‘Kindness must move’: DonateKart announces major rebrand as it completes 10 years

India's in-kind donation platform DonateKart has announced a major rebranding as part tenth anniversary, highlighting a shift towards what it calls an “action-oriented” philanthropy.

The Bengaluru-based organisation said it has facilitated over Rs 400 crore worth of essential goods since its launch in 2016 and has been working with more than 10,000 non-governmental organisations and processing 2.5 million donor transactions nationwide.

The new identity, which was unveiled on Valentine’s Day, centres on the idea that “kindness without action is just a feeling”, a phrase the firm believes will guide its future operations and communication.

A shift in messaging and design

At the centre of the rebrand is a redesigned logo depicting a moving box with a heart inside. DonateKart said the new logo intends to symbolise the journey from intention to tangible impact. On the other hand, its updated visual identity prioritises clarity and functionality over decorative elements.

“This is not just a logo change, it’s how we operate. Every campaign is field-verified, every delivery is tracked, and every donor sees exactly what their contribution became. The logo is a promise and the operations are the proof,” said Sarang Bobade, Founder & CEO, DonateKart.

DonateKart also said that its platform interface has been redesigned to resemble familiar e-commerce systems with the aim to make donating as straightforward as online shopping.

Focus on transparency and verification

DonateKart said it has strengthened its verification processes by introducing automated checks using optical character recognition and government-linked application programming interfaces, removing the need for manual intervention.

Donors are now notified in real time through messaging services and email at each stage of the delivery process, from order placement to dispatch and final delivery. Updates on campaigns can also be requested, with a stated turnaround time of 72 hours.

The platform said it also maintains a nationwide disaster response network capable of mobilising relief within the same time frame. The platform also embraces pluralism as a core value. DonateKart runs campaigns across faiths and communities with equal intensity, from campaigns supporting sadhus to those centred on Ramadan, promoting humanity as the unifying principle.

Changing how communities are represented

As part of the rebrand, DonateKart said it would no longer refer to recipients as “beneficiaries”, instead using the term “communities” to emphasise participation rather than dependency.

The organisation's content strategy has also shifted away from what it described as “guilt or fear-based messaging”, focusing instead on stories of individuals who continue to support others despite personal challenges. So far, it has documented nearly 4,000 such “changemakers” across India.

Campaign language has also been adjusted to emphasise action, with messaging designed to prompt direct engagement from donors.

Over the past decade, DonateKart has partnered with major companies including Amazon, Salesforce, Google and DMart as part of corporate social responsibility programmes.

The Sarang Bobade-led organisation now plans to invest further in automation, structured procurement systems and donor recognition tools such as badges, positioning itself as a long-term infrastructure provider for “accountable generosity”.