How 80% of India’s Top Nonprofits Became Unicorns—Thanks to the Government!

A shocking new report has lifted the veil on the dramatic success of India’s top nonprofit “unicorns.” According to Change Engine, an accelerator for nonprofits, a staggering 80% of these high-impact organizations have surged to scale through strategic government partnerships—and many of them cracked the code with nothing but cold outreach.

The study defines "nonprofit unicorns" as organizations delivering transformative results to over one million people or at least 5% of their target population. The secret behind their massive impact? Tapping into the immense power and reach of government systems.

The Change Engine report reveals that 41% of these nonprofits landed their first government partnership within a year of trying. Even more surprisingly, 42% of them made their breakthrough purely through cold outreach—directly pitching carefully prepared proposals to government officials.

“The government holds unparalleled power to scale interventions. A single policy change, a new institution, or a major budget allocation can deliver massive impact,” said Varun Aggarwal, Co-founder of Change Engine.

Real-world examples underscore this dramatic partnership effect:

Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy worked with the Ministry of Finance to reform India’s bankruptcy code and continues to advise the Ministry of Corporate Affairs on new legislation.

SaveLife Foundation cut road crash fatalities by 58% on the Mumbai-Pune Expressway and is now replicating its zero-fatality model across 100 highways with the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways.

Rocket Learning has digitized early education in 150 districts across nine states, training over 150,000 Anganwadi workers, with student performance now in the top 30% nationally.

The report also found that over 55% of these unicorn nonprofits now operate in five or more states, proving the government’s role as a crucial enabler of systemic, scalable change.

The message for India’s social entrepreneurs is clear: to build true scale, think EPIC—evidence, public goods, high-impact interventions, and change. And to deliver these at the population level, partnering with the government is no longer optional—it’s essential.

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