Janki Foundation

The Janki Foundation operates as a values-driven, relationship-first private philanthropy guided by Hindu principles of dharma (righteous duty) and seva (selfless service), with the Sanskrit concept of "vasudhaiva kutumbakam" — the world is one family — serving as its philosophical north star. Trustees Maheshkumar (Mahesh) and Asharani (Asha) Navani are the sole decision-makers, serving without compensation and without staff or formal program officers. Established in August 2018 and headquartered at 2 International Place in Boston's financial district, the foundation has grown from a $2M charitable vehicle to a $22.3M institution in just six years.

The most important strategic reality for prospective applicants is unambiguous: this foundation only makes grants to preselected organizations. There is no open RFP, no application portal, and no publicly listed deadline cycle. The Navanis personally identify and cultivate every grantee relationship. The path to funding runs entirely through relationship-building rather than proposal submission.

That said, the grantee list has expanded materially in recent years. American India Foundation, Trustees of Boston University, and Cancer Shakti Foundation are all relatively recent additions, confirming that new grantees can enter the portfolio. The foundation's six stated focus areas — healthcare, hunger relief, education, women's empowerment, sustainability, and transformational programs for children — define the eligible universe.

The grantee portfolio reflects four overlapping networks: (1) the Indian-American diaspora and IIT alumni community; (2) Boston/Worcester, Massachusetts community organizations; (3) nationally recognized brand-name charities receiving standard $10,000 charitable gifts; and (4) emerging organizations tied to the Navanis' personal values around women's empowerment, cancer support, and children's services.

Repeat grantees — Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation of USA (3 grants over multiple years), Worcester Animal Rescue League (2 grants), and Abby's House (2 grants) — demonstrate that sustained relationship performance drives renewed support. First-time applicants should plan for a relationship that begins small and deepens over time, not a single transformational ask.

Janki Foundation's grantmaking history reveals a highly concentrated, trustee-directed model rather than a formulaic annual payout. Total giving by fiscal year: FY2019 $142,742; FY2020 $601,295; FY2021 $244,639; FY2022 $151,102; FY2023 $4,604,331 (dominated by a single $3,982,500 grant); FY2024 approximately $2,477,466 across 23 grants.

Across 29 recorded grants totaling $4,883,876, the median grant is $10,000 and the average is $168,410 — a gap entirely explained by the anchor relationship with IIT Bombay Heritage Foundation Inc., which received $3,982,500 in FY2023 and $1,267,500 in FY2024, representing approximately 81% of all recorded charitable disbursements. Excluding this single grantee, the median and mode both collapse to exactly $10,000 and the adjusted average falls to roughly $23,000.

The grant range spans $4,583 (Freedom Network USA) to $3,982,500 (IIT Bombay Heritage Foundation). Three visible tiers emerge: (1) a $10,000 standard charitable gift level for recognized national organizations — Boston Children's Hospital, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Feeding America, Doctors Without Borders USA, Wounded Warrior Project; (2) a mid-tier $20,000-$104,000 range for organizations with closer personal connection, including Trees Water & People ($103,800), Taara US ($54,736), Worcester Animal Rescue League ($52,000), and Cancer Shakti Foundation ($20,000); and (3) institutional anchor grants of $250,000+ reserved for major diaspora-linked education and civic organizations.

Geographically, Massachusetts dominates with 15 of 29 recorded grants (52%), concentrated in the Worcester area. Texas accounts for 3 grants, New Jersey 2. In FY2024, the foundation significantly expanded its institutional giving tier: Boston University ($250,000) and American India Foundation ($238,410) joined the portfolio alongside the continued IIT Bombay anchor grant of $1,267,500. The FY2024 payout ratio was approximately 11% of ending assets ($2.48M / $22.3M), suggesting substantial grant capacity remains available as assets continue to grow.

The following table compares Janki Foundation to four statistical peers identified by similar asset size (~$22M) and NTEE code T20 (Philanthropy & Grantmaking). None of the peer foundations maintain public-facing websites (except Phos Foundation), limiting available data on their grantmaking approach.

Among asset peers, Janki Foundation stands out for its dramatically accelerating capital trajectory — nearly tripling total assets in a single year (FY2023 to FY2024) through $14.76M in trustee contributions — and its unusually concentrated grantee portfolio where one recipient has absorbed over $5.25M cumulatively. Organizations seeking alternatives with open application processes in the Indian-American diaspora philanthropy space should research the American India Foundation (which itself appears in Janki's grantee list) and the Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation of USA, both of which maintain published grant programs with defined eligibility criteria.

The most significant recent development is the Janki Foundation's November-December 2025 announcement of a partnership with Shri Chaitanya Health and Care Trust to establish the Bhaktivedanta Hospital and Research Institute — formally named the Asha Navani Multi Specialty Rural Hospital — in Wada, Palghar District, Maharashtra, India. The foundation stone ceremony was held November 30, 2025. The planned 100-bed facility will specialize in women's and children's health, neonatal care, and geriatric medicine, targeting approximately 1 million rural and tribal residents across four district blocks. The hospital forms part of Govardhan Eco Village (GEV-2), a 70-acre multi-facility campus that will also include an integrated wellness center, assisted care living facility, school, and food processing units.

On the financial side, the FY2024 Form 990-PF (filed November 17, 2025) showed total assets growing 154% from $8.77M to $22.26M in a single fiscal year, driven by $14.76M in trustee contributions. This capital infusion — the second consecutive year of major asset growth following $11.84M in FY2023 contributions — suggests the Navanis are systematically building long-term philanthropic infrastructure.

Notable FY2024 grantee additions include Trustees of Boston University ($250,000) and American India Foundation ($238,410), expanding the portfolio into established institutional relationships. IIT Bombay Heritage Foundation remained the anchor grantee at $1,267,500. No leadership changes were identified; Mahesh and Asha Navani continue as the sole uncompensated trustees.

The single most critical fact about Janki Foundation is that it operates as a preselected-only grantmaker. Its IRS filings state explicitly: 'The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.' There is no public application portal, no posted deadlines, and no published RFP process. Sending a cold grant proposal to 2 International Place, Boston, MA 02110 will not result in a grant.

However, 'preselected only' does not mean permanently closed to new relationships. American India Foundation, Trustees of Boston University, and Cancer Shakti Foundation all joined the portfolio in recent years, confirming that the Navanis actively expand their grantee list. The path is through network cultivation, not paperwork.

Building a relationship with the Navanis:

• Identify shared network connections. Mahesh Navani is active in Boston-area business and South Asian civic life with strong IIT alumni ties. A warm introduction through IIT Bombay alumni networks, American India Foundation events, or Worcester-area community organizations carries far more weight than any cold approach.

• Align your language to their values. Frame your mission in terms of seva (service) and community impact using the "vasudhaiva kutumbakam" (world is one family) philosophy. The Navanis respond to values resonance, not grant logic models.

• Lead with India operations if you have them. The foundation's largest grants by an order of magnitude support India-based programming. Organizations active in Maharashtra, rural healthcare, or STEM education in India have the strongest alignment with the Navanis' demonstrated priorities.

• Target the right issue areas. Healthcare access, STEM education, women's empowerment, hunger relief, sustainability, and children's programs are confirmed areas. Animal welfare (funded twice) and Holocaust remembrance (funded once) show a broad humanitarian lens.

• Start with relationship-building, not an ask. A $10,000 charitable gift is the standard entry point; the Ekal Vidyalaya Foundation's progression to 3 cumulative grants shows that sustained relationships lead to deeper engagement. Think multi-year.