Kurian Foundation Trust

## How to Approach the Kurian Foundation Trust

The Kurian Foundation Trust is a private family foundation managed by trustees Thampy Kurian and Dr. Molly Kurian, both Indian-American immigrants based in Stow, Massachusetts. With $16.7 million in assets and a lean two-person governance structure, the foundation operates without paid staff, making personal relationships and direct outreach essential to securing funding.

Key strategic considerations:

• Anchor partnership model: The foundation concentrates roughly 70-80% of its annual giving on a single anchor partner — Bangalore Baptist Hospital — with remaining grants distributed across 20-30 smaller recipients. New applicants should position themselves as complementary to, not competing with, this primary relationship.
• Faith and values alignment: The Kurian family's philanthropy is deeply rooted in Christian faith and Indian heritage. Organizations with faith-based missions, connections to the Indian diaspora community, or healthcare delivery in underserved communities will find the strongest alignment.
• Direct contact is essential: With no formal application portal, applicants must reach the trustees directly. Email Thampy Kurian at tkurian@kurianfoundation.org or call 978-897-1260. A concise, compelling letter of inquiry describing your mission alignment, specific funding need, and expected impact is the recommended first step.
• Think local and global: The foundation gives across 10+ U.S. states and internationally to India. Organizations in Massachusetts, New York, Texas, and the Bangalore region have received the most grants historically.

## Funding Patterns and Grant Distribution

The Kurian Foundation Trust demonstrates a distinctive bimodal giving pattern that has remained consistent over the past decade.

Annual giving trends: - 2024: 32 grants totaling $648,605 (highest year by grant count and total giving) - 2023: 23 grants totaling $528,480 - 2022: 27 grants totaling $544,000+ - 2021: 19 grants (received $10.3M in new contributions; assets peaked above $25M) - 2020: 14 grants (COVID-era low point in grant count) - 2019: 13 grants - Historical average: 15-25 grants per year, trending upward since 2020

Grant size distribution: - Large anchor grants: $300,000-$475,000 to Bangalore Baptist Hospital annually (single largest recipient every year) - Mid-range grants: $10,000-$25,000 for education scholarships and established nonprofit partners (ASHA Foundation, Samaritan Medical Outreach Ministries, Dallas Theological School, Fairfield University) - Small grants: $100-$2,000 for community organizations, church ministries, and individual scholarship support - Median grant: ~$1,000 (skewed by many small community grants)

Giving rate: 4.5% of assets distributed annually, meeting the IRS minimum distribution requirement for private foundations. The foundation maintains a conservative giving rate, suggesting long-term endowment preservation is a priority.

Sector allocation: Healthcare receives the largest share (60-75% through the Bangalore Baptist Hospital partnership), followed by education (15-20%), religious/community organizations (10-15%), and poverty relief (5-10%).

## Peer Comparison: Similar Indian-American Family Foundations

The Kurian Foundation Trust occupies a distinctive niche among Indian-American diaspora family foundations focused on healthcare and education. Here is how it compares to peer organizations:

Key differentiators for the Kurian Foundation Trust:

1. Concentrated giving: Unlike AIF or Hans Foundation which distribute grants across dozens of partners, the Kurian Foundation channels the majority of funds through a single anchor partner (Bangalore Baptist Hospital), creating deep institutional impact rather than broad portfolio coverage. 2. Faith-based orientation: The foundation's Christian faith orientation distinguishes it from most secular Indian-American diaspora foundations, making it uniquely accessible to faith-based healthcare and education organizations. 3. Conservative giving rate: At 4.5%, the foundation distributes near the IRS minimum, suggesting trustees prioritize corpus growth for long-term sustainability over maximizing current-year impact. 4. Dual geographic focus: The foundation maintains meaningful giving in both the U.S. (10+ states) and India, unlike peers that tend to focus primarily on one geography. 5. Lean operations: With zero paid staff and two trustees committing only 3-5 hours per week each, the foundation has minimal overhead but limited capacity to evaluate new grantees — persistence and patience are essential.

## Recent Activity and Developments (2022-2024)

2024 — Record Year in Grant Volume: The Kurian Foundation Trust awarded 32 grants totaling $648,605 in its 2024 fiscal year, the highest number of awards in the foundation's history. This represents a 39% increase in grant count over 2023 (23 grants) and a 23% increase in total dollars distributed ($528,480 in 2023). The expansion suggests growing confidence in the foundation's grantmaking capacity despite a negative total revenue year (-$1.68M, driven by investment losses on asset sales of -$1.93M).

Bangalore Baptist Hospital partnership continues to deepen: The anchor grant to Bangalore Baptist Hospital increased from $300,000 (2022) to $450,000 (2023) to $475,000 (2024), reflecting steady growth in this flagship partnership. The hospital's palliative care program — which includes five multidisciplinary home care teams serving both urban Bangalore and rural villages in surrounding taluks — has expanded significantly with Kurian Foundation support. The hospital is now a certified training center for palliative care under the Indian Association of Palliative Care (IAPC).

New grantee additions: The jump from 23 to 32 grants between 2023 and 2024 indicates the foundation added approximately 9 new grantee relationships. While specific new recipients are not yet publicly disclosed in IRS filings, the expansion aligns with the foundation's stated openness to new applicants (12% historical acceptance rate).

Financial position: Total assets stand at $16.66 million with $4.3 million in liabilities, yielding net assets of $12.36 million. The foundation's investment portfolio generated $215,488 in dividends and $2,228 in interest income. A large unrealized loss on asset sales (-$1.93M) reduced reported revenue, but this appears to be a portfolio rebalancing event rather than a structural decline.

Leadership continuity: Trustees Thampy and Molly Kurian continue to manage the foundation without compensation, maintaining the lean family governance model that has characterized the organization since its 2005 founding.

## Application Tips for Prospective Grantees

1. Lead with mission alignment, not financial need. The Kurian Foundation Trust is driven by the personal values and faith commitments of its two trustees. Your initial outreach should clearly articulate how your organization's mission aligns with the foundation's core focus areas: healthcare (especially serving underserved populations), education, and faith-based community service. Generic grant requests will not stand out.

2. Start with a concise letter of inquiry. There is no formal online application. Email Thampy Kurian directly at tkurian@kurianfoundation.org with a one-page letter of inquiry that includes: (a) your organization's mission and track record, (b) the specific project or program you are seeking funding for, (c) the amount requested and how funds would be used, and (d) measurable outcomes you expect to achieve. Follow up by phone at 978-897-1260 if you do not receive a response within 3-4 weeks.

3. Request an amount appropriate to the foundation's giving pattern. Unless you are proposing a major healthcare partnership comparable to Bangalore Baptist Hospital, keep your initial request in the $1,000-$25,000 range. The foundation's median grant is $1,000, and most non-anchor grants fall between $1,000 and $10,000. A modest first grant can establish a relationship that grows over time.

4. Demonstrate impact in the foundation's priority geographies. Strongest alignment exists for organizations operating in Massachusetts, the greater Boston area, New York, Texas (Dallas area), or Bangalore, India. If your work is outside these areas, clearly explain the connection to the foundation's interests.

5. Highlight healthcare or education outcomes. The foundation's two largest funding categories — healthcare and education — account for 80-90% of total giving. Organizations working in palliative care, hospice services, medical access for underserved populations, cancer research, scholarship programs, or STEM education will find the strongest fit.

6. Be patient and persistent. With only two part-time trustees and no staff, the foundation has limited bandwidth for evaluating new proposals. The historical acceptance rate for new applicants is approximately 12%, so multiple touchpoints over 6-12 months may be necessary. Consider requesting a brief phone conversation rather than expecting an immediate grant decision.

7. Provide strong financial accountability. As a private family foundation subject to IRS oversight, the Kurian Foundation Trust must document responsible grantmaking. Include your most recent audited financial statements or Form 990, a detailed project budget, and information about your organization's governance and oversight.