HCL Foundation today said it will spend Rs 100 crore over the next five years to support NGOs and social leaders who are implementing projects for upliftment of the country.

As part of its initiative, HCL Grant, in its first year, one winning NGO will receive a grant of Rs 5 crore.

"The Foundation launched HCL Grant, an initiative to support NGOs and individual social leaders who are implementing projects for upliftment and development of the country," it said in a statement.

A sum of Rs 100 crore would be spent over the period of next five years through this initiative, it added.

Six finalists have been selected from a pool of over 400 NGOs from across the country for the initiative. The winning NGO would be announced on January 18.

HCL Foundation said while in the first year, HCL Grant is being given to one NGO in the education sector, in the subsequent years, NGOs and individual social leaders from the area of healthcare and ecosystem development would also be eligible to win individual grants of Rs 5 crore each.

"Through HCL Grant, our aim is to support NGOs by institutionalising the processes and frameworks and also recognise contributors for the upliftment of India," Board Member, HCL Technologies and Chairperson of Jury, HCL Grant Robin Abrams said.

"Through HCL Grant we will be able to identify the right kind of NGOs and institutionalise them through their capacity and capability building," HCL Foundation Head Srimathi Shivashankar said.