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Dhanam Foundation

Annual Giving
$22.4M
Grant Range
$100K - $57.0M

Dhanam Foundation - Funder Overview

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $22,373,600 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $100,000 - $57,000,000 (major gifts)
  • Geographic Focus: United States (particularly Bay Area), India, and Africa
  • Total Assets: $243.3 million (2023)

Contact Details

Address: 2475 Hanover Street, Suite 100, Palo Alto, CA 94304-1114

Note: The foundation does not maintain a public website and does not provide public contact information for grant inquiries.

Overview

Founded in 2005, the Dhanam Foundation is a private family foundation established by Ram and Vijay Shriram with total assets of $243.3 million as of 2023. The foundation is focused exclusively on education, supporting academically motivated students in their access to education and career development. Ram Shriram, an early investor in Google and former executive at Netscape and Amazon, and his wife Vijay, who serves on the Stanford Graduate School of Education advisory council, conduct all their philanthropic work through this foundation. The foundation directs millions to donor-advised funds and has been recognized by the Chronicle of Philanthropy, which named Ram and Vijay Shriram as one of the 50 most generous donors in the United States in 2014. The foundation's grantmaking has grown substantially, from approximately $6 million annually in earlier years to $22.4 million in 2023, with 29 grants awarded that year.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Dhanam Foundation does not operate formal grant programs with published guidelines. Instead, grants are made at the discretion of the trustees, primarily focusing on:

  • Major institutional gifts: $100,000 - $57,000,000+ to universities and educational institutions
  • Scholarship programs: Supporting need-based scholarships for underrepresented students
  • Educational nonprofits: Funding organizations that serve low-income, first-generation, African American, Latino, and women students
  • International education: Programs in India and Africa focused on marginalized youth

Application Method: Invitation only/trustee discretion - no public application process

Priority Areas

The foundation's giving is concentrated in these areas:

Higher Education Infrastructure

  • Major gifts to research universities for facilities, endowed chairs, and departments
  • Particular focus on science, technology, engineering, and bioengineering programs

Access to Education for Underrepresented Groups

  • Scholarship programs for low-income and first-generation college students
  • Support for African American, Latino, and women students in STEM and other fields
  • Programs serving marginalized youth in India and Africa

K-12 Education

  • Charter schools and educational innovation
  • Improving K-12 education in India through innovative NGOs
  • Bay Area community education initiatives

Science and Arts Education

  • Museums and informal learning institutions
  • Film and cinematic arts education
  • STEM education programs

Known Grant Recipients

  • Stanford University: $61 million total, including $57 million for the Shriram Center for Bioengineering & Chemical Engineering, plus endowed professorships and fellowships
  • USC School of Cinematic Arts: $1.5 million for need-based graduate scholarships
  • Exploratorium: $800,000 (2019)
  • Asian Art Museum
  • Ashoka University (India)
  • Magic Bus (India education nonprofit)
  • SMASH Academy
  • Anita Borg Institute
  • Stockton Scholars
  • IIT Madras (India)
  • Americans for Oxford
  • Level Playing Field Institute
  • East Palo Alto Academy (Stanford public charter school)

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the foundation's focus suggests they do not fund:

  • Non-educational causes
  • Medical or health programs
  • Environmental initiatives
  • Arts programs unrelated to education
  • General operating support for organizations outside their educational focus

Governance and Leadership

President: Kavitark Ram Shriram (Ram Shriram)

  • Early investor in Google and founding board member
  • Former executive at Netscape and Amazon
  • Founder of venture capital firm Sherpalo
  • Stanford University Trustee
  • Member of Stanford Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence advisory board

Treasurer/Secretary: Vidjealatchoumy Shriram (Vijay Shriram)

  • Member of advisory council at Stanford Graduate School of Education
  • Board member of East Palo Alto Academy (Stanford's public charter school)
  • Trustee of the Exploratorium

Leadership Philosophy: Ram Shriram has stated that his philanthropic approach was influenced by his grandparents, who started a K-12 school in India. As he shared in an interview with Stanford Social Innovation Review, his grandfather told him "the reward was seeing how many kids he didn't know were able to come to school and get educated." This early exposure shaped his focus on education access for marginalized students.

Both officers report $0 compensation from the foundation, indicating this is a purely philanthropic endeavor.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

The Dhanam Foundation operates as a private family foundation that makes grants through trustee discretion. The foundation does not maintain a website, does not publish grant guidelines, and does not accept unsolicited proposals. Grants are awarded based on the trustees' own research, networks, and strategic priorities.

Grants appear to be made through:

  • Direct relationships: Personal connections of Ram and Vijay Shriram through their board service and institutional affiliations
  • Institutional partnerships: Long-term relationships with universities and organizations where the Shrirams are involved
  • Donor-advised funds: The foundation directs millions to donor-advised funds, which may then distribute grants to specific organizations

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed, as there is no formal application process.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no public application process exists.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, organizations interested in securing support should focus on:

Understanding Their Demonstrated Priorities

The foundation has shown consistent commitment to:

  • Education access for marginalized students: Every known grant supports educational opportunities for underrepresented groups - low-income students, first-generation college students, African American, Latino, and women students, and marginalized youth in India and Africa
  • Deep institutional partnerships: Rather than making many small grants, the Shrirams make substantial, transformative gifts to institutions where they have ongoing relationships (particularly Stanford)
  • India connections: As Ram Shriram stated in interviews, he is "focusing a great deal of time, money, and energy on helping innovative NGOs improve K–12 education in India"
  • Bay Area community: Local organizations serving the Bay Area community, particularly educational initiatives

Relationship Building Through Shared Networks

Given that grants flow through personal relationships and board service:

  • Organizations where Ram Shriram serves (Stanford, various tech-focused nonprofits)
  • Organizations where Vijay Shriram serves (Stanford Graduate School of Education, Exploratorium, East Palo Alto Academy)
  • Educational nonprofits working in India with innovative approaches to serving marginalized youth
  • Bay Area educational institutions and programs

Alignment with the Shrirams' Personal Mission

Ram Shriram's own words reveal what matters most: seeing students "he didn't know" get access to education. This suggests:

  • Programs that create educational access for students who otherwise wouldn't have it
  • Measurable impact on underrepresented student populations
  • Innovation in educational delivery, particularly for K-12 education in developing countries
  • Programs that support career development, not just access to education

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process exists - this foundation only makes grants through trustee discretion and personal relationships
  • Education is the sole focus - 100% of known grants support educational access, institutions, or programs
  • They favor transformative gifts over small grants - the foundation makes a relatively small number of large grants (29 grants totaling $22.4 million in 2023)
  • Relationships matter most - grants flow to organizations where Ram or Vijay Shriram have board service, trustee roles, or personal connections
  • Underrepresented students are the priority - every scholarship and program grant emphasizes support for low-income, first-generation, minority, and marginalized students
  • India is a significant geographic priority - alongside U.S. Bay Area giving, the foundation actively supports K-12 education innovation in India
  • Long-term partnerships over one-time grants - the Shrirams have given $61 million to Stanford over many years through multiple gifts, suggesting they prefer sustained engagement

References

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