The Development Gateway Foundation , based in Washington DC, is an independent not-for-profit organization initially developed in the World Bank. It's mission is to help improve people's lives in developing nations by building partnerships and information systems that provide access to knowledge for development. Towards this end, the Development Gateway Foundation is mobilizing membership from countries that are interested and have relevant potential into a Research and Training Network. This Network draws on the strength of Research and Training Centres in various countries and regions, set up with local commitment to provide expertise and resources to:
- conduct applied research in Information and Communication Technologies (ICT); and
- provide ICT policy and technology training.

The Government of India is now a member of the foundation. Accordingly, a Research & Training (R&T) Centre of the Foundation has been set up in Bangalore, India. Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) has been chosen as the Project Implementing Agency and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Bombay as the first collaborating institution.

The primary purpose of the ICT Research and Training Portal is to provide and spread information on DGF Research and Training center projects, its activities, events, ICT resources developed at the center in India etc.

This portal serves as a medium for resource sharing among other organizations addressing the digital divide and, combining all these for knowledge and resource sharing with the ultimate goal to benifit all researchers in the field, technical collaborators and common people.

The rapid evolution of information and communication technologies (ICT) in recent decades has been impressive. However, marginalisation of those people with limited connectivity, particularly the poor living in the developing countries raises concern. A deep chasm has been created and two societies have emerged, the information haves and the information have nots.

Consequently, bridging the "digital divide" has emerged as an important challenge for poverty reduction strategies. This portal is a platform to exchange ideas/coordinate digital divide activities. In fact a state of the art e-tendering solutions are being developed with this portal giving complete information on activities such as product release schedules and other planned activities. This is shaping an agenda to effectively fight against poverty and improve the quality of life of rural masses.

Organizations behind ICT Portal, India