The administrative burden of registration does not seem worth the effort; we operate frugally; we continue to attract volunteers regardless of our size; we want the freedom to explore meaningful solutions without being steered by the pressures that often come with external funding.

Launched with a full-time volunteer in August 2024, Zen Citizen operates as a volunteer-driven initiative that remains unregistered and without formal funding. While registration offers advantages such as attracting experienced volunteers, enabling government collaboration, and accessing grants, we have chosen not to pursue it at this time.

The administrative burden of registration does not seem worth the effort, given that we continue to attract volunteers who believe in empowering citizens to question bribes, regardless of our size or funding. So much so, excluding the time cost of one full-time volunteer, our out-of-pocket expenses have been less than Rs. 20,000, primarily on website-related costs. We also received an unsolicited grant, no strings attached, from Malpani Ventures.

Trade-Offs of External Funding

Additional funds could help us move faster by hiring freelancers instead of relying solely on volunteers, but this comes with trade-offs. Funding often brings external pressures, such as the expectation to quantify impact through website traffic. Our primary mission, however, is to sustain and amplify the voices of a small group we call ‘The Principled Challengers.’ This is a qualitative spirit that resists easy measurement.

Who We Exist For

‘Principled Challengers’ are those who actively resist corruption, question bribe demands, and seek accountability. Keeping their voices alive is crucial. Even if someone eventually gives in and pays a bribe, we want to help them hold out longer, maybe not give up after two attempts but after five. 

When I tried to obtain a government service without paying a bribe, I had to make multiple visits to the office. I got the certificate, but at a cost: it took time, mental energy, physical effort, and even ridicule from family and friends. Zen Citizen aims to ease that experience for others. Those who take such a stand are a small fraction of the population. 

Website traffic metrics cannot capture their perseverance. 

Freedom to Explore, Not Just Measure

Additionally, at this stage, we prefer to freely explore ways to create meaningful impact rather than chase rigid performance metrics and risk compromising the spirit of the initiative. That said, we have made fair progress with limited resources.

Balancing Growth and Sustainability

We are now developing a companion site for a single department in one state. The site will be open-source, enabling other volunteers to adapt it for various departments, states, and countries. 

If we remain fully engaged with ZenCitizen, sustaining it without external funding will eventually become difficult; living off savings is not a long-term solution for full-time volunteers. We will need to find donors that align with our spirit. 

We could explore allied services to achieve financial sustainability, such as:

a) Becoming a third-party service provider for government services. While we encourage citizens to handle processes themselves—rather than relying on third parties that indirectly channel bribes to government employees—we acknowledge that some prioritize convenience, just as one might choose not to drive even on smooth roads. However, we are unlikely to pursue this, as it does not align with our focus.

b) Creating an interaction layer on top of government websites. Launching an initiative of this nature would require different skill sets. Yet, I never expected to lead this initiative: I simply jumped in and could take the same approach with these new efforts too.

Building a Movement, Not Just an Organization

For now, we are focusing on building a brand and a team of people who believe in the cause – empowering citizens to question bribes, regardless of our size or funding; the strength of this movement lies not in its scale but in the persistence of those who refuse to resign themselves to corruption.