Bengaluru, 4 November 2026: Author, social entrepreneur and philanthropy expert Alex Counts kicked off his India book tour with a Masterclass on Nonprofit Leadership and Fundraising at the ATREE Academy in Bengaluru on Monday. The session brought together more than 50 nonprofit leaders, development practitioners, researchers, social entrepreneurs and students from across Bengaluru’s social impact ecosystem to discuss strengthening nonprofit leadership and building sustainable organisations.
Hosted by ATREE, with Rang De as the Giving Partner, the Masterclass explored key challenges facing the nonprofit sector, including fundraising, organisational resilience, effective leadership and long-term sustainability.
“Professionalising the nonprofit sector is essential to building organisations that can deliver lasting impact. Strong leadership, effective governance, sustainable fundraising and investment in organisational capacity are fundamental to an organisation’s ability to fulfil its mission. It was encouraging to see such an engaged group come together in Bengaluru to exchange ideas on strengthening the sector,” said Counts.
Drawing on nearly four decades of experience in philanthropy, microfinance and social entrepreneurship, Counts shared insights from his work with grassroots organisations and institutions worldwide. The interactive session offered participants an opportunity to reflect on the realities of leading mission-driven organisations, mobilising resources and building institutions capable of sustaining their impact over time.
The Bengaluru event marks the beginning of Counts’ India tour, centred around his three books: Changing the World Without Losing Your Mind: Leadership Lessons from Three Decades of Social Entrepreneurship; When in Doubt, Ask for More; and Small Loans, Big Dreams
Following Bengaluru, the tour will continue with Masterclass and networking engagements in Hyderabad on November 3 and in Delhi NCR on November 4. The tour will conclude in Kolkata on November 5 with an NGO and philanthropy networking reception, bringing together members of the non-profit community for further conversations on leadership, philanthropy and social change.
Counts is the Executive Director of the India Philanthropy Alliance. He is also the founder and former CEO of Grameen Foundation USA and the former CEO of American India Foundation. He has raised more than $300 million for social impact initiatives around the world.
Through these engagements, Counts aims to share lessons from his experience and encourage conversations on how nonprofit organisations can strengthen their leadership, build resilient institutions and create lasting impact.
About Alex Counts
Alex Counts is an author, social entrepreneur and practitioner in microfinance, philanthropy and social impact. A former Fulbright Fellow in Bangladesh, he is the former CEO of American India Foundation and Founder and Executive Director of India Philanthropy Alliance. Through his work and three books, Counts explores nonprofit leadership, effective philanthropy, organisational sustainability and the challenges of creating lasting social change. https://www.alexcounts.com/
