Khaki Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $856,154 (2023)
• Success Rate: N/A (Invitation-only; does not accept unsolicited proposals)
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: $7,671 - $97,321 (typical); broader range $3,236 - $856,154
• Geographic Focus: Washington State (local) and international (Tanzania, Afghanistan, UK, Ghana, India, Pakistan, Iraq)
• Assets: $16,269,882

Contact Details

Address: 129 Lake Ave W, Kirkland, WA 98033
Phone: 425-270-7217
Website: https://www.khakifoundation.com
Email: Not publicly listed

Note: The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. They proactively identify and approach potential grantees.

Overview

Established in December 2003 by Microsoft Corporate Vice President Jawad Khaki and his wife Kaniz, the Khaki Foundation is a private foundation committed to supporting society's most vulnerable members through essential needs assistance and educational initiatives aimed at alleviating poverty and suffering. With assets of $16,269,882, the foundation distributed $856,154 in grants in 2023. The foundation describes its approach as "catalytic support"—given its modest size, it focuses on helping initiate or strengthen efforts that can later be sustained or expanded by larger organizations. Nearly 50% of grants support education in Muslim-majority regions and developing countries, with the remainder funding global development projects including orphan support, community centers, hunger relief, healthcare, housing, refugee services, and programs for women and the elderly. Jawad Khaki, a Tanzania native who spent over 20 years at Microsoft developing operating systems, networking, and cloud computing software, received an Honorary Doctorate of Technology from University of East London (2012) and was appointed honorary professor by Beijing University of Post and Telecommunications (2003).

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

No Formal Grant Programs or Application Cycles

The Khaki Foundation operates exclusively on an invitation-only basis. They do not have named grant programs, fixed deadlines, or open application periods. Instead, the foundation proactively identifies organizations working in their priority areas and invites them to receive funding.

Grant Activity:

• 2023: 1 award
• 2022: 8 awards
• 2021: 13 awards

Priority Areas

Geographic Focus:

• Primary Local Focus: Washington State (particularly human services and healthcare)
• International Focus: Tanzania, Afghanistan, United Kingdom, Ghana, India, Pakistan, Iraq

Thematic Priorities:

1. Education (Nearly 50% of Grantmaking)

   • Educational sponsorships for orphans and low-income students
   • Digital learning programs and educational technology
   • Education in Muslim-majority regions and developing countries
   • Support for deaf students and educators

2. Global Development

   • Orphan support programs
   • Community centers and infrastructure
   • Hunger relief and basic needs assistance
   • Water and sanitation projects (e.g., solar-powered water processing)
   • Community self-help initiatives

3. Healthcare and Medical Services

   • Global cancer programs
   • Medical assistance for vulnerable populations
   • Health infrastructure in developing countries

4. Human Rights and Advocacy

   • Campaigns for Muslim minorities
   • Refugee services and support

5. Community Infrastructure

   • Religious and community centers
   • Housing initiatives
   • Programs for women and the elderly

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented. However, given their focused mission, the foundation likely does not fund:

• Organizations outside their geographic focus areas
• Projects unrelated to vulnerable populations, education, or essential human needs
• General operating support for well-established, large organizations (given their "catalytic support" model)

Governance and Leadership

Key Leadership

Mohamed Jawad Khaki - President and CEO, Co-Founder

Jawad Khaki is a native of Tanzania who had a distinguished 35+ year career in technology (1979-2015), including over 20 years at Microsoft Corporation where he served as Corporate Vice President. He led development of operating systems, networking, and cloud computing software. In 1997, he helped establish the Ithna-asheri Muslim Association of the Northwest (IMAN) and serves as its president. He has received numerous honors including an Honorary Doctorate of Technology from University of East London (2012) and was appointed honorary professor by Beijing University of Post and Telecommunications (2003).

Kaniz Khaki - Co-Founder

Together with her husband Jawad, Kaniz co-founded the Khaki Foundation in December 2003 to address the needs of vulnerable populations globally.

Foundation Philosophy - Quote:

The foundation states it is "a small, private philanthropic initiative. Given its modest size, the Foundation focuses on catalytic support—helping initiate or strengthen efforts that can later be sustained or expanded by larger organizations."

Governance Structure

Additional trustees and board members are listed on the foundation's Form 990-PF filings but are not prominently featured in public-facing materials. The foundation maintains a private, family foundation structure.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

CRITICAL: This funder does not have a public application process.

The Khaki Foundation operates on an invitation-only basis and does not accept unsolicited proposals. The foundation proactively identifies organizations working in their focused areas of interest and approaches them directly to discuss potential funding.

There is no:

• Online application portal
• Application form or guidelines
• Letter of inquiry process
• Rolling deadline
• Fixed deadline cycle

According to Inside Philanthropy: "The Khaki Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. The foundation prefers to seek its own grantees to fund in its highly focused areas of grantmaking."

Getting on Their Radar

Note: This section contains funder-specific intelligence based on the foundation's documented activities and connections.

While organizations cannot apply directly, there are specific ways to potentially position for consideration:

1. IMAN Center Connection: Founder Jawad Khaki established and serves as president of the Ithna-asheri Muslim Association of the Northwest (IMAN) in Kirkland, Washington. Organizations working in IMAN's sphere or connected to this community may have greater visibility to the foundation. IMAN has received multiple grants from the Khaki Foundation for its center remodel projects (2022, 2024, 2025).

2. Tanzania Networks: Given Jawad Khaki's Tanzania origins and the foundation's substantial focus on Tanzania (Health Tanzania Foundation, Bilal Muslim Mission of Tanzania, WIPAHS, Nyota Foundation), organizations working in Tanzania—particularly on education, orphan support, or community development—should focus on building visibility within Tanzania-based networks.

3. Muslim-Majority Region Specialists: Since nearly 50% of grants support education in Muslim-majority regions, organizations with proven track records in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Ghana, and India should focus on demonstrating impact in these regions.

4. Technology-Education Intersection: Given Jawad Khaki's Microsoft background, projects that combine technology with education (like the 2024 grant to Family Educational Services Foundation for digital learning for deaf students) align with the founder's expertise.

5. Established Organizational Relationships: Review the foundation's documented grant recipients (available on their website by year at khakifoundation.com/projects). Organizations working with or in similar spaces as past grantees may benefit from those networks.

6. Global Health and Development Conferences: Organizations presenting at conferences focused on Muslim-majority countries, global development, or orphan education may increase visibility, though specific conferences attended by foundation leadership are not publicly documented.

Strategic Approach: Rather than attempting to contact the foundation directly to propose a project, organizations should focus on building excellence and visibility in the foundation's core areas. The foundation's "catalytic support" model suggests they seek organizations doing innovative work that can be sustained long-term, so demonstrating scalability and sustainability is key.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As an invitation-only funder, the foundation operates on its own timeline when identifying and approaching potential grantees.

Success Rates

Not applicable. Since the foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, there is no application pool from which to calculate success rates.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable given the invitation-only structure.

Application Success Factors

Note: While organizations cannot apply directly, understanding what the Khaki Foundation values can help organizations position themselves for potential consideration.

Documented Funding Patterns

1. Catalytic, Seed-Stage Support

The foundation explicitly states its focus on "catalytic support—helping initiate or strengthen efforts that can later be sustained or expanded by larger organizations." Recent grants reflect this:

• Example: The Digital Learning Program grant to Family Educational Services Foundation (2024) for developing comprehensive digital curriculum represents seed investment in a scalable program
• Example: Grants to IMAN Center for infrastructure improvements (remodel, multi-purpose hall) strengthen organizational capacity for expanded future programming

Implication: The foundation appears to seek projects that demonstrate potential for growth and sustainability beyond their initial investment, rather than ongoing operational support.

2. Deep Focus on Education for Vulnerable Populations

Nearly 50% of grants support education, with particular emphasis on orphans and low-income students in Muslim-majority regions:

• Example: Nyota Foundation (Tanzania, 2024) - Educational sponsorships for orphans and low-income students
• Example: WIPAHS (Tanzania) - Education for needy students
• Example: Support for educational endeavors in Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, and Iraq

Implication: Educational projects serving orphans, refugees, or economically disadvantaged students in the foundation's geographic focus areas align most closely with stated priorities.

3. Infrastructure and Technology Solutions

Multiple grants support infrastructure development and technology-based solutions:

• Example: Human Development Foundation (Pakistan) - Solar-powered reverse osmosis water processing plants
• Example: Health Tanzania Foundation - Community self-help infrastructure in Dar es Salaam
• Example: Family Educational Services Foundation - Digital Learning Program
• Example: IMAN Center - Physical infrastructure improvements

Implication: Projects that build sustainable infrastructure or leverage technology to address essential needs appear attractive to the foundation.

4. Geographic Concentration

The foundation demonstrates consistent geographic focus:

• Tanzania receives substantial attention (multiple grantees across multiple years: Health Tanzania Foundation, Bilal Muslim Mission of Tanzania, WIPAHS, Nyota Foundation)
• Pakistan is another priority region (Family Educational Services Foundation, Friends' Medical and Educational Trust, Human Development Foundation, Al-Kawthar Foundation)
• Washington State for local initiatives (IMAN Center in Kirkland)

Implication: Organizations working outside these core geographies may be less likely to attract foundation interest.

5. Connection to Muslim Communities and Muslim-Majority Regions

The foundation's mission explicitly focuses on vulnerable populations in Muslim-majority regions:

• Example: Justice For All (Chicago) - Human rights campaigns for Muslim minorities
• Example: Muslim Advocates - Advocacy work
• Example: Nearly all international grantees work in Muslim-majority countries or serve Muslim communities

Implication: Organizations serving Muslim communities or working in Muslim-majority developing countries are clearly within the foundation's core focus.

6. Holistic Approach to Poverty Alleviation

The foundation funds across a spectrum of essential needs—education, healthcare, housing, hunger relief, refugee services:

• Example: UCSF Global Cancer Program - Healthcare
• Example: Health Tanzania Foundation - Community infrastructure
• Example: Human Development Foundation - Water and sanitation
• Example: Multiple orphan support programs - Basic needs

Implication: The foundation takes a comprehensive view of addressing poverty, not limiting itself to a single intervention type.

What Likely Attracts Foundation Attention

Based on documented giving patterns:

• Sustainability plans - Projects that can be handed off to larger funders or become self-sustaining
• Innovative approaches - Technology solutions, new educational models, infrastructure that creates long-term capacity
• Vulnerable populations - Explicit focus on orphans, widows, refugees, low-income individuals
• Geographic alignment - Strong track record in Tanzania, Pakistan, Afghanistan, or Washington State
• Measurable impact - Specific outcomes (e.g., number of students educated, water plants built)
• Modest scale appropriate to foundation size - Projects in the $7,000-$100,000 range rather than multi-million dollar initiatives

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

1. No Application Process: The Khaki Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. Organizations cannot apply for funding through any formal process. The foundation identifies and invites grantees based on alignment with their focused mission areas.

2. Build Visibility in Core Areas: Focus on building organizational excellence and visibility in education for vulnerable populations in Muslim-majority regions (particularly Tanzania and Pakistan), global development, or Washington State human services. The foundation will find you, not vice versa.

3. Catalytic Support Model: The foundation explicitly seeks to provide "catalytic support" for initiatives that can later be sustained by larger organizations. Projects should demonstrate potential for scale and sustainability beyond the initial grant.

4. Geographic Priorities Matter Significantly: Tanzania and Pakistan receive concentrated attention. Organizations working outside the foundation's core geographies (Tanzania, Afghanistan, UK, Ghana, India, Pakistan, Iraq, and Washington State) are unlikely to receive consideration.

5. IMAN Center Connection: The founder established and leads the Ithna-asheri Muslim Association of the Northwest (IMAN) in Kirkland. Organizations connected to this community or working in complementary spaces may have greater visibility to foundation leadership.

6. Education is Primary Focus: With nearly 50% of grants supporting education—particularly for orphans and low-income students in developing countries—this represents the strongest area of foundation interest. Technology-enabled educational solutions appear especially attractive.

7. Think Small and Catalytic: With typical grants ranging $7,671-$97,321 and an explicit focus on initiating or strengthening (rather than sustaining) efforts, the foundation is best suited for seed-stage, innovative projects with modest budgets that can demonstrate potential for growth beyond the initial investment.

References

1. Instrumentl - Khaki Foundation 990 Report
   URL: https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/khaki-foundation
   Accessed: February 2026
   Source: IRS Form 990-PF filings (2009-2023), updated December 30, 2025

2. Cause IQ - Khaki Foundation Profile
   URL: https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/khaki-foundation,200461805/
   Accessed: February 2026
   Contains: Financial data, mission statement, focus areas

3. GuideStar/Candid - Khaki Foundation Profile (EIN 20-0461805)
   URL: https://www.guidestar.org/profile/20-0461805
   Accessed: February 2026
   Contains: Contact information, mission, Form 990 access

4. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Khaki Foundation
   URL: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/200461805
   Accessed: February 2026
   Contains: Complete Form 990-PF filings with grant recipient lists

5. Inside Philanthropy - Khaki Foundation (Main Profile)
   URL: https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant/grants-k/khaki-foundation
   Accessed: February 2026
   Quote: "The Khaki Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. The foundation prefers to seek its own grantees to fund in its highly focused areas of grantmaking."
   Contains: Grant ranges ($7,671 to $97,321), annual giving ($430,000 in referenced fiscal year)

6. Inside Philanthropy - Khaki Foundation (International Development)
   URL: https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/grants-for-global-development/khaki-foundation-grants-for-global-development
   Accessed: February 2026
   Quote: "The foundation dedicates nearly 50 percent of its grants to education in Muslim-majority regions and developing countries"
   Contains: Geographic focus areas, grantee examples, focus areas

7. Inside Philanthropy - Jawad and Kaniz Khaki (Donor Profile)
   URL: https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant/major-donors/jawad-and-kaniz-khaki
   Published: May 2022
   Quote: "Jawad Khaki, a native of Tanzania, led development of operating systems, networking and cloud computing software from 1979 to 2015, and worked at Microsoft Corporation for two decades where he served as a Corporate Vice President."
   Contains: Founder background, recent grantees, establishment date

8. Khaki Foundation Official Website
   URL: https://www.khakifoundation.com
   Accessed: February 2026
   Quote: "Given its modest size, the Foundation focuses on catalytic support—helping initiate or strengthen efforts that can later be sustained or expanded by larger organizations."
   Contains: Mission statement, grantmaking philosophy

9. Khaki Foundation - 2024 Projects
   URL: https://www.khakifoundation.com/projects/2024
   Accessed: February 2026
   Contains: 2024 grant recipients (Nyota Foundation, Family Educational Services Foundation, Justice For All, IMAN Center)

10. Khaki Foundation - 2025 Projects
    URL: https://www.khakifoundation.com/projects/2025
    Accessed: February 2026
    Contains: 2025 grant recipients

11. OpenGov Washington - Khaki Foundation Corporation Record
    URL: https://opengovwa.com/corporation/602347508
    Accessed: February 2026
    Contains: Legal address (129 Lake Ave W, Kirkland, WA 98033-6138), corporate structure

12. Access Philanthropy - Khaki Foundation
    URL: https://accessphilanthropy.com/funder/khaki-foundation/
    Accessed: February 2026
    Contains: Summary of foundation priorities and approach

13. Khaki Family - Mohamed Jawad Khaki Profile
    URL: https://www.khaki.org/profiles/mohamedjawad
    Accessed: February 2026
    Contains: Biographical information about founder

14. KhojaPedia - Jawad Khaki
    URL: https://khojapedia.com/wiki/index.php?title=Jawad_Khaki
    Accessed: February 2026
    Contains: Honorary degrees (University of East London 2012, Beijing University of Post and Telecommunications 2003), IMAN founding (1997)

15. Khoja Business Forum - Jawad Khaki
    URL: https://www.khojaleadershipforum.org/people/jawad-khaki/
    Accessed: February 2026
    Contains: Professional background and community leadership