Deadline: 24-Apr-2026
SBI Foundation is inviting proposals from eligible non-profit organizations in India under its Integrated Learning Mission (ILM) to repair and renovate school infrastructure damaged by disasters. The program supports projects in severely affected areas across Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Uttarakhand, with grant budgets ranging from INR 50 lakhs to INR 2 crores for 12–18 months, focusing on safe, resilient, and child-friendly learning environments.
Overview
SBI Foundation has launched a Request for Proposal (RFP) for non-profit organizations in India to restore school infrastructure damaged by disasters.
This funding opportunity falls under the SBI Foundation Integrated Learning Mission (SBIF ILM) and aims to support the repair and renovation of schools affected by floods, landslides, cloudbursts, and related disasters. The goal is to restore safe, functional, and resilient learning spaces so children can return to uninterrupted education.
About SBI Foundation and the Integrated Learning Mission
SBI Foundation (SBIF) was created to consolidate the corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts of the State Bank Group and support underprivileged communities across India.
The Foundation works across multiple focus areas, including:
- Livelihoods & Entrepreneurship
- Education
- Environment
- Sports
- Rural Development
- Healthcare
- Disability & Inclusion
- Women Empowerment
Its flagship Integrated Learning Mission (ILM) is focused on:
- Good quality learning resources
- Capable teachers and school systems
- Vibrant schools
- Access to quality higher education
The ILM is aligned with UN Sustainable Development Goal 4 (Quality Education).
Purpose of the RFP
The RFP seeks implementation partners to carry out projects that repair and renovate school infrastructure damaged by disasters.
The core objective is to restore:
- Safe school buildings
- Functional classrooms
- Child-friendly learning spaces
- Basic infrastructure needed for learning continuity
- Resilient school environments in high-risk areas
Projects are expected to create scalable and replicable models that improve classroom usability and strengthen the broader school ecosystem.
Why This RFP Matters
This intervention responds to major education disruptions caused by disasters in 2025.
Floods, cloudbursts, landslides, and related events damaged schools across parts of:
- Punjab
- Himachal Pradesh
- Jammu & Kashmir
- Uttarakhand
These events caused prolonged school closures, disrupted learning for thousands of students, and exposed the lack of a structured rapid-repair system for school infrastructure.
For FY 2026–27, SBI Foundation is prioritizing timely school restoration in disaster-affected regions so students can return to safer and more stable learning environments.
Geographic Focus
The initiative will prioritize districts most severely impacted by disasters.
Priority Regions Mentioned
- Punjab
- Himachal Pradesh
- Jammu & Kashmir
- Uttarakhand
Projects should directly address education disruptions in these or similarly affected high-risk areas, depending on the final RFP scope.
Who Is Eligible?
Eligible applicants are non-profit organizations registered in India that can implement school infrastructure repair and renovation projects in disaster-affected areas.
Likely Strong Applicant Profile
Organizations will be stronger candidates if they have:
- Legal registration in India as a non-profit
- Experience in education sector implementation
- Experience in school infrastructure repair or rehabilitation
- Experience working in disaster-affected or resource-constrained settings
- Ability to manage construction-related compliance and safety
- Capacity to deliver monitoring, reporting, and sustainability plans
Funding Amount and Project Duration
Grant Size
Eligible organizations may submit proposals with budgets between:
- INR 50 lakhs
- INR 2 crores
Project Duration
Projects should be designed for:
- 12 to 18 months
This makes the opportunity suitable for medium-scale infrastructure recovery and school improvement projects.
What Types of Interventions Are Expected?
The program focuses on repair and renovation, not just general education programming.
Priority Intervention Areas
Projects are expected to focus on:
- Repair of disaster-damaged school infrastructure
- Renovation of unsafe or unusable classrooms
- Structural rehabilitation
- Restoration of child-friendly learning spaces
- Improvement of WASH facilities (water, sanitation, and hygiene)
- Infrastructure upgrades aligned with safety standards
- Disaster-resilient school improvements
What the Fund Is Looking For
SBI Foundation is specifically looking for projects that:
- Restore learning continuity quickly
- Improve classroom usability
- Strengthen the overall learning environment
- Follow national safety and construction standards
- Integrate disaster-resilient practices
- Can be scaled or replicated in similar contexts
Key Evaluation Criteria
Selection will be based on the strength and quality of the proposal.
Likely Evaluation Factors
Applications will be assessed on:
- Quality of the project proposal
- Alignment with the SBIF ILM framework
- Relevance to disaster-affected school infrastructure needs
- Innovation in implementation
- Risk mitigation strategies
- Monitoring and evaluation systems
- Sustainability planning
- Experience in similar school infrastructure projects
- Compliance with safety and construction standards
How to Prepare a Strong Proposal
Recommended Steps
- Identify disaster-affected schools clearly
Focus on schools in severely affected districts with documented infrastructure damage. - Define the infrastructure scope
Clearly specify what will be repaired or renovated—classrooms, roofs, walls, WASH blocks, flooring, access, etc. - Show education impact
Explain how the intervention will restore safe learning and reduce disruption for students. - Include safety and resilience measures
Demonstrate how repairs will align with safety norms and improve disaster resilience. - Build a realistic budget
Keep the proposal within INR 50 lakhs to INR 2 crores and link every cost to outputs. - Strengthen M&E and risk planning
Include clear monitoring, milestones, quality checks, and risk mitigation. - Highlight prior experience
Emphasize any experience in school construction, rehabilitation, education recovery, or post-disaster infrastructure work.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Submitting a generic education project instead of an infrastructure-focused proposal
- Failing to show direct disaster-related school damage
- Weak technical detail on repair and renovation scope
- Ignoring WASH and safety standards
- No clear disaster-resilience component
- Unrealistic budgets or vague construction costs
- Weak monitoring, sustainability, or risk mitigation plans
Why This Opportunity Is Important for NGOs
This is a strong opportunity for Indian non-profits working at the intersection of:
- Education
- School infrastructure
- Disaster recovery
- WASH in schools
- Child-friendly learning environments
- Resilient public infrastructure
For organizations with technical and field capacity, the grant offers substantial funding to restore schools while building safer, more durable infrastructure in vulnerable regions.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is this SBI Foundation RFP about?
It is an RFP under SBI Foundation’s Integrated Learning Mission for repairing and renovating school infrastructure damaged by disasters in India.
2. Who can apply?
Eligible applicants are non-profit organizations registered in India with the capacity to implement school repair and renovation projects.
3. What is the funding amount?
Organizations can submit proposals with budgets ranging from INR 50 lakhs to INR 2 crores.
4. What is the project duration?
Projects should run for 12 to 18 months.
5. Which states or regions are prioritized?
The need is linked to disaster-affected areas in Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir, and Uttarakhand, especially the most severely impacted districts.
6. What types of school improvements are expected?
The program emphasizes school repair, structural rehabilitation, classroom usability, and WASH facility improvements, with a focus on safety and disaster resilience.
7. What will make a proposal stronger?
Strong proposals will show clear infrastructure needs, technical feasibility, safety compliance, disaster resilience, measurable education outcomes, and solid monitoring and sustainability plans.
Final Takeaway
The SBI Foundation school infrastructure repair and renovation RFP is a significant funding opportunity for Indian non-profits working in education recovery and disaster-resilient school infrastructure.
With grants of INR 50 lakhs to INR 2 crores for 12–18 months, the opportunity is best suited for organizations that can restore damaged schools quickly, improve WASH and safety conditions, and create resilient learning environments in disaster-affected districts. Strong proposals will be practical, technically sound, and clearly linked to restoring uninterrupted education for children.
For more information, visit SBI Foundation.
