NGOGrant guide
SBI Foundation NGO Capacity Building RFP 2026: Who Can Bid and How
Short answer: SBI Foundation wants experienced organisations to run its NGO Capacity Building Programme for 1 to 2 years. It is not a grant to train your own NGO. You can bid if you are registered in India, meet the RFP’s years-of-experience test (it gives both 3–5 years and 5 years; check the RFP), have done 5 to 10 similar assignments and had cumulative revenue of at least ₹5 crore over FY 2023-24 to 2025-26. Proposals go by email. Deadline: SBIF RFP document and website listing: 4 November 2026; no closing time published. Checked 30 Oct 2026. Our advice: apply early, as no closing time is given. The window for questions (before 24 October 2026) has now passed.
At a glance
| Item | What the RFP says |
|---|---|
| Who is asking | SBI Foundation (SBIF), CSR arm of State Bank of India |
| What it is | RFP to select implementing partners for SBIF’s NGO Capacity Building Programme |
| Who benefits | SBIF’s partner NGOs: about 70% existing partners, about 30% external or new NGOs |
| Where | Pan India; in-person sessions in Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Bengaluru |
| Money | No amount fixed; you propose a budget |
| Period | 1 to 2 years |
| Questions by | Closed (questions were due before 24 October 2026) |
| Proposals by | SBIF RFP document and website listing: 4 November 2026; no closing time published. Checked 30 Oct 2026. Our advice: apply early, as no closing time is given. |
First, check that this is the right call for you
Many NGOs see “capacity building” and “SBI Foundation” together and assume there is money to strengthen their own team. There isn’t, not under this RFP. SBIF is hiring a delivery partner: someone who will assess NGOs, build modules on compliance, fundraising, strategy and monitoring, run workshops and mentoring, and report back to SBIF.
So the realistic bidders are established NGO support organisations, resource centres, and non-profits that have teamed up with a consulting or training firm. If your NGO is small and wants training, the better move is to watch for the programme’s later intake of participant NGOs, which this RFP does not open.
The three tracks (you may bid for only one)
| Track | Which NGOs it serves | Length |
|---|---|---|
| Incubation | Small NGOs, revenue below ₹5 crore | 6–9 months per cohort |
| Acceleration | ₹5 crore and above; one compulsory compliance module plus 1–2 optional modules | 3–4 months per module |
| Advance | NGOs above ₹15 crore | 3–4 months per module |
Pick the track where your past work is strongest. A team that has mostly run compliance clinics for mid-size NGOs will find it easier to show 5–10 “similar” assignments for Acceleration than for Incubation.
Who can bid: the eligibility checklist
- ☐ A non-profit organisation, trust, society or private entity registered in India.
- ☐ A non-profit may bid in consortium with a for-profit expert agency. Both must be registered in India, and each “must have at least 5 years of experience in capacity building of NGOs/Organisations” (the RFP also gives 3–5 years elsewhere; check the RFP).
- ☐ At least 3–5 years of experience building the capacity of non-profits.
- ☐ At least 5 years’ existence on the date the RFP was published.
- ☐ At least 5–10 completed assignments of a similar nature.
- ☐ Cumulative revenue for FY 2023-24, 2024-25 and 2025-26 of at least ₹5 crore. Below that, the proposal is rejected.
- ☐ Not blacklisted (the RFP asks for a non-blacklisting declaration).
The RFP also rejects proposals that are not aligned with the scope or that miss due-diligence documents. Read the scope section twice and map every activity in your plan to it.
Registrations and documents
Annexure II asks for 12A and 80G registration, CSR-1 registration, and an FCRA certificate “if available”. NGO Darpan is not mentioned. If your CSR-1 or 12A is still pending, sort that out first; SBIF lists them as required documents.
In a consortium, both organisations furnish the documents. The RFP marks some items in blue (donor feedback, 12A, 80G, FCRA, annual reports, third-party evaluations and CSR-1) and says these “might not be applicable” to the for-profit partner. “Might not” is not a promise. If your consortium depends on that, note that the window for written questions closed before 24 October, so prepare as if these documents are required.
A practical tip: the due-diligence list is long, and missing documents are a stated rejection ground. Our NGO due diligence checklist helps you collect them in one folder before you start writing.
How the money works
SBIF has not published a programme size. You submit a budget for the “Project Management Work”: your team, trainers, module design, monitoring, workshops, reporting and audit costs. Selection uses Quality and Cost Based Selection (QCBS), so a low price alone will not win; the technical score counts too. The NGO Project Proposal and Budget Pack gives you a starting format for the budget. Funds are released quarterly or half-yearly against reports, through a separate SBI bank account.
How to submit, step by step
- Download the RFP from SBIF’s Request for Proposals page (the “Download” button on the Capacity Building listing).
- The window for questions by email to newinitiatives@sbifoundation.co.in closed before 24 October 2026; the RFP says later queries are not answered.
- Choose one track and fill in every RFP format and annexure in English.
- Email the proposal to newinitiatives@sbifoundation.co.in with the subject line “SBIF NGO CAPACITY BUILDING PROGRAMME <NGO NAME>”. Deadline: SBIF RFP document and website listing: 4 November 2026; no closing time published. Checked 30 Oct 2026. Our advice: apply early, as no closing time is given.
What happens next
SBIF contacts only shortlisted bidders. They are invited to present in November 2026 and are asked for hard copies later. Final selection is communicated in December 2026. Selected partners are paid quarterly or half-yearly against reports, through a separate SBI bank account, so plan your cash flow for the gap before the first release.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Applying as a participant NGO, asking for training for your own staff.
- Bidding for two tracks, or sending two proposals from the same consortium.
- Counting one-off workshops as “similar assignments” without dates, clients and outcomes.
- Leaving out the for-profit partner’s documents because you assume the blue items are exempt.
- Planning everything online. The RFP expects in-person sessions in the five cities.
Planning a CSR bid and want the proposal and documents in order? Our CSR Proposal & Due Diligence Pack has templates and a document list. Templates help you prepare; they do not guarantee selection. You can also read our guide to writing a CSR proposal.
Frequently asked questions
Is this SBI Foundation RFP a grant to train my own NGO?
No. SBI Foundation is selecting organisations to design and deliver capacity-building programmes for its partner NGOs. If you want training for your own team, this RFP is not the route.
What is the last date for the SBI Foundation capacity building RFP?
SBIF RFP document and website listing: 4 November 2026; no closing time published. Checked 30 Oct 2026. Our advice: apply early, as no closing time is given. The window for clarification queries (before 24 October 2026) has passed.
How much funding does SBI Foundation give under this RFP?
The RFP does not fix an amount. You submit your own budget for the Project Management Work, and selection is by Quality and Cost Based Selection (QCBS).
Can a for-profit training agency apply?
The RFP allows a private entity registered in India, and it allows a non-profit to bid in consortium with a for-profit expert agency. In a consortium, each agency must have at least 5 years of experience in capacity building of NGOs or organisations (the RFP also gives 3–5 years elsewhere; check the RFP).
Which registrations does SBI Foundation ask for?
Annexure II lists 12A, 80G and CSR-1 registration, and an FCRA certificate if available. NGO Darpan is not mentioned in the RFP.
Important: NGOGrant.in does not award or guarantee grants. Free information and official links are always free. Any fees are only for documentation / proposal preparation help — never for “sanctioning” a grant. Beware anyone who takes money to guarantee funding.
Official source
SBI Foundation, Request for Proposals (listing and RFP PDF checked 30 Oct 2026). See this call with other open routes on our funding opportunities directory and in the October 2026 roundup.
This is a summary of the official RFP; read the full document before you apply. Selection is decided by SBI Foundation alone, and no funding or selection is guaranteed. NGOGrant.in is independent and not connected to SBI Foundation.