Haque Family Foundation

The Haque Family Foundation is a deeply private philanthropic vehicle controlled entirely by Promod and Dorcas Haque, a Silicon Valley couple operating out of Saratoga, California. Promod serves as President and is a prominent managing partner at Norwest Venture Partners, one of the country's most active multi-stage venture capital firms. Dorcas serves as Secretary and CFO. Neither draws compensation, affirming the foundation's purely philanthropic character.

What defines this funder's approach above all else is its preselected-only grantmaking model. The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications under any circumstances. This is confirmed in every public grantmaker database and by the foundation's own IRS filings, which list application instructions as 'none.' There is no open RFP cycle, no published LOI template, no portal, and no published deadline calendar.

Instead, the foundation distributes the vast majority of its capital through two donor-advised fund (DAF) intermediaries: the Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund ($6.7M in two recorded transactions) and the National Christian Foundation – Haque Family Giving Fund ($4.51M in one transaction). This intermediated model means the foundation is not typically the final check-writer. It seeds DAF accounts, and NCF and Fidelity then distribute to end nonprofits based on the Haque family's personal guidance and values — a structure that insulates the family from direct solicitation entirely.

The NCF relationship is a particularly strong signal. The National Christian Foundation explicitly exists to serve donors motivated by Christian faith, and the Haque Family Giving Fund is a named fund within NCF — meaning the family has formalized their faith-driven giving through a dedicated account. Organizations aligned with Christian faith communities, global missions, or social services administered through faith-based structures should note this carefully.

First-time prospective grantees should understand that relationship precedes funding with this foundation. No amount of proposal-writing sophistication will overcome the absence of a prior personal or professional connection to the Haque family. The most productive posture is patient, relationship-oriented cultivation through Norwest Venture Partners' ecosystem, NCF's grantee network, and the Silicon Valley philanthropic community — rather than any formal application attempt.

The Haque Family Foundation has grown from a $7.75 million startup in FY2014 to a $112.4 million endowment by FY2024 — a 1,350% asset increase in a decade. This growth was fueled by substantial annual contributions from the Haque family totaling approximately $78 million between FY2015 and FY2023, supplemented by strong investment returns averaging roughly $5M per year in net investment income during peak periods.

Annual grants paid have varied considerably: - FY2019: $2.0M - FY2020: $4.51M - FY2021: $7.7M (peak disbursement year) - FY2022: $3.35M - FY2023: $3.0M - FY2024: ~$3.6M (estimated)

The six-year average is approximately $4.0M in annual grants paid. Total giving (grants plus other qualifying distributions) has tracked slightly higher, reaching $8.57M in FY2021 and settling at $3.68M in FY2023.

The grant structure is highly concentrated: the entire documented grantee history consists of just 3 transactions totaling $11.21M across two recipients — average transaction size of $3.74 million. This is not a foundation that distributes small grants to many nonprofits. It issues one large block transfer per year to a DAF vehicle. There is no documented history of grants under $2M, and the practical minimum for consideration (if one were ever selected) would likely be $1M or more.

The giving rate — grants paid as a percentage of total assets — has ranged from 2.7% (FY2023) to 8.3% (FY2021). The legally required 5% minimum payout has generally been met when total giving (not just grants paid) is counted. At current asset levels of $112.4M, the foundation must distribute approximately $5.6M annually to meet payout requirements, suggesting FY2024's $3.6M in disbursements may require supplemental qualifying distributions.

Geographic distribution of grantees on record shows California and Ohio — but both reflect DAF intermediary domiciles, not end-recipient locations. The true geographic reach of Haque family giving is undisclosed.

The Haque Family Foundation sits within a cohort of similarly-sized private family foundations in the $111–113M asset range, all classified under NTEE major category T (Philanthropy & Grantmaking).

What distinguishes Haque within this peer cohort is its transparently intermediated giving model — routing major grants through Fidelity Charitable and the National Christian Foundation rather than making direct awards to operating nonprofits. This structure is more common among ultra-high-net-worth donors who prefer privacy in final distribution decisions. Among peers, Bright Horizon Foundation (NJ) is the most accessible, maintaining some open application channels. The Haque Foundation's explicit 'preselected only' policy, combined with a website still in pre-launch state, makes it one of the least publicly accessible foundations of comparable asset size. Payout rates across the peer group are difficult to compare due to limited public disclosure, but Haque's documented range of 2.7–8.3% of assets is typical for family foundations at this scale.

No press releases, news articles, or public announcements from or about the Haque Family Foundation were found for 2025 or 2026. The foundation maintains an exceptionally low public profile consistent with its private, family-controlled operating model.

The most recent confirmed grantmaking activity appears in the FY2023 990-PF filing, reporting $3.0 million paid in grants to a single recipient. The FY2024 filing indicates approximately $3.6 million in charitable disbursements, though specific grantees are not yet disclosed in searchable public databases as of April 2026.

Leadership has remained entirely stable since the foundation's 2015 founding: Promod Haque as President and Dorcas Haque as Secretary/CFO, with zero compensation paid to either officer across all filing years. No new board members, staff hires, or advisory council additions have been documented in any available public filing.

The foundation's website (haquefamilyfoundation.org) was still displaying a 'Launching Soon' page as of April 2026, built on GoDaddy Website Builder with only an email signup form. This pre-launch state predates the foundation's web enrichment record from February 2026, suggesting the site has been in development for an extended period.

The most meaningful recent signal is continued endowment growth: assets increased from $92.9M (FY2021) to $105.6M (FY2022), $110.2M (FY2023), and $112.4M (FY2024) — a 21% cumulative increase over three years driven primarily by investment returns as contribution inflows have slowed.

The foundational — and non-negotiable — reality of the Haque Family Foundation is that it does not accept unsolicited grant applications. Every credible public database confirms this. The foundation's IRS filings explicitly record its application instructions as 'none' and flag it as 'preselected only.' No proposal, no matter how polished or mission-aligned, will be considered without a prior invitation from the foundation.

Given this structure, here is concrete, actionable guidance for organizations that want to build toward potential consideration:

Pathway 1 — National Christian Foundation. The Haque Family Giving Fund is a named, active account within NCF. NCF's grant advisors work directly with the Haque family on distribution priorities. Establishing your organization's credibility within NCF's grantee ecosystem — attending NCF events, applying through NCF's own grant programs, building relationships with NCF staff — is the most direct legitimate pathway into the Haque family's philanthropic consideration. NCF is headquartered in Alpharetta, GA, with regional offices including Ohio.

Pathway 2 — Norwest Venture Partners network. Promod Haque's professional identity is deeply embedded in Silicon Valley venture capital. Organizations working in healthcare innovation, education technology, or entrepreneurship support that interact with NVP portfolio companies or Silicon Valley civic networks are more likely to enter his philanthropic field of view naturally.

Pathway 3 — Email list signup. The only direct public action available is subscribing to the foundation's email list at haquefamilyfoundation.org. Do this. When the site formally launches, it may include published grant priorities or contact procedures.

Alignment language to use (if you ever reach the point of written communication): 'faith-driven impact,' 'transformational giving,' 'scalable systems change,' and references to measurable community outcomes resonate with both the NCF and venture-philanthropist frameworks evident here.

Timing: Based on fiscal year patterns, any disbursement decision is most likely made in Q3–Q4 of the calendar year, aligning with the foundation's December fiscal year-end. Build relationships in Q1–Q2.

Critical mistake to avoid: Do not send cold proposals or calls to the foundation's address at 13780 Saratoga Ave, Saratoga, CA 95070. This signals a failure to research the funder and is unlikely to generate any response.