Desai Foundation
The Desai Foundation is a public charity based in Woburn, Massachusetts. Founded in 1997, it supports community programs for women and children, with its current work focused on health, livelihoods, and menstrual equity in rural India.
Desai Foundation at a glance
In short: Desai Foundation reported $974K in grants paid in 2025 (a total; its filing lists no individual grants). Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Grants paid (2025)
- $973,799 — reported as a total on the IRS filing, without an itemized list
- +3041.3% vs 2024
- Total assets
- $4,526,874
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Revenue (2025)
- $1,919,129
- +66.1% vs 2024
- Net investment income (2025)
- $821,180
- +62.8% vs 2024
- Expenses (2025)
- $1,531,164
- -2.5% vs 2024
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to Desai Foundation
- Contact
Mailing address: 300 Tradecenter 3450, Woburn, MA 01801
Phone: (781) 270-3655
Website: https://thedesaifoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Desai Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
5 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 5 grants of 5 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation reports working across eight states in India, particularly in rural communities. Its founding story also describes early work in the Metro Boston and Harlem, New York areas, as well as rural Gujarat.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $12K (2021) to $974K (2025). In 2025 it reported $974K in grants paid, as a total without an itemized list.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Friends of Lincoln COA Inc Lincoln, MA | General Support | $25,000 |
| Tie-Boston Foundation Cambridge, MA | General Support | $6,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $4,526,874 | $1,919,129 | $1,531,164 | $973,799 | Total only | $821,180 |
| 2024 | $4,525,524 | $1,155,390 | $1,570,095 | $31,000 | 2 | $504,420 |
| 2023 | $4,881,242 | $888,639 | $1,333,677 | $30,000 | 3 | $263,092 |
| 2022 | $5,308,058 | $1,597,101 | $991,996 | $37,035 | Total only | $444,194 |
| 2021 | $5,565,248 | $1,507,044 | $944,929 | $11,768 | Total only | $639,227 |
| 2020 | $4,747,765 | $816,808 | $760,323 | $73,000 | 6 | $321,034 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to empower women and children through community programs that advance health, livelihoods, and menstrual equity in rural India. Its filing also describes a mission to develop and implement educational programs promoting Indian culture and heritage in the United States.
Its program areas include preventive and maternal health, child wellness, health and hygiene education, menstrual health, and livelihood training. Listed livelihood programs include sewing, beauty, computer skills, and training related to electric vehicles and solar energy.
Grantmaking
The foundation reported two grants totaling $31,000 in 2024 and three grants totaling $30,000 in 2023. Its 2025 filing reported no grants. The available information does not identify the recipients or award amounts for those grants.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2025 filing are Samir Desai (Trustee), Sindhya Valloppilloi (Director), Moha Desai (Trustee), Megha Desai (President), Santhana Krishnan (Director), Yash Shah (Director), Arianna Afsar (Director), and Namita Gupta (Director).
Desai Foundation is led by Megha Desai, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 8 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Megha Desai
President
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Moha Desai
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Samir Desai
Trustee
On filings since 2020
20 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Santhana Krishnan
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Yash Shah
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Arianna Afsar
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Namita Gupta
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sindhya Valloppilloi
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Nilima Desai (2020–2024) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Desai Foundation
How much does Desai Foundation give each year?
Desai Foundation reported $974K in grants paid in 2025 on its 2025 IRS Form 990, as a total without an itemized list of grants. In 2024 it gave $31K across 2 grants.
How large is Desai Foundation?
Desai Foundation reported $4.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.9M.
What does Desai Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to empower women and children through community programs that advance health, livelihoods, and menstrual equity in rural India. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Desai Foundation?
Desai Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check thedesaifoundation.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
Where does Desai Foundation make grants?
The foundation reports working across eight states in India, particularly in rural communities. Its founding story also describes early work in the Metro Boston and Harlem, New York areas, as well as rural Gujarat.
What is Desai Foundation's EIN?
Desai Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-3433749. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 21, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 16, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS September 20, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
Live grants for the work Desai Foundation funds
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Figures come from Desai Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Desai Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?