At Seamless, we are excited to be speaking at the upcoming NACUBO Global Operations Forum 2021 on 21st October.
What is the NACUBO Global Operations Forum 2021?
The National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) will host a two-day forum between 20th-21st October about global operations. Facilitated by universities and colleges, the event focuses on business and management support for overseas groups, alongside advice on compliance within the US and abroad.
What is FCRA?
In speaking at this NACUBO event, our team at Seamless will cover the new amendments to the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA) in India and their impact on nonprofits and universities. This legislation introduced new criteria for receiving overseas funding to nonprofits and other civil society organizations, making it harder for these organizations to receive the financing they need.
4 top reads ahead of the event
Are you interested in the impacts of FCRA and would like to join us for our session at the NACUBO forum? If the answer is yes, then here are four recommended topics to read up on ahead of the event, ensuring you are ahead of the game at this year’s forum:
1. The FCRA bill amendments in 2020
While initially introduced in 2010, the FCAR bill recently had significant amendments in 2020. Many of these amendments placed further restrictions on nonprofit organizations and their capacity to receive funds. For example, the 2020 amendments stipulated that nonprofit organizations must receive any foreign grants via the Delhi branch of the State Bank of India (SBI), despite only 16% of registered nonprofit organizations having such an account in 2021.
For more information, you can read this article about the FCRA amendments.
2. We have little information about the amendment
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has denied requests to release information concerning the amendments to the public. The Ministry denies the right to information (RTI) requests for correspondences, notes, and minutes concerning the amendment, citing that such information would not serve the public interest. As such, it’s difficult for external organizations to understand the government’s motivations behind such tight restrictions.
You can read this article about MHA’s denial of essential details about the amendments for more information.
3. FCRA’s adverse effects on nonprofit organizations
Since FCRA’s implementation in 2010, the Indian government have used the act to revoke licences from thousands of international nonprofits working in India, including international names like Greenpeace and Amnesty International. Such enforcements have caused many global nonprofits to downsize or withdraw from India, creating significant barriers for India to receive financial aid.
You can read this article about the impact on ten major nonprofit organizations following the FCRA amendments for more information.
4. Nonprofits join together to protest the bill
Some nonprofits in India have joined together to protest the recent amendments to the bill, with calls for an intermediate suspension of the FCRA’s regulations to enable COVID-19 relief across the country. These groups cite that the amendments coming into force during the global pandemic placed severe barriers on nonprofits attempting to meet the new legislation, thereby diverting their efforts from helping those affected by COVID-19.
Join Seamless at NACUBO on 21st October
Are you interested in joining Seamless at the NACUBO Global Operations Forum 2021?
Register for your ticket to attend this fascinating discussion with leading panellists from the University of Chicago.
At Seamless, we offer expert expansion solutions for NGOs and higher education groups to become global businesses. With our established expertise and end-to-end services, contact our team for more information today.