Returnable Grant Starter Pack

Introduction

This microsite contains the detailed documentation that helps any organisation get a strong understanding about Returnable Grant (RG) and helps them go live on the network.

In today’s world, getting the right financial support can be tough, especially for those who lack a credit history or cannot provide collateral. This makes it harder for individuals to improve their skills, start businesses, or grow their livelihoods. To overcome these barriers, we need accessible and fair ways to provide funding to those who need it most.

The Returnable Grant (RG) is a new, innovative solution designed to help. It provides zero-interest, zero-collateral funding to individuals, with the only requirement being a moral commitment to repay the grant. This model is built to empower people and communities, helping them get the capital they need without the typical financial barriers.

How Does RG Work?

The Beckn Protocol is a decentralized, open-source network that helps manage the entire process of giving and repaying these grants. Using easy-to-integrate APIs and microservices, the RG system connects individuals, service providers, and financial organizations smoothly. This system is different from traditional ones because it encourages partnerships and collaboration, all focused on providing people with the financial support they need to thrive.

What Can RG Do for You?

RG offers several benefits that make it an attractive solution for individuals and businesses alike:

• Easy Access to Services: RG makes it easier for both businesses and individuals to discover and connect with the right services, ensuring that everyone can find the help they need.
• Freedom to Choose: Beneficiaries can choose from a range of financial services and providers, picking the ones that suit them best in terms of price, accessibility, and relevance.
• Trust and Transparency: RG uses secure methods to verify identities, track repayments, and show proof of progress, making sure that everyone in the system can trust each other.
• Portable Credentials: Participants can keep track of their credentials and repayment history in a digital format, allowing them to build a positive reputation that can be recognized across different platforms and institutions.

RG - Focus Areas : Empowering Growth and Opportunity

Returnable Grants (RGs) are innovative financial tools that create opportunities for skill development, entrepreneurship, and community empowerment. By addressing capital gaps, RGs foster a self-sustaining ecosystem that helps individuals and small businesses thrive. The RG model focuses on four main areas:

1. Capital for Skill Development: RGs provide funding for skill training, certifications, and upskilling, especially for unemployed youth, informal workers, and professionals. This enables individuals to stay competitive in the job market and pursue sustainable livelihoods.
2. Financial Inclusion: RGs provide accessible, interest-free, and collateral-free funding to underserved communities. By partnering with NGOs, CSR programs, and financial institutions, RGs promote economic inclusion and ensure that financial barriers don’t limit opportunities.
3. Entrepreneurship Support: RGs support small businesses and entrepreneurs by providing capital to overcome growth challenges. This funding enables businesses to scale, adopt new technologies, and expand operations, fostering long-term success.
4. Community Empowerment: Beyond funding, RGs offer mentorship and guidance to help beneficiaries maximize the impact of their grants. This ensures that individuals and businesses can successfully navigate challenges and achieve sustainable outcomes.

Core Principles

Decentralization

RGs use a decentralized framework (like the Beckn Protocol) to ensure smooth interaction between platforms without a central authority, improving efficiency and transparency.

Trust and Transparency

RGs ensure all transactions are tracked and verified digitally, building trust and accountability among all participants.

Scalability and Flexibility

The RG system is designed to grow and adapt, supporting different sectors and regions with customizable grant solution.

Roles You Can Play

An entity can play various roles on RG, the primary roles are:

RG Provider Platform

If you wish to offer Returnable Grants (RG) and manage their distribution through a platform, you can join the network as an RG Provider Platform.

RG Provider

If you want to be a direct provider of RGs, delivering grants to seekers, you can join as an RG Provider.

RG Seeker Platform

If you want to explore and apply for RGs, you can join the network as an RG Seeker Platform, accessing various grants for your needs.

RG Seeker

If you are looking to receive RGs for purposes such as skill development, business growth, or entrepreneurship, you can join as an RG Seeker.

Technology Service Provider

If you want to enable other organizations to join the RG network through your technology, business, or onboarding services, you can join as a Technology Service Provider.

Learn

Beckn Protocol (or Beckn in short) enables the creation of open, peer-to-peer decentralized networks for pan-sector economic transactions.

Here are 10 videos that explain how to use to leverage the protocol for your business and offerings

Understanding the APIs

Introduction

Thrive Network layered architecture is illustrated as shown in the diagram below. The base layer refers to the Beckn Protocol, which is an open source decentralized protocol. Over the base layer, the network extension layer comprises the API contracts customized to the Thrive context, along with other specs that have been adopted in order to facilitate transactions in the network.

Here is an overview to help you visualize the mapping between transactional flow and the APIs as part of Thrive protocol.

Refer to Beckn Protocol Specification for more details about the APIs.

Example

Below is the example usage of protocol APIs in Thrive RG Domain.

API	Usage
Search API	Discover the RG product
On Search API	Returns the RG catalogue
Select API	Select the RG
On Select API	Returns the complete RG details along with additional details
Init API	Initialize the RG pre fullfillment stage (kyc/income verification)
On Init API	Send kyc and income verification status
Confirm API	Confirm the RG disbursement draft order
On Confirm API	Send transaction id and other relevent details about disbursement
Status API	Request the disbursement status
On Status API	Returns the disbursement status

Integration of Adaptors

Link to Integration of Adaptors:
https://git.samhita.org/samhita-thrive-network/samhita-thrive-netwrok

Discussion Forum

Link to Discussion Forum:
https://github.com/ONDC-Official/ONDC-ONEST-Specifications/discussions

Issues Board

Link to Issues Board:
https://git.samhita.org/samhita-thrive-network/rg-starer-kit/-/issues

Cohort Calls

Recurring sessions are organized for Network Participants to provide guidance on registering on the ONDC portal and to offer technical briefings for seamless integration.

ONDC Registry Onboarding (Subscribe API) Walkthrough

Schedule: Every Thursday, 10:00 – 10:45am

Video call link: https://meet.google.com/qjs-xupv-zdk

Tech Briefing

Schedule: Every Friday, 11:00am – 12:00pm

Video call link: https://meet.google.com/woj-rfzf-aqg

Help

It is an open network that welcomes everyone involved in promoting financial inclusion, skill development, entrepreneurship, and community empowerment. Whether you are an individual, organization, or platform looking to provide, facilitate, or benefit from RGs, you are invited to join.

You can choose one or more roles based on your goals and expertise:

• RG Provider Platform: If you want to offer and manage RGs through your platform, this role is for you.
• RG Provider: If you’d like to directly provide RGs to individuals or businesses, you can join as an RG Provider.
• RG Seeker Platform: If you want to connect beneficiaries to RGs and make funding opportunities accessible, join as an RG Seeker Platform.
• RG Seeker: If you need funding for skill development, entrepreneurship, or business growth, you can join as an RG Seeker.
• Technology Service Provider: If you specialize in technology or onboarding solutions, you can help organizations join and succeed in the RG network.