Lucknow: The National NGOs Conference 2025 concluded on Sunday with a renewed pledge from hundreds of organisations to strengthen cooperation, deepen governance standards and pursue sustainable models of social and educational development.
Hosted by the Association of Muslim Professionals in collaboration with the Islamic Centre of India, the second day expanded on the themes introduced on Day 1. NGO leaders, policy experts, educationists and development practitioners focused on shifting the sector from fragmented welfare activity toward coordinated, scalable impact.
The day opened with the Forum for Innovation and Partnerships led by the C-Group. Speakers stressed digital collaboration tools, shared-resource networks and knowledge exchange to improve district-level execution and national-level synchronisation.
A major highlight was the plenary by Salman U. Khan, Senior Program Director at the Piramal Foundation, on Fundraising Documentation and Donor Relations. Presenting the SR Fundraising Framework of Readiness, Research, Reach-Out and Donor Methods, he said an organisational vision needs strong documentation, internal financial discipline and evidence-based impact reporting. He urged NGOs to build reliable datasets and measurable indicators to secure long-term philanthropic support.
In the next session, Saleem Khan, Founder and CEO of Saaras Impact Foundation, explained CSR opportunities and said NGOs need improved financial accountability systems, trained human resources and rigorous monitoring frameworks to qualify for large, multi-year CSR partnerships.
A well-received session on governance and legal compliance was led by CA Gulzar Karishma of G.K. Malik and Associates. Reviewing regulatory trends around FCRA, he stressed leadership integrity and transparency as central to institutional growth. His two remarks shaped the day. “Governance is the path to scale and impact” and “Good governance is not a burden, it is our badge of honour.”
Afternoon sessions shifted to Zakat and Awqaf models chaired by Justice B. P. Naqvi. Speakers called for institutionalising Zakat and unlocking Waqf potential through regulatory protection and professional management. Dr. Abdul Qadeer presented a Masjid-led Social Transformation model focused on scholarships, literacy and skills.
The concluding plenary on Evolving the Mission from Welfare to Wealth Creation covered student drop-out patterns, blended learning and sustainable wealth pathways shaped by Islamic Social Finance and global development examples. AMP President Aamir Edresy urged organisations to convert conference learnings into measurable action.
The conference ended with a shared resolve to strengthen NGO collaboration and advance empowerment-driven development.
By Abdul Bari Masoud
