covers the account rules, and the FCRA Readiness Checklist and Document Pack lists the papers to keep ready. General information only, not legal advice.

Separately from this Challenge, many Indian funders and CSR partners will ask for your NGO Darpan registration, 12A and 80G registration and up-to-date annual compliance. Keeping these current makes it easier to accept any award you win. For other calls, see our guide to grants for NGOs in India.

Official terms vs our advice

Where we can help

We can help you prepare your paperwork, not win the award. Selection is entirely the organiser’s decision. NGOGrant.in does not award grants or influence any funder’s decision. Our paid services cover documentation and proposal preparation only, and are separate from any government charges that apply. Apply only through the organiser’s official form.

Frequently asked questions

What is the last date to apply for the Erase Indifference Challenge 2026?

The submission deadline is 4 December 2026 (no closing time or timezone published by the organiser). The open call started on 30 October 2026. Since no hour is given, do not plan around any particular clock. Our advice: aim to submit a few days early, so a slow upload or a missing answer does not cost you the year.

How much money does the Erase Indifference Challenge give?

The pool is €90,000, shared by eight winners: one Main Award of €20,000 and seven Awards of €10,000 each. The organiser says it does not set specific requirements on how the award is used. Submitting an application does not guarantee an award.

Can an Indian NGO apply?

Yes, if it fits the rules. The organiser says the Challenge is open to NGOs, startups, companies and public institutions from all over the world, and India is not excluded. Trusts, societies and Section 8 companies from any state read the same rules. Informal groups cannot apply.

Who cannot apply?

The organiser will not accept applicants that are financed by or in any way related to political entities; that implement, or have implemented, activities contrary to the mission of the Auschwitz Pledge Foundation; or that are focused exclusively on commercial profit-making without social impact, academic research without practical bystander application, or proselytizing or religious activities. Informal groups are also not eligible.

Can we apply with a new idea?

No. The awards are for existing initiatives with demonstrated results. The initiative can be ongoing, completed or run in recurring cycles. If it has been completed, it must have ended no earlier than December 2023, and the organisation that ran it must still exist and be operational.

Does a direct service project for affected people qualify?

Not on its own. The organiser says the Challenge is not focused on projects that provide direct support or services to people affected by discrimination. It wants initiatives that address indifference by engaging the wider public, especially bystanders.

Do we need FCRA to receive the award?

The organiser does not mention India or FCRA. As a general caveat: Indian NGOs normally need FCRA registration or prior permission (FCRA 2010) to receive foreign funds. Check your own position with your CA before you apply. General information only, not legal advice.

Sources

• Erase Indifference Challenge: official apply page (checked 30 Oct 2026)
• Erase Indifference Challenge 2026 application form (Google Form) (checked 30 Oct 2026)
• Erase Indifference Challenge page: Rules, awards, key dates and FAQ (checked 30 Oct 2026)

Last checked 30 Oct 2026. General information only, not legal or tax advice. Always confirm details on the official page.