Shilpa Narayanan
Consultant - Strategic Partnerships (CSR / ESG / Government)-
...
Grassroots Research and Advocacy Movement
GRAAM
Is a development research and policy engagement initiative in India. GRAAM’s extensive expertise spans over policy research, Impact Assessment and Evaluation, Community Consultation, Policy Engagement, Strategic Consultation and Academic Programs. GRAAM works in collaboration with all the four key stakeholders of development i.e. Government, Citizenry, Civil Society Organizations and Corporate. GRAAM believes that the key stakeholders of development – the community, the State, the NGO/CSO and the private sector are essential in the process of development. GRAAM aims to ensure the ‘voices’ of the communities at the grassroots are significantly accounted for in the process of development. We provide evidence-based and actionable policy/program inputs incorporating grassroots perspectives, aiming towards a citizen-centric public policy. GRAAM strives to impact development through building human and social capital.
Our Timeline
Sneak Peek of GRAAM & its development
2022
2021-2022
- GRAAM inked a Statement of Intent with DMEO, NITI Aayog.
- Contributed to national level COVID -19 program
- GRAAM’s policy engagement brought advancement in social security pension amount
- GRAAM inputs considered by the education department for the re-opening of schools during the pandemic
- Provided position paper for Vocational Education in Schools as part of the NPE Working Committee
- Museum of democracy for the Election Commission
- Creation of State of the 21st Century Skills Sector Report for UNICEF
2021
2020-21
- Assessed the implementation of AB-HWCs in eight states of India
- Secured the first FCRA project and expanded GRAAM's footprint to Jharkhand
- Entered into MoU with Institute for Social and Economical Change (ISEC), Centre Food Technical Research Institute (CFTRI), Karnataka State Rural Development and Panchayat University (KSRDPU), RV University
- Awarded with the Guide Star India Transparency Key
2019
2019-20
- Signed MoU with DSERT, Government of Karnataka for expanding the reach of Sugamya Shiksha
- Provided a concept paper for 'No School Bag Day' initiative of the Government
of Karnataka
- Partnered with WHO and expanded GRAAM’s reach to Assam and Chattisgarh
2018
2018-19
- Extended Action Research project Sugamya Shiksha from 11 Schools to 22 schools in four districts of Karnataka, reaching 5000 children
- MoU with McGill - The Max Bell School of Public Policy
- Launched the first Children's Parliament: an innovative program bringing all the executive arms of the government who matter for school development, and presided by the judiciary in collaboration with Karnataka State Legal Services Authority and District Administration
2017
2017-18
- Signed MoU with Mauritius Society Renewal
- Expanded the Action Research project Sugamya Shiksha to four more districts of Karnataka
- Barefoot Research Conference, an annual program was launched for the teachers of primary and secondary government schools to present research papers in the presence of policy makers
2016
2016-17
- Conferred with the Global Communication Association's ‘A.P. Chowdappa Memorial Award’ for recognizing GRAAM's advocacy effort
- Launched Program Evaluation Workshop in collaboration with Cornell University
2015
2015-16
- Initiated research studies in Telangana
- Advocated successfully to ensure circular by GoK to accommodate PWD in MGNREGA
2014
2014-15
- Contribution for State Human Development Reports and Preparation of two District Human Development Reports in Karnataka
- Invitation to GRAAM’s Executive Director as a Fellow at EDI – Cornell University 2015-16
2013
2013-14
- Empanelled for GPSA (Global Platform for Social Accountability), a World Bank
initiative.
- Two state-wide evaluations: National Rural Health Mission and Nirmal Gram
Purasakar awarded GPs, which resulted in changes in the implementation strategies
of these programs
- Partnership with Cornell University
2012
2012 - 2013
- Ventured out of Karnataka for a study on school sanitation in Andhra Pradesh
- Conferred with ‘2013 South Asia eNGO Challenge Award’ by Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) for the use of ICT and digital media for good governance practices. GRAAM stood as a winner among 340 NGO contenders across South Asia
2011
Foundation of GRAAM 2011-12
- Initiation of GRAAM (12th Jan) as a unit of Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement
- Initiated Arogya Shreni, a technology-based action research project for community monitoring which won South Asia Level Award
Mission
GRAAM shall advance higher standard of living, civic empowerment, political participation, and social justice by working in the sectors of:
- Learning, Skill development & Livelihoods
- Health & Wellness
- Governance and Democratization
- Indigenous Community Development
Vision
To become the first choice public policy think-tank in the social sector across India.
Values
- Society first
- Honesty and transparency
- Integrity & Collaboration
- Continuous learning
- Innovation
Our Team
The GRAAM team is enriched with an eclectic mix of dynamic people from diverse disciplines, all united for a common purpose 'making programs and policies emulate people's voice'. They all represent jigsaw blocks that GRAAM needs to bring together to further the movement of grassroots development. The team consists of scientists and scholars in the faculties of Public Policy, Development Studies, Political Science, Population Studies, Anthropology and Social Work, Public Health, Education, Development Economics, Statistics and Data Analysts, Human Development and Management.
At the top, we are guided by our Founder Dr. R. Balasubramaniam and Chairman Mr Arjun Ranga, Board of Trustees and Advisory Committee consisting of eminent personalities from varied backgrounds. They lend their experience and expertise in their respective fields as critical inputs to our cause of making development a community movement.
The GRAAM Team led by the Executive Director Dr Basavaraju R Shreshta is composed of dedicated people, again carefully selected with focus on diversity they bring to the table; a characteristic we consider essential to deal with development issues, which is consistent with our belief that development is multi-faceted.
Trustees
The independent board of trustees of GRAAM are dedicated experts committed to steering the organization toward its mission. Their unwavering support and oversight ensure GRAAM's impactful contributions to policy discourse and grassroots development. Together, they play a pivotal role in shaping GRAAM's transformative initiatives. They hold the executive team accountable in achieving the vision and mission.
Advisory Team
GRAAM's Advisory Body comprises seasoned experts and thought leaders in diverse fields, such as academia, government, NGO, corporate and community leadership. They have been providing us invaluable guidance and strategic insights and helped GRAAM stride ahead with confidence. Their collective expertise enhances GRAAM's capacity for innovative policy research and development initiatives. Their expertise augments GRAAM's research and policy outputs.