Spark the Rise is a platform to help put ideas into action to drive positive change in India. Anyone with an action plan can submit their idea on www.sparktherise.com or offline at a Mahindra dealership or office. Others can read about their "Spark" and get inspired to volunteer, donate, or provide other support. You can also vote for outstanding Sparks to win a monthly grant from Mahindra during annual grant cycles. For the grant cycle calendar, check out the How It Works page—or FAQ #6!
At Mahindra, our core purpose is to drive positive change in the lives of our stakeholders and communities across the world – to enable them to Rise. Spark the Rise enables lots of people to drive positive change by bringing them together behind innovative ideas and awarding the grant money needed to put them into action. Spark a fire – start a movement.
Our Rise philosophy is part of a bigger movement. People all over the world are full of ambition to shape their own future – and in India today, there is a growing spirit and determination to take responsibility for the way forward. We launched Spark the Rise to give people a platform for achieving those ambitions.
Yes! You can help Spark the Rise by volunteering or donating to someone else's project, adding your voice to the discussion forum, or voting for the projects you think should win grants.
Spark the Rise is a continuous effort to build a community around positive change in India. It'll be up as long as you want to use it! However, Mahindra will only award grants during annual grant cycles. For the grant cycle calendar,check out the How It Works page—or FAQ #6!
| Round | Submission Period | Voting Period | Announcement of Winners |
| 1 | Up to 10th Sep 2011 11:59:59 PM IST | Monday, 12 Sep 9am IST– Friday, 30 Sep 2011 11:59:59pm IST | Saturday, 1 Oct 2011 |
| 2 | Up to 30th Sep 2011 11:59:59 PM IST | Saturday, 1 Oct 9am IST – Monday, 31 Oct 2011 11:59:59pm IST | Thursday, 3 Nov 2011 |
| 3 | Up to 31st Oct 2011 11:59:59 PM IST | Tuesday, 1 Nov 9am IST– Wednesday 30 Nov 2011 11:59:59pm IST | Monday, 5 Dec 2011 |
| 4 | Up to 30th Nov 2011 11:59:59 PM IST | Thursday, 1 Dec 9am IST – Saturday 31 Dec 2011 11:59:59pm IST | Wednesday, 4 Jan 2012 |
| 5 | Up to 30th Dec 2011 11:59:59 PM IST | Monday, 2 Jan 9am IST – Tuesday, 31 Jan 2012 11:59:59pm IST | Tuesday, 7 Feb 2012 |
| 6 | Up to 31st Jan 2012 11:59:59 PM IST | Wednesday, 1 Feb 9am IST – Saturday, 25 Feb 2012 11:59:59pm IST | Wednesday, 29 Feb 2012 |
| Grand Finale | Monday, 2 April 9am IST – Sunday, 15 April 11:59:59pm IST 2012 | Friday, 20 April 2012 |
Mahindra will give 8 grants each month, plus 4 grants during the Grand Finale. In total, we will award 52 grants. The monthly grants are each for 4 lakh, the Grand Finale winner will receive 40 lakh, and the three runners-up will each receive 20 lakh.
Spark the Rise is open to individuals, institutions, for-profit organizations, and non-profit organizations who meet the following criteria:
No. In order to enter, you must be a legal resident of India currently living in India when you enter, and you must have lived in India for the full calendar year leading up to your entry.
No. At this point, Spark the Rise focuses solely on projects to drive India's Rise.
You can enter if you are a legal resident of India, you are currently living in India when you enter, and you have lived in India for the full calendar year leading up to your entry. If you do not meet these criteria, you cannot enter a project – but you can still volunteer for other projects and register to vote and weigh in on the discussion board.
You can enter if you are a legal resident of India, you are currently living in India when you enter, and you have lived in India for the full calendar year leading up to your entry. If you do not meet these criteria, you cannot enter a project – but you can still volunteer for other projects and register to vote and weigh in on the discussion board.
You can enter if you are a legal resident of India, you are currently living in India when you enter, and you have lived in India for the full calendar year leading up to your entry. If you do not meet these criteria, you cannot enter a project – but you can still volunteer for other projects and register to vote and weigh in on the discussion board.
Depending on your idea, you may want to enter as an individual or as a representative of your company or organization. Check with your organization. They may also have relevant Intellectual Property (IP) rights policies.
In this case, you are representing your organization/company/institution. You need to enter both your own name and the name of the organization/company/institution. Make sure you have official approval for the project and for how you present and publicize it on www.sparktherise.com!
No, but you can encourage her to enter herself.
Yes. Just make sure you disclose your relationship with Mahindra when you create your public profile. Furthermore, if you enter a project, it cannot overlap with the business in which you and Mahindra partner. For example, if you are a dealer for Mahindra tractors, you cannot enter an idea for streamlining tractor distribution processes. Ideas that affect your business partnership with Mahindra should be addressed directly with Mahindra.
Yes. Just make sure you disclose your relationship with Mahindra when you create your public profile. Also, we are only able to accept Spark the Rise projects from employees that do not overlap with Mahindra Group businesses. For example, we cannot accept a proposal to develop a car that runs on water, because we already operate automotive businesses. However, if you have ideas related to Mahindra businesses, you can present them to your boss or through the internal forum where such ideas are normally accepted. If you are unsure whether or not your idea overlaps with a Mahindra activity, you can ask us at sparktherise@mahindra.com. Title your email EMPLOYEE QUERY. If your idea does overlap with a Mahindra activity, we will pass it on to an internal committee that can help put it in action!
Yes. When you create your Spark the Rise public profile, you will be able to select your relationship with Mahindra from a list.
Yes. You can apply for a grant to fund your research. However, ideas with clear implementation strategies will have a much better chance of winning grants – so even if you are in the blueprint stage, it is important to demonstrate a plan for how you will use the technology to change people's lives once it has been executed.
No. Spark the Rise is for live projects that volunteers can get involved with right away, and grants need to be used promptly.
If your program drives positive change in India, it is probably worthy of being entered.
We suggest that people use the following framework to evaluate projects:
Yes. You need to register in order to create a project profile for your idea.
Registering enables you to enter your own Sparks, vote for Sparks you think should receive grants, receive notifications when Sparks you are 'following' update their status, and participate in the discussion board. If you do not register, you can still view other people's Sparks and get in touch with them to volunteer or donate.
You'll need to provide basic information including your name, email address, phone number, and address. You can also share your reasons for joining Spark the Rise and any other comments you like – such as favorite quotes or key beliefs. Your contact information will not be visible to other Spark the Rise users, and rest assured that we will not share your contact information with any third parties!
If you have registered on www.sparktherise.com but still haven't received a registration email after 20 minutes, please send an email to brand@mahindra.com and we will register you manually.
You will receive a confirmation email as soon as it is completed.
Without internet access, you will be able to enter ideas, but you will not be able to vote or access the discussion forum. This is only possible through www.sparktherise.com.
To enter project ideas offline, you can get a form at Mahindra dealerships and offices across India. Contact one near you to find out if they have forms. If the nearest dealerships and offices do not have forms, you can also request us to mail you a form by mailing the following address. Once your form is completed, please return it to the Mahindra dealership or office, or mail it to:
Spark the Rise Applications
The Corporate Brand Council
Mahindra Towers, 3rd Floor
Dr GM Bhosale Marg
Worli, Mumbai MH 400018
Simply send an email to brand@mahindra.com. We'll get back to you within 96 hours.
To enter project ideas offline, you can get a form at Mahindra dealerships and offices across India. Contact one near you to find out if they have forms. If the nearest dealerships and offices do not have forms, you can also request us to mail you a form by mailing the following address. Once your form is completed, please return it to the Mahindra dealership or office, or mail it to:
Spark the Rise Applications
The Corporate Brand Council
Mahindra Towers, 3rd Floor
Dr GM Bhosale Marg
Worli, Mumbai MH 400018
Yes. You need to register to vote for Sparks you think should receive grants, receive notifications when Sparks you are 'following' update their status, and participate in the discussion board. If you do not register, you can still view other people's Sparks and get in touch with them to volunteer or donate.
No – you can view projects and get in touch with project champions without registering. However, you need to register to vote for Sparks you think should receive grants, receive notifications when Sparks you are 'following' update their status, and participate in the discussion board.
We will not disclose your personal or contact information to any third party. However, keep in mind that when you give your contact information to potential volunteers and donors, Mahindra is not responsible for how they may use your information.
Your contact information will not be visible on your project profile – people interested in contacting you will send you a message through www.sparktherise.com. You can choose when and if to disclose your contact information.
Yes! Projects are welcome at any stage.
Yes! Projects are welcome at any stage.
Got lots of ideas? Enter them all!
These 5 categories broadly cover the main areas that will help or hinder India's rise. Using categories helps structure our thinking about how to tackle the bigger question – and ultimate goal – of helping India to Rise.
Ideas must be ready to implement. An execution plan is a major part of your project profile page. It will show potential volunteers, donors, voters, and the jury that your project is feasible and dramatically increase your chances of inspiring support or winning a grant. If you want to spread an idea without an execution plan, you might want to post it on the discussion board instead.
The two main factors in winning a grant or inspiring volunteers and donations are the strength of your idea and the success of your promotion. Make sure you do your best to spread the word about your project, and post regular project updates. This will show that your project is backed by passion and commitment.
The categories serve as a framework to help us approach the big challenge of how to help India Rise and to help people browse through all the projects on www.sparktherise.com. Choose the one or two categories that best fit your project.
You can select up to two categories. If your Spark could fit into more categories--or if you feel that none of the suggested categories is quite right--then select the one or two that you feel best represent your Spark. Categories are there to help structure the discussion--how you categorize your Spark will not impact your chances at winning a grant!
After you have submitted your project, you can always edit the details. If you have mis-categorized it, you will be able to change the category. But don't sweat the category – again, this is a framework to help us think about how to tackle big problems, but it will not affect your chances of receiving a grant. Grants are given based purely on public vote and the jury's opinion of their merit. Every single winner might come from the same category (though this is unlikely!).
You'll need to include a project title, description, and photo; category; a detailed project plan outlining the steps you'll take to implement the project; links to supporting media like videos, photos, or presentations; and contact information so the Mahindra Spark the Rise team can reach you. Your contact information will not be visible on your project profile – people interested in contacting you will send you a message through www.sparktherise.com. You can choose when and if to disclose your contact information.
Yes! The more material you share about your project, the better. You can link to videos hosted on YouTube, photos hosted on Flickr, and presentations hosted on Slideshare when you create your project profile.
Yes. When you register, you will create a personal profile where you can fill out your basic information, add a photo, tell us a bit about yourself, and more.
No. Before they appear on the site, project submissions must be screened for completeness and appropriateness.
Yes. All projects are subject to five working days' of review before they go live on the site. Projects will be screened for completeness and appropriateness – we reserve the right to refuse participation at our own discretion. This means that projects we deem discriminatory or inappropriate or that violate Indian law will not be considered.
Note that since all projects are subject to a minimum of five working days of review, submitting your project close to the end of the submission period may mean that it does not appear on www.sparktherise.com as soon as the voting period opens.
You will receive a confirmation email within five working days.
Yes – you can begin your submission, save it, and return to it later.
Yes. You can enter a project at any time. If you submit a project during a grant cycle, when Mahindra is awarding grants, it will be published on the site in the next voting period. If you submit a project when Mahindra is not awarding grants, it will still be posted on the site so that you can connect with other project champions and reach out to volunteers and donors. All of the important dates are clearly posted on the site in the How It Works section.
Absolutely! Spark the Rise is first and foremost a platform for people with ideas to get heard and get connected. You can submit projects and use Spark the Rise as your loudspeaker any day of the year. We will be periodically awarding grants each year; we will announce the dates on the homepage when we do.
Yes. However, you will probably need to make significant revisions to address the reasons for which it was rejected.
If you do not need volunteers or donations, of course you do not need to ask for them. You can leave these fields blank when you fill out your project profile. However, keep in mind that inviting others to get involved can lead to new ideas and strengthen your project.
Absolutely!
No, your project does not have to be unique. Many areas need the same kinds of projects – afterschool programs, solar powered UPS systems, transportation solutions. However, innovative thinking will set your project apart and make it more likely to receive a grant.
We will contact you by phone or mail. If you entered Spark the Rise through a Mahindra dealership or office, we will also contact that dealership or office to make sure the message reaches you. The offline form requests contact details for both you and the Mahindra dealership or office that helps you.
No. You will only be notified if your project is awarded a grant.
When you submit your project, we go through it carefully to make sure your submission is complete and that it is legal and appropriate. After this approval process, we will post it to www.sparktherise.com where it can be viewed by any visitor to the site. This approval process will usually be completed within five working days.
Yes! Posting updates is one of the best ways to get – and keep – people interested in your project. If you use regular updates to show that you are working towards your goals, people will know that this is a serious project that is likely to succeed. They will be more likely to vote, volunteer, and donate to your project – and the expert jury will also be more likely to consider you for a grant during grant cycles.
However, public vote means that people are free to evaluate projects as they choose – they may not follow this framework.
You can be sure that the jury will use these three points, though.
All projects will be visible to anyone who visits the site, whether or not they are registered.
You can promote your project by spreading the word online through social media like Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and more, and offline through word of mouth, posters, and even talking to newspapers who may want to write a story about it. Get creative! We've also put together a toolbox to help you publicize your idea – check it out here.
However, public vote means that people are free to evaluate projects as they choose – they may not follow this framework.
You can be sure that the jury will use these three points, though.
The jury will choose 3 Sparks and public vote will choose 5.
The jury will choose Sparks from the pool remaining after the public vote – so no Spark can win two grants in one month.
If there is a tie for the last grant(s) available, the Spark with the most followers will receive the grant. If there is a tie for the number of followers as well, the jury will decide which Spark will receive the grant. For example, if there is one Spark with 1,100 votes, one Spark with 1,000 votes, one Spark with 900 votes, and two Sparks with 800 votes, no tiebreaker is needed. But if there is one Spark with 1,100 votes, one Spark with 1,000 votes, one Spark with 900 votes, and three Sparks with 800 votes, then the two fifth-slot Sparks with the most followers will receive grants. The third Spark with 800 votes will not receive a grant.
No. Grants are given based purely on public vote and the jury's opinion of their merit. Every single winner might come from the same category (though this is unlikely!).
Use them! Once you have inspired volunteers to join you using www.sparktherise.com, get in touch offline and set them to work on whatever tasks you need help with. Spark the Rise and Mahindra will not be involved in setting up volunteering--we are providing you with a platform to build your own support.
You can only vote for the other sparks on the website, but not your own project.
Each person has unlimited votes, but you can only vote for each Spark once. So vote for as many Sparks as you think are worthy!
You will have to go through a verification process before you get the grant. We will require proof of identity, residence, and intent. Should you receive a grant, we will be in touch with you with further details.
Our process partners, Ernst & Young, will handle the verification process.
Actively promoting your project both online and offline will definitely contribute to your likelihood of winning a grant from public vote. You need to make sure people hear about your bright idea! But you don't need to be well networked to get a voice. Reach out to people on www.sparktherise.com and use the promotion toolbox we've provided here . If you have a good idea, people will get behind it! Also, the expert jury will select 3 Sparks per month on merit alone, regardless of the number of votes they've gathered.
Yes! You can resubmit during the next submission period.
No. Projects submitted in previous rounds will still be visible, and you can still get in touch with project champions to get involved, but you will not be able to vote on them. Projects need to be resubmitted in order to be considered for a grant in a new round.
We will contact you using the phone and/or mailing address information you enter when you register. To make sure we reach you, we will notify both you and the Mahindra dealership or office where you got your form.
No. You will only be notified if your project is awarded a grant.
The Grand Finale is an opportunity for 18 Spark the Rise finalists to win large grants from Mahindra. It takes place after all six monthly rounds of Spark the Rise are complete. Three runners-up will receive Rs 20 lakh each and one first-place winner will receive Rs 40 lakh.
A total of 18 Sparks were eligible for the Grand Finale.
The two highest-voted Sparks from each month were automatically eligible, for a total of 12. Of these 12, the projects that met basic verification requirements are participating. The remaining 6 finalists were chosen by the expert jury.
The jury chose finalists from all Spark the Rise projects from every round. These jury picks may or may not have received monthly grants in previous rounds.
Voting is open from 2 April to 15 April. The results will be announced at a live awards ceremony attended by all the finalists on 20 April.
The jury chose finalists using the same criteria as in the monthly rounds.
Here they are:
Grand Finale winners will be selected by a combination of public vote and jury. The public votes will count for 30% and the jury will count for 70% of the total score.
Here's how it works: Score/70 from the jury + Score/30 from votes = Total Score
To convert each project's total votes into a score out of 30, we will index them to the leading project's votes. So the project with the most votes gets 30 points, and the remaining projects will be scored as a percentage of the top project's votes.
Say the leading project gets 4,000 votes. It gets 30 points. If another project gets 3,000 votes, then it gets 3,000/4,000 * 30 =22.5 points. Then the jury will score each project out of 70. We'll add the points from voting to the score given by the jury to determine the winning projects. Any ties will be broken by the jury.
The project with the highest total score will win the Rs 40 lakh grant. The three runners-up will each receive a Rs 20 lakh grant.
Nope. Everybody starts with a blank slate.
In addition to our standard protections and checks, we are verifying every vote by SMS to keep the Grand Finale free and fair. When you cast a vote online, you will be asked to submit your mobile number for confirmation. Next, you'll get an SMS with a verification code to enter onto the website. You can also vote directly by SMS—just visit the project page for its special code and follow the directions.
When you cast a vote online, you will be asked to submit your mobile number for confirmation. Next, you'll get an SMS with a verification code to enter onto the website. You can also vote directly by SMS—just visit the project page for its special code and follow the directions.
Absolutely not! Your mobile number will ONLY be used to SMS you a verification code. We will not use it for any other purpose.
The Grand Finale winners will be announced live at an awards ceremony on 20 April, 2012.
All 18 finalists are invited to attend the awards ceremony in Mumbai on 20 April, 2012. A member of the expert jury will reveal and introduce each winner.
The awards ceremony will be attended by all 18 finalists, invited change-makers and organizations interested in partnering with the finalists, and Mahindra executives and the Rise Team.
The general public cannot attend the Awards Ceremony (sorry—we won't all fit!), but we will have a live Twitter feeds (@MahindraRise, #SparktheRiseFinale) and a live video feed so the whole community can participate. We'll share the link to the live video feed through an announcement.
You will have to go through a verification process before you get the grant. We need proof of identity, residence, and intent. Should you receive a grant, we'll be in touch with you with further details.
Business as usual! Spark the Rise is primarily a platform for people like you to broadcast great ideas for changing India. Mahindra won't be offering monthly grants until the next season of Spark the Rise begins in August 2012, but you can still submit new projects, attract volunteers and donations, and get in touch with other project champions. This is your space—use it!
No way! The site will continue to be an active platform for people to connect around good ideas for helping India rise. Start new projects, update ongoing ones, reach out to new volunteers, attract donations, and build a network with other change agents.
Each year, we will have a six-month season of grant awards. The dates will be announced on the homepage and in How It Works when new seasons open. The 2011-12 season is currently closed.
Each month, project champions can submit projects to www.sparktherise.com. After we conduct a basic requirements-check, the projects will be posted on www.sparktherise.com. The public can vote for the projects they think are most deserving, and the 5 projects with the most votes will win grants each month. An expert jury will also select 3 projects for monthly grants. After six rounds (six months), a Grand Finale will be held where 18 finalists selected by public vote and the jury will be eligible for larger grants.
Yes. Just make sure you disclose your relationship with Mahindra when you create your public profile. Furthermore, if you enter a project, it cannot overlap with the business in which you and Mahindra partner. For example, if you are a dealer for Mahindra tractors, you cannot enter an idea for streamlining tractor distribution processes. Ideas that affect your business partnership with Mahindra should be addressed directly with Mahindra.
Yes. Just make sure you disclose your relationship with Mahindra when you create your public profile. Also, we are only able to accept Spark the Rise projects from employees that do not overlap with Mahindra Group businesses. For example, we cannot accept a proposal to develop a car that runs on water, because we already operate automotive businesses. However, if you have ideas related to Mahindra businesses, you can present them to your boss or through the internal forum where such ideas are normally accepted. If you are unsure whether or not your idea overlaps with a Mahindra activity, you can ask us at sparktherise@mahindra.com. Title your email EMPLOYEE QUERY. If your idea does overlap with a Mahindra activity, we will pass it on to an internal committee that can help put it in action!
Yes. When you create your Spark the Rise public profile, you will be able to select your relationship with Mahindra from a list.
Yes. When you create your Spark the Rise public profile, you will be able to select your relationship with Mahindra from a list.
No. You will need to promote your own project. You can promote it by spreading the word online through social media like Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and more, and offline through word of mouth, posters, and even talking to newspapers who may want to write a story about it. Get creative! We've also put together a toolbox to help you publicize your idea – Coming soon!.
If your project does not overlap with Mahindra Group businesses and is eligible for Spark the Rise, then Mahindra has the first right of refusal. If your project does overlap with Mahindra Group businesses, then it will be considered as a business proposal through internal mechanisms and Mahindra will own the right to the IP.
Your ideas are your own – Mahindra will not have any IP rights to any of the projects you submit. However, if you are employed by another company or organization, you should check its IP policies.
Yes! You can participate by voting for the Sparks you think are best, or by voicing your opinions on the discussion forum. There, you can field an idea ("Companies should make electric scooters more affordable through employee rewards policies"), start a debate ("Does India need SEZs?"), or give someone advice about their Spark the Rise project ("If you want to raise test scores among girl students, you should...").
Yes. Registering enables you to vote for Sparks you think should receive grants, receive notifications when Sparks you are 'following' update their status, and participate in the discussion board – as well as enter your own Sparks. If you do not register, you can still view other people's Sparks and get in touch with them to volunteer or donate.
Simply send an email to brand@mahindra.com. We'll get back to you within 96 hours.
Yes. Spark the Rise grants can only be used for the projects they were awarded for. We will check in with all grant recipients to track their progress after they receive the grant.
No. You will need to promote your own project. You can promote it by spreading the word online through social media like Facebook, Twitter, blogs, and more, and offline through word of mouth, posters, and even talking to newspapers who may want to write a story about it. Get creative! We've also put together a toolbox to help you publicize your idea – Coming soon!.
Spark the Rise is not just a grant-giving program – it is a platform that connects people who are passionate about driving positive change in India. Through it, entrepreneurs can support each other's ventures, people can volunteer for worthwhile initiatives, and anyone can start debates about the issues facing India today. Even after April 2012 when all the grants have been given, www.sparktherise.com will continue to be an active platform for people to connect around good ideas for helping India Rise. While you will not be able to enter new projects, you will still be able to update existing ones and get in touch with project champions to get involved.
Actively promoting your project both online and offline will definitely contribute to your likelihood of winning a grant from public vote. You need to make sure people hear about your bright idea! But you don't need to be well-networked or a social media whiz to get a voice. Reach out to people on www.sparktherise.com and use the promotion toolbox we've provided here . If you have a good idea, people will get behind it! And remember, the expert jury will select 3 Sparks per month on merit alone, regardless of the number of votes they've gathered.