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Janki Foundation

Annual Giving
$4.6M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $4,591,876 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $22.3 million (2024)
  • Grant Range: Data not publicly available
  • Number of Awards: 21 grants (2023)
  • Geographic Focus: United States and India
  • Founded: 2018

Contact Details

Address: Boston, MA

Note: The foundation does not maintain a public website or publish contact information for grant applications.

Overview

The Janki Foundation was established in August 2018 by Boston-based philanthropists Maheshkumar (Mahesh) Navani and Asharani (Asha) Navani. The foundation operates as a private grantmaking foundation with total assets of $22.3 million as of 2024. In 2023, the foundation distributed $4,591,876 across 21 grants. Rooted in the Hindu principles of dharma (duty/righteousness) and seva (selfless service), the foundation supports initiatives in healthcare, hunger relief, education, women's empowerment, sustainability, and transformational programs for children. Guided by the spirit of vasudhaiva kutumbakam—"the world is one family"—the foundation partners with trusted institutions in the United States and India to uplift communities and advance a more compassionate, equitable, and sustainable future. The foundation's trustees serve without compensation, demonstrating their personal commitment to the philanthropic mission.

Funding Priorities

Priority Areas

The Janki Foundation focuses on six core areas:

  • Healthcare: Supporting healthcare infrastructure, particularly in underserved rural and tribal communities. The foundation recently partnered with Shri Chaitanya Health and Care Trust to establish the Bhaktivedanta Hospital and Research Institute, Asha Navani Multi Specialty Rural Hospital, a 100-bed facility in Wada, Palghar, Maharashtra, India, expected to serve nearly 1 million residents with emphasis on women and children.

  • Hunger Relief: Programs addressing food insecurity and nutrition

  • Education: Educational initiatives and access programs

  • Women's Empowerment: Programs supporting women and girls

  • Sustainability: Environmental and sustainable development initiatives

  • Transformational Programs for Children: Youth development and welfare programs

Geographic Focus

The foundation operates with a binational approach, supporting organizations in both the United States and India.

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications from organizations outside their preselected network.

Governance and Leadership

Trustees:

  • Maheshkumar (Mahesh) Navani
  • Asharani (Asha) Navani

The foundation is governed by its two founding trustees who make all grantmaking decisions. Neither trustee receives compensation for their service to the foundation.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Janki Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation operates exclusively on a trustee-discretion model, making contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. This is explicitly stated in their IRS filings, noting that they "do not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

Grant Activity Pattern

Based on IRS Form 990-PF filings:

  • 2023: 21 awards totaling $4,591,876
  • 2022: 4 awards
  • 2021: 5 awards
  • 2020: 10 awards
  • 2019: 12 awards

The variation in the number of grants made annually suggests the foundation's grantmaking is driven by strategic opportunities and trustee priorities rather than fixed annual cycles.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable—grants are made at the discretion of the trustees to organizations they have personally selected.

Application Success Factors

Since the Janki Foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional application success factors do not apply. Organizations receiving grants from the foundation are preselected by the trustees based on:

  • Alignment with core values: Organizations that reflect the foundation's Hindu principles of dharma and seva
  • Focus area alignment: Work in healthcare, hunger relief, education, women's empowerment, sustainability, or children's programs
  • Geographic connection: Operations in the United States or India
  • Trusted relationships: The foundation partners with "trusted institutions," suggesting existing relationships are key to receiving support
  • Demonstrated impact: Evidence of the organization's ability to create "profound change and long-term impact"

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process: The Janki Foundation makes grants exclusively to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited applications
  • Relationship-driven grantmaking: Support appears to flow from the trustees' existing networks and relationships with organizations
  • Values-based approach: The foundation's work is deeply rooted in Hindu principles of dharma and seva, with a philosophy of vasudhaiva kutumbakam ("the world is one family")
  • Dual geographic focus: Organizations working in either the United States or India may receive support
  • Healthcare emphasis: Recent major initiatives suggest a particular interest in healthcare infrastructure for underserved communities
  • Long-term partnerships: The foundation seeks collaborative relationships that create lasting impact rather than one-time grants
  • Significant capacity: With assets exceeding $22 million and annual giving of approximately $4.6 million, this is a well-resourced private foundation despite its selective grantmaking approach

References

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