The Community Program (TCP)

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About the Program:

What is TCP (The Community Program)

  • The Community Program (TCP) is MRSI's initiative to give back to society by identifying NGOs/Charities, not-for-profit organizations working for a social cause at the grassroots level and partnering with them to make available to the world-class research and insights to help them magnify their impact on their cause.
  • The program aims at harnessing the ideas, skills and energy of the young research professionals, coupling them with the resources of our member companies and channeling these to help solve the key questions/challenges being faced by the partner social organizations.
  • After the competition, the participating organizations (charities and NGOs) will end up with actionable insights for them to carry forward their work to the community.
  • The overarching theme of this year’s TCP is The Role of Market Research and Insights in supporting Charities/Non-Profits in overcoming relevant and meaningful social issues. Some indicative examples of such issues are:
    • Gender equality
    • Access to justice
    • Access to education
    • Improving the lives of persons with disabilities
    • Improving the lives of children
    • Environmental & Climate change
    • Sustainability
    • Integration and diversity
    • Health and Wellness
  • The participating Charity / NGO organizations will end up with actionable insights for them to carry forward their work to the community, should their submission be selected for Insights presentation.
  • Any Project directly focused on fund-raising (eg. How to boost NGO/Charity’s fund-raising), media contacts, media contacts, or contacting activities would be disqualified from the national competition, as it follows under markeing activities and not market research. Although the main objective of the project must not be fundraising, if later the NGO/Charity uses the research findings or marketing purposes, or their fundraising increases as a result of the project, participation in this initiative will not be affected.

How can a researcher/NGO participate in TCP (The Community Program)

  • Any researcher can identify an NGO and they together identify a cause that can be addressed by a research work and approach MRSI for confirmation.
    • Additionally, MRSI will also spread the awareness of the program to help NGOs and researchers come forward and share their intention to participate with MRSI. In such cases, MRSI will facilitate the interested researchers to select an interested NGO with relevant research challenge.
  • The selection of research challenge between the researcher and the NGO is purely voluntary and mutual. MRSI is only a facilitator.
  • Once agreed between the researcher and the NGO on the topic of research, they will jointly prepare a research design to address that and approach MRSI for confirmation. It is expected that the researcher will lead the initiative with required help/insights from the NGO partner.
  • MRSI at its discretion may accept, reject any such submission or guide them to modify to meet the required standard and purposes.
  • It is a purely charitable activity, and no financial obligations lies on any party.

Shortlisting and Selection process for the TCP (The Community Program)

  • MRSI will set up a team of senior industry professionals along with the representative of the partner organizations (the TCP panel) who will then evaluate the various submission forms (google forms) and shortlist the most promising submissions.
  • After the confirmation from MRSI, the researcher will start working on the project together with the NGO and submit the findings/insights in PowerPoint to MRSI within the due date.
  • MRSI will request some or all such Insights reports for a presentation of the findings and action plan to a jury panel.
  • The jury will select the winning Researcher and NGO team and the winning project to be referred as the candidate representing India at the global ESOMAR "Research Got Talent" program.
  • The winning team (researcher and NGO) will be felicitated on social media and at the MRSI’s Annual Seminar with the winner’s entry being nominated for the ESOMAR’s Research Got Talent.
  • If any researcher is already working on any such pro-bono work with any NGO prior to this notice from MRSI on TCP 2025, such projects can also be submitted to MRSI for confirmation. However, the inception of such project must have been finished in second half in 2024 or the year 2025. MRSI at its own discretion may confirm or reject such submissions.

Note for Researchers:

Who can participate

  • As the initiative focuses particularly on young market researchers and students, between 18 and 35 years of age.
  • The researcher must be an MRSI member/working with MRSI corporate member.
  • The Researcher can be an individual or a team of two researchers working on the project. However if the project were to be the ONE chosen as the winner entry for RGT, only one person will be allowed to attend the ESOMAR Insights Festival.

Rules and Guidelines:

  • This Award will be given to the submission that best demonstrates the impact of research on decision-making within, and understanding of the issues relating to, the public policy or social arena.
  • The judges will be looking for sound case studies which show a strong connection between the research and the outcomes.
  • To win this Award your submission must show that research is based on sound technique and method, and you will need to clearly demonstrate how the research has contributed to decision-making on the issues involved.
  • There is a maximum of 1000 words per entry and the submission should include the following:
    • A brief summary of the project’s objectives and methodology
    • Research outcomes
    • Evidence of the success of the project and
    • Any other details that make this research endeavor "above & beyond" the norm.
  • Entries must not overtly ‘sell’ any organization. Company logos are acceptable.
  • The primary researcher must ensure that permission to enter the TCP challenge is obtained from all parties involved including your company head / clients and/or any suppliers.
  • In case the research work involves any direct or indirect cost, the employer organization is expected to sponsor that MRSI is in no way to provide any financial support
  • Receipt of entries will be acknowledged by a simple email confirmation, if you do not receive this email within 3 days of applying, please email info@mrsi.co.in
  • No materials will be returned; however, they will be securely destroyed after the Awards ceremony.
  • MRSI reserves the right to re-assign an entry to another category if it is deemed more appropriate.
  • The judges’ decisions are final. The Judging Panel will not enter into correspondence about why an entry is not selected as a finalist.
  • All submission materials will remain confidential to the Judging Panels and MRSI during the judging process. We may subsequently wish to publish case studies based on the materials provided; specific permission to publish will always be sought from entrants.

Note for NGO/Charities:

Who can participate

  • Organization should have registered on 'Niti Aayog’ NGO Darpan portal
  • Should have been operational for at least 5 years.

Rules and Guidelines

  • In a maximum of 1000 words please provide a brief summary of the social issue that you wish to be addressed through research
  • Entries must not overtly ‘sell’ the organization. Company logos are acceptable.
  • Receipt of entries will be acknowledged by a simple email confirmation, if you do not receive this email within 3 days of applying, please email info@mrsi.co.in
  • No materials will be returned; however, they will be securely destroyed after the project completion.
  • The judges’ decisions are final. The Judging Panel will not enter into correspondence about why an entry is not selected for the research project.
  • The Judging Panel will decide on the completeness of the project. No queries will be entertained in this regard.
  • Upon completion of the project, the researcher will provide the organization with a soft-copy of the presentation with clear insights and recommendations. Any consultation thereafter shall not be provided by the agency taking up the project as part of TCP
  • Any further understanding of the issue that requires undertaking further research is not within the scope of this initiative. If a particular organization wishes to undertake more research they can contact the same agency or any other research independently. MRSI will not be responsible to liaison between the organization and the research agency.
  • All submission materials will remain confidential to the Judging Panels and MRSI during the judging process. We may subsequently wish to publish case studies based on the materials provided; specific permission to publish will always be sought from entrants.