Fostering Scalable Solutions and Systemic Change with OBF: Evidence from the Haryana Early Literacy Development Impact Bond

Thursday 3rd September 2026

13:00-15:00 CEST / 16:30-18:30 IST 

Online 

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About the Webinar 

Over the past decade, Innovative Financing for Education (IFE) has gained increasing attention as a potential way to mobilise additional resources along with improving the effectiveness and efficiency of education spending. Innovations in financing approaches are introduced by drawing on non-traditional sources of financing, including upfront capital from private investors, and financial management approaches like results-based or outcomes-based financing (OBF). These approaches often bring together diverse stakeholders – e.g., governments, private and philanthropic funders, impact investors, implementing organisations, researchers and evaluators – in new forms of collaboration, in which actors engage with and apply management practices shaped by sectors other than their own. 

Despite this growing interest, evidence on whether, how, and under what conditions these approaches contribute to more and better financing for education remains limited. 

This webinar presents findings from an independent impact evaluation of the Haryana Development Impact Bond (DIB)—India’s first OBF mechanism for education to mobilise Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) funding through a results-based model. Conducted by NORRAG, the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, with support from the Language and Learning Foundation, the evaluation examines not only the programme’s impact on learning outcomes, but also the role of government engagement, domestic resource mobilisation through CSR, and the implementation lessons that enabled innovation, flexibility, and the subsequent scaling of the approach.  

Bringing together researchers, practitioners, policymakers, funders, and corporate and philanthropic actors, the webinar will engage stakeholders in a discussion on what the Haryana DIB can teach us about applying outcomes-focused approaches to achieve more and better financing for education. 

This event comprises a 1.5-hour webinar followed by an extended Q&A with selected speakers.

Moderators:  

• Arushi Terway, NORRAG
• Louise Thaller, NORRAG

Speakers:  

• Archana Mehendale, NORRAG
• TBC, Language and Learning Foundation 
• Aman Bhaiya, SBI Foundation 
• Ishmeet Singh, Central Square Foundation 
• Parmod Kumar, Haryana State Ministry of Education 
• Amrita Patwardhan, Tata Trusts 

Agenda:  

1. Welcome and introduction 
2. Presentation of the Haryana research 
3. Reflection presentation from Language and Learning Foundation 
4. Panel Discussion 
5. Audience Q&A 

Read more about the Webinar Series What We Know About Innovative Financing for Education.

Webinar Partners 

This webinar is co-organised by NORRAG and the Language and Learning Foundation as part of the Innovative Financing for Education to Leave No One Behind project.

The IFE-2-Leave No One Behind project would like to thank our co-sponsor for this event, the KIX EMAP Hub.