CSR-1 Registration: What NGOs Need to Know
Why NGOs need Form CSR-1 to receive CSR funds, who is eligible, the documents required, and how to become a stronger CSR partner.
Since 1 April 2021, any organisation that implements CSR activities on behalf of a company must be registered with the Ministry of Corporate Affairs through Form CSR-1. Without it, a company cannot count the money it gives that organisation as CSR spending.
Who can register?
- Section 8 companies, registered public trusts and registered societies that are registered under Section 12A and Section 80G of the Income Tax Act. They must also have a track record of at least three years in similar activities.
- Section 8 companies, trusts and societies set up by the company itself, alone or with others.
- Entities established by the central or state government, or by an Act of Parliament or a state legislature.
What is needed
Form CSR-1 is filed online on the MCA portal and must be digitally signed. It is certified by a practising chartered accountant, company secretary or cost accountant. Organisations typically need:
- their registration certificate and PAN;
- 12A and 80G registrations;
- details of their directors, trustees or office-bearers; and
- information on their track record.
Once processed, the system generates a unique CSR registration number.
Registration is the minimum, not the goal
CSR-1 makes an NGO eligible. It does not make it fundable. Companies increasingly look for:
- Clean governance: audited accounts, independent board members and conflict-of-interest policies.
- Clear outcomes: evidence of results, not just activities.
- Reporting capacity: the ability to produce timely utilisation certificates and progress reports.
- Field presence: real relationships with communities and local government.
A note for NGOs in underserved states
Grassroots organisations in states like Bihar often do excellent work but struggle to reach corporate funders. Building documentation and measurement systems, and forming consortia with peer organisations, can open the door to larger multi-year grants.
Orvys runs a network for implementing partners that connects credible organisations with companies looking to invest.
