Krishnamurthy Tandon Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests, so a small charity should not send it a cold application and should look for an introduction or wait for an invitation.
- Its stated focus on community building, arts and spirituality, under a mission to elevate human happiness through economic and emotional empowerment, is the best guide to whether your work fits.
- The filing shows grants mainly in New York, Massachusetts and Virginia, but no geographic focus is stated, so that pattern is not a rule about who may apply.
- Where a request is made, keep it modest: about 8 in 10 of its 62 grants fall between $1,000 and $100,000, and the median was about $10,000, though the largest was about $700,000, so that band is typical rather than a limit.
- Nearly half of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had funded in earlier filings, and its giving has fallen each year, from $1,540,358 to $311,864.
Overview
Krishnamurthy Tandon Foundation is a US private foundation based in New York, NY.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and web pages about the foundation (engineering.nyu.edu, smileymovement.org), with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The foundation's stated mission is to elevate human happiness through economic and emotional empowerment. A report on its establishment says it was created to help build communities and support arts and spirituality. Its organisation grants have reached a varied range of charities and institutions, including universities and schools, scientific and cultural institutions, arts organisations, community-building groups and religious bodies. Its recorded giving thus spans educational, cultural, spiritual and community interests alongside the broad empowerment mission. Filings state that contributions are made only to preselected charitable organisations.
Themes
- Community building
- Arts
- Spirituality
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in New York, Massachusetts and Virginia.
How to apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 49% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 62 grants to organisations were about $10,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 4%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 4%
- The largest single recipient received 27% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 49% of grant dollars went to organisations Krishnamurthy Tandon Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- 4% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (India).
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 19 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $10,001 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- New York Academy of Sciences · General support$75,0002024 tax year
- Asia Initiatives · General support$35,0002024 tax year
- Young People's Chorus of New York City · General support$35,0002024 tax year
- Aim for Seva · General support$30,0012024 tax year
- New York University · General support$27,5022024 tax year
- Manavi · General support$25,0012024 tax year
- All Souls School · General support$20,0002024 tax year
- Brearley School · General support$10,9002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Deven Sharma — Director
- Lita Tandon — Director
- Ranjan Tandon — Director
- Chandrika Tandon — Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $3,983,229 | $1,540,358 | $161,146,266 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $7,209,684 | $775,572 | $153,642,934 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $2,223,381 | $311,864 | $161,557,156 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
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At a glance
Applying to Krishnamurthy Tandon Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- New York, NY
Applying to Krishnamurthy Tandon Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- New York, NY