Gupta Family Foundation (Seattle, WA)

Note for Grant Writers: This is a private family foundation without a public application process. Grants are made at trustee discretion, predominantly to organizations with a personal connection to the founders. This overview is provided to help grant writers understand the foundation's profile and explore relationship-building opportunities.

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Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $2,132,858 (2024); $200,000 (2023); ~$204,000 (2022)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available (no open application process)
• Decision Time: Not publicly available
• Grant Range: $100,000 - $1,830,000
• Geographic Focus: Washington, South Carolina, Florida, Maryland
• Total Assets: ~$22.9 million (2024)
• Number of Awards: 3 (2024), 1 (2023), 1 (2022), 4 (2021), 1 (2020)

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Contact Details

• Address: 999 3rd Avenue, Suite 3050, Seattle, WA 98104
• Website: No public website identified
• EIN: 83-2870553
• Pre-application contact: No public contact information available; no open application process

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Overview

The Gupta Family Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in Seattle, Washington, and incorporated as a 501(c)(3) organization with IRS ruling status granted in 2021. The foundation was founded by Sachin "Sunny" Gupta and his wife Prerna Gupta, a prominent Seattle-area couple connected to the technology industry. Sunny Gupta is the co-founder and former CEO of Apptio, a technology business management software company he led to a $1.94 billion acquisition by Vista Equity Partners in 2019 and subsequently sold to IBM in 2023 for $4.6 billion. He was also named Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year for the Pacific Northwest in 2011.

The foundation holds total assets of approximately $22.9 million (2024) and has significantly increased its annual grant disbursements in recent years, rising from around $200,000 annually in 2022 and 2023 to over $2.1 million in 2024. Revenue is generated primarily through dividends and asset sales. The foundation operates with no paid staff; neither director draws compensation. It does not have a public website or an open grant application process, and all giving appears to be conducted at the discretion of the founding directors.

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Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not publish named grant programmes. Based on IRS 990-PF filings and third-party nonprofit database aggregations, the following profile of giving has been identified:

• Education and Higher Education: Including scholarships and endowment support, with a confirmed connection to the Coastal Educational Foundation (the fundraising arm of Coastal Carolina University, where founder Sunny Gupta is a 1992 alumnus and benefactor of the renamed Gupta College of Science).
• Philanthropy, Voluntarism and Grantmaking: The foundation is classified under this NTEE category in IRS filings, suggesting some pass-through or intermediary grantmaking.
• Single Organisation Support: Instrumentl's aggregated data classifies a portion of giving under "Single Organization Support", indicating focused, sustained relationships with specific grantees rather than broad open grantmaking.

Priority Areas

Based on available data and the founders' documented philanthropic interests:

• Higher education, particularly computer science, STEM, and scholarship support
• Organizations with a personal connection to the founders' backgrounds (India, technology sector, Pacific Northwest, South Carolina)
• Relief and community support efforts (Sunny Gupta was a named participant in the "Seattle for India" campaign during the 2021 COVID-19 crisis, which funded OxygenForIndia)

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not publish exclusion criteria. Given the private and discretionary nature of grantmaking, unsolicited applications from organizations without a prior relationship with the founders are unlikely to be considered.

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Governance and Leadership

Sachin "Sunny" Gupta — Director and co-founder. Sunny Gupta is a prominent Seattle-area technology entrepreneur and the co-founder and former CEO of Apptio, a software company he grew from founding in 2007 through a 2016 IPO and a $1.94 billion acquisition by Vista Equity Partners in 2019. Apptio was subsequently acquired by IBM in 2023 for $4.6 billion. Prior to Apptio, he co-founded iConclude and held senior roles at Opsware, Mercury Interactive, Rational Software, and IBM. He currently serves as a Strategic Director at Madrona Venture Group, on the boards of Gainsight and Securonix, and as a Strategic Advisory Board Member to the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington and the Gupta College of Science at Coastal Carolina University. He and Prerna have two children and live in Kirkland, Washington.

On his philanthropic motivation at Coastal Carolina University, Gupta has stated: "Coastal Carolina gave me the opportunity to learn computer science and go on to start three companies and eventually start Apptio. I wanted to create an opportunity for future students who don't have the financial means to pay for their education."

Prerna Gupta — Director and co-founder. Prerna Gupta is named alongside Sunny Gupta as a co-director of the foundation and co-named on philanthropic gifts, including the previously established "Sunny and Prerna Gupta Jamboree Alumni Scholarship" at Coastal Carolina University. She resides in Kirkland, Washington.

No other trustees, officers, or staff are identified in publicly available filings. Neither director receives compensation from the foundation.

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Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The foundation has no public-facing website, no published grant guidelines, and no open application portal. All grants are made at the sole discretion of the founding directors, Sachin and Prerna Gupta. Unsolicited grant requests are not publicly invited and are unlikely to be considered without a pre-existing relationship.

Getting on Their Radar

The following is based on specific, documented information about this foundation's founders and their known networks:

• Coastal Carolina University connection: Sunny Gupta maintains an active, long-term relationship with Coastal Carolina University as a 1992 alumnus. He serves on the Strategic Advisory Board of the Gupta College of Science and has made multiple gifts to the institution. Organizations or projects connected to CCU may have a natural avenue to the founders' awareness.

• University of Washington: Sunny Gupta serves as a Strategic Advisory Board Member to the Foster School of Business at the University of Washington. Organizations or academic initiatives with connections to UW may be relevant.

• Madrona Venture Group: Gupta serves as a Strategic Director at Madrona, Seattle's leading early-stage venture firm. Organizations connected to Madrona portfolio companies or the Seattle technology ecosystem may intersect with his philanthropic interests.

• India-focused causes: Gupta has publicly supported India-oriented relief and community efforts. He participated in the "Seattle for India" coalition during the 2021 COVID-19 crisis. Organizations working in India on education, health, or poverty relief may align with the founders' personal roots and documented giving interests.

• Technology sector and Pacific Northwest community: The founders' philanthropic giving is rooted in their professional and personal community networks. Organizations that are embedded in Seattle's technology community and have a social impact mission may be of interest.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly available. The foundation does not operate on a published grant cycle.

Success Rates

Not applicable — there is no open grant application process. The foundation makes a small number of awards annually (1 to 4 per year in recent years, with a significant increase to 3 awards in 2024 representing a total of over $2.1 million).

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable for the same reason. Given the discretionary nature of grantmaking, ongoing relationships with existing grantees appear to be how multi-year or repeat support is structured.

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Application Success Factors

Given the absence of a public application process, the following points represent the most useful guidance for grant writers seeking to understand this funder:

• Personal connection is central: The most clearly documented grant recipient — the Coastal Educational Foundation at Coastal Carolina University — is directly connected to Sunny Gupta's personal biography as a student who received scholarship support at CCU. The foundation's giving pattern strongly suggests that personal ties and meaningful relationships are the primary drivers of grant decisions.

• Education and scholarship-oriented giving resonates: The founders have repeatedly given to support student scholarships and higher education infrastructure (the Gupta College of Science naming gift, the Sunny and Prerna Gupta Jamboree Alumni Scholarship). Organizations offering educational pathways, particularly in STEM or computer science, may align with documented priorities.

• Geographic footprint: Instrumentl's data identifies Washington, South Carolina, Florida, and Maryland as grant recipient states. South Carolina aligns with the CCU connection; Washington aligns with the founders' home state. Florida and Maryland recipients are unidentified in public sources but may represent personal or professional connections.

• Large grants to few organizations: In 2024, the foundation distributed over $2.1 million across only 3 awards, suggesting average grants in the range of $700,000+. This is not a foundation that funds broadly across a sector — it concentrates resources on a small number of trusted relationships.

• India connections: Sunny Gupta was born in Chandigarh, India, and has publicly engaged with India-focused philanthropy. Organizations working in India with a focus on education, health, or community development may align with the founders' background and values.

• Not suitable for cold outreach: There is no mechanism for submitting an unsolicited application. Investing time in crafting a grant application to this foundation without a prior relationship or introduction is unlikely to be productive.

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Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• The Gupta Family Foundation (EIN: 83-2870553) is a legitimate private grantmaking foundation based in Seattle, WA, with total assets of approximately $22.9 million and significantly increasing annual disbursements ($2.13 million in 2024).
• It does not have a public application process. All grants are made at the discretion of founders Sachin "Sunny" and Prerna Gupta.
• Grants are concentrated — typically 1 to 4 per year — and can be very large (up to $1.83 million per award based on available data).
• The foundation's documented giving centers on higher education and organizations with a direct personal connection to the founders, most notably Coastal Carolina University.
• Organizations working in education, STEM, scholarship support, India-focused programmes, or with ties to the Seattle technology community are most likely to be aligned with the founders' interests.
• Entry points for relationship building include Coastal Carolina University networks, the Foster School of Business at UW, Madrona Venture Group connections, and Seattle's technology sector philanthropic community.
• This foundation is not suitable for standard grant prospecting or open application-style approaches. Long-term relationship investment is the only credible pathway.

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References

1. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer — Gupta Family Foundation (EIN: 83-2870553) URL: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/832870553 Details accessed: Financial data 2019–2024, officer names, tax-exempt status; accessed February 2026.

2. Instrumentl 990 Report — Gupta Family Foundation, Seattle, WA URL: https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/gupta-family-foundation-dd7986fc-da8d-4caa-8fed-003dfa7ed18e Details accessed: Total assets, annual giving, grant award counts by year, grant range, geographic focus, director names, focus area classifications; accessed February 2026.

3. Cause IQ — Gupta Family Foundation (EIN: 832870553) URL: https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/gupta-family-foundation,832870553/ Details accessed: Financial summary including 2020 total revenues, expenses, assets, and grants paid; accessed February 2026.

4. GuideStar/Candid Profile — Gupta Family Foundation (EIN: 83-2870553) URL: https://www.guidestar.org/profile/83-2870553 Details accessed: Address (999 3rd Ave Ste 3050, Seattle, WA 98104), ruling year 2021, Form 990-PF filing requirement confirmed; accessed February 2026.

5. Coastal Carolina University — Sunny Gupta Donor Profile URL: https://www.coastal.edu/advancement/meet_our_donors/sunnygupta/ Details accessed: Gupta's donation to CCU, establishment of the Gupta College of Science, Jamboree Alumni Scholarship, and personal philanthropic motivations; accessed February 2026.

6. Coastal Carolina University News Article — CCU College of Science Naming URL: https://www.coastal.edu/ccustories/news/news-article/index.php?id=5082 Details accessed: Description of the naming gift as "one of the largest ever received by the University"; accessed February 2026.

7. Madrona Venture Group — Sunny Gupta Profile URL: https://www.madrona.com/team-profiles/sunny-gupta/ Details accessed: Career history, role at Madrona, board memberships including Foster School of Business (UW) and Gupta College of Science (CCU); accessed February 2026.

8. Business Wire — Madrona Appoints Sunny Gupta as Strategic Director (December 2021) URL: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211216005233/en/Madrona-Appoints-Sunny-Gupta-Charlotte-Hubbert-and-Mark-Nelson-as-Strategic-Directors Details accessed: Gupta's background, career summary, and Madrona appointment; accessed February 2026.

9. GeekWire — Seattle for India COVID-19 relief campaign (2021) URL: https://www.geekwire.com/2021/seattle-area-tech-leaders-join-forces-try-raise-10m-aid-indias-covid-19-battle/ Details accessed: Sunny Gupta's participation in India COVID-19 relief fundraising, OxygenForIndia connection; accessed February 2026.

10. Search results via CauseIQ directory — Seattle Foundations URL: https://www.causeiq.com/directory/foundations-list/seattle-tacoma-bellevue-wa-metro/ Details accessed: Confirmation that Coastal Educational Foundation identified as a grantee of the Seattle Gupta Family Foundation; accessed February 2026.