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Tarsadia Foundation

Annual Giving
$12.2M
Grant Range
$10K - $2.0M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $12.2M - $16M
  • Success Rate: Not publicly available (invitation-only grantmaking)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $10,000 - $2,000,000
  • Geographic Focus: Southern California (Orange County and Greater Los Angeles area), India, and select global initiatives

Contact Details

Website: https://tarsadiafoundation.org/

Phone: 949-610-8038

Email: info@tarsadiafoundation.org

Address: Newport Beach, CA

Overview

Established in 1999 by B.U. Patel and Pushpa Patel (originally as the Singod Foundation), the Tarsadia Foundation is a family-led private foundation with over $200 million in assets. The foundation distributed approximately $12.2 million in 2024 through 78 grants. Initially focused on education and community development in Gujarat, India, the foundation expanded to U.S. grantmaking in 2008 and rebranded as Tarsadia. Under the leadership of Executive Chair and CEO Maya Patel (granddaughter of the founders), the foundation has evolved into a trust-based philanthropy model that emphasizes unrestricted funding, long-term partnerships, and community-driven solutions. The foundation engages approximately 50 family members across three generations in its philanthropic work, including a 24-member junior board of youth aged 5-21. Tarsadia works alongside 100+ impact partners globally to "unleash human potential" through four core pillars: Inclusive Mobility, Crises & Threats, Human Transformation, and India Upliftment.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Inclusive Mobility: Supports economic empowerment through microfinance, entrepreneurship support, and healthcare access. In 2024, provided 3,600+ low-income immigrant entrepreneurs with capital and financial education, and delivered healthcare services to 1.3M+ patients.

Crises & Threats: Addresses food insecurity, homelessness, and emergency response. In 2024, provided 875,000+ nutritious meals to 62,000+ individuals, supported ~2,200 people transitioning out of homelessness, and delivered services to 72,000+ homeless individuals.

Human Transformation: Focuses on education and social-emotional learning (SEL). In 2024, equipped 126,000+ students with self-regulation tools, with 1,000+ schools and nonprofits across 42 U.S. states, Puerto Rico, and 17 countries integrating SEL curriculum.

India Upliftment: Through the Rebuild India Fund (a $50 million partnership with Dasra launched in 2022), supports 200+ grassroots organizations impacting over 6 million people across 25 Indian states. Programs include foundational learning for 1.6 million children and 98,000 teachers, and microcredit to ~157,000 families totaling $550M.

Grant amounts typically range from $10,000 to $500,000, with some exceptional grants up to $2 million. Recent major grants include: DASRA ($2.0M), New Venture Fund ($1.0M), Vivekananda Yoga University ($650K), Entertainment Industry Foundation ($575K), and Illumination Foundation ($545K).

Priority Areas

  • Educational opportunities for underserved populations
  • Community health and well-being
  • Economic empowerment and employment support
  • Food security and homelessness services
  • Social-emotional learning and youth development
  • Grassroots organizations in India addressing post-COVID recovery

What They Don't Fund

  • Political causes
  • Lobbying activities
  • Endowment campaigns
  • Individuals
  • Organizations without IRS tax-exempt status (for U.S. applicants)

Governance and Leadership

B.U. Patel (Director and Founder): Established the foundation with his wife Pushpa in 1999. His direct engagement with the 2001 Gujarat earthquake response shaped the foundation's trust-based philosophy, emphasizing investment in local leaders with deep community knowledge.

Tushar Patel (Director): Family member serving on the foundation's board.

Maya Patel (Executive Chair & CEO): Granddaughter of the founders, she transformed the foundation's approach to emphasize long-term, trust-based philanthropy. On their philosophy: "Communities don't need outsiders to dictate solutions. They need partners who trust and amplify their leadership." and "We're not the experts—our role is to stand behind those who are." She emphasizes continuous learning: "You don't stop learning until the last day. That is how I live my life. Every day I want to know something more."

Shirish Dayal (Treasurer, Secretary & Executive VP): Focuses on engaging the next generation of philanthropists and ensuring inclusive decision-making where "everyone needs to have an equal voice in the room."

Katelyn M. Faith (VP, Impact & Marketing): Oversees impact measurement and communications.

The foundation operates with approximately 50 family members across three generations participating in governance, including a 24-member junior board that actively engages in grantmaking decisions, strategic planning, and international service trips.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The foundation does not accept unsolicited grant proposals. Grantmaking is conducted on an invitation-only basis, with the foundation identifying and selecting organizations that align with their strategic priorities.

However, the foundation explicitly encourages organizations to reach out and introduce themselves. While this does not guarantee consideration for funding, it allows the foundation to learn about organizations working in their focus areas.

To introduce your organization:

  • Contact the foundation at 949-610-8038 or info@tarsadiafoundation.org
  • Visit their website at tarsadiafoundation.org for current information
  • Organizations must have IRS tax-exempt status (for U.S. applicants)

Getting on Their Radar

The Tarsadia Foundation builds relationships through deep community engagement and collaborative networks. Based on their documented approach:

Demonstrate Local Leadership: The foundation prioritizes organizations with "proximate leadership"—those led by people deeply connected to the communities they serve. As Maya Patel states, "Communities know best how to solve their own challenges."

Emphasize Systemic Solutions: The foundation moved beyond "putting on a band-aid" to focus on organizations creating "systemic and behavioral change." Show how your work addresses root causes, not just symptoms.

Build Trust Through Networks: The foundation works collaboratively with partners like Dasra, the Roddenberry Foundation's +1Global Fund, and other philanthropic networks. Having connections with their existing partners or working in coalitions they support may increase visibility.

Engage with the Indian Diaspora Community: For India-focused work, the foundation has deep ties to the Indian diaspora and emphasizes trust-based relationships within this community.

Attend Family Philanthropy Forums: The foundation is active in family philanthropy networks, including the National Center for Family Philanthropy (NCFP), where they share their approach and potentially identify new partners.

Focus on Multi-Year Impact: The foundation prefers long-term partnerships over one-off projects. Their Rebuild India Fund commits to 5 years of flexible funding for grassroots NGOs.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. The foundation makes grants on an annual basis, but specific timelines from initial contact to grant award are not available.

Success Rates

Not publicly available. With 78 grants awarded in 2024 from an invitation-only process, success rates for unsolicited introductions are not disclosed.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable, as there is no formal application process. Organizations that have introduced themselves but not received funding may maintain contact with the foundation and update them on relevant work.

Application Success Factors

While the foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, their documented approach reveals clear priorities:

Trust-Based Relationship Building: The foundation's core principle is trust. Maya Patel notes, "Trusting the right partners is key." They invest time in building deep relationships before making funding commitments. Demonstrate your commitment to long-term partnership, not transactional funding.

Unrestricted, Flexible Funding Approach: The foundation provides flexible, unrestricted funding that allows organizations to adapt based on real-time community feedback. If you connect with them, emphasize your need for flexible capital and your ability to pivot based on community needs.

Community-Driven Solutions: The foundation explicitly rejects the model of "outsiders dictating solutions." Highlight how your organization is led by community members, how you listen to local voices, and how your strategies emerge from community input, not external prescriptions.

Hands-On Engagement: The foundation values "getting our hands dirty" beyond check-writing. They conduct site visits, engage in service trips, and build personal connections. Be prepared for deep engagement if they express interest.

Alignment with Their Four Pillars: Ensure your work clearly aligns with Inclusive Mobility, Crises & Threats, Human Transformation, or India Upliftment. Use their language when describing your impact.

Measurable Impact at Scale: In 2024, their partners served 1.3M+ patients, 62,000+ individuals facing food insecurity, 72,000+ homeless individuals, and 126,000+ students. While they support grassroots organizations, they value partners who can demonstrate significant reach.

Examples of Funded Work: Recent grants support organizations like the Illumination Foundation (homelessness services), Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Orange County (youth mentorship), Lestonnac Free Clinic (healthcare), Collette's Children's Home (child welfare), and Dasra (grassroots NGO capacity building in India). These examples show the breadth of their interests within their four pillars.

Southern California or India Focus: While they make some global grants, their primary geographic priorities remain Orange County, Greater Los Angeles, and India. Organizations working in these regions have a significant advantage.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Invitation-only but open to introductions: While you cannot apply formally, you can and should reach out to introduce your organization if you align with their priorities.

  • Trust is everything: This foundation prioritizes deep, long-term relationships over transactional grantmaking. Focus on relationship-building, not quick wins.

  • Community-led solutions: They fund organizations led by people closest to the problems. Emphasize proximate leadership and community-driven strategies.

  • Think big and long-term: With grants ranging up to $2 million and a preference for multi-year support, demonstrate how your work creates systemic change, not just immediate relief.

  • Geographic alignment matters: Priority goes to Southern California (especially Orange County) and India. Other regions receive limited support tied to specific strategic initiatives.

  • Flexible funding model: They provide unrestricted support and expect partners to adapt strategies based on community feedback. Highlight your organization's agility and learning orientation.

  • Family foundation with values: With 50 family members engaged across three generations, the foundation values organizations that share their commitment to education, service, and empowering the next generation.

References

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