Dhanam Foundation
Dhanam Foundation is a private family foundation established in 2005 and based in Palo Alto, California. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization focused on philanthropic grantmaking, primarily in the education sector. The foundation does not maintain a public website and operates with limited public visibility regarding its grantmaking processes.
Key facts about Dhanam Foundation
- EIN
- 20-1914298
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $20,234,833
- Grants made (2024)
- 38
- Average grant
- $532,496
- Median grant
- $50,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 22% first-time grantees (8 of 37, 2024)
- Total assets
- $254,200,286
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (59% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation operates on a preselected-only basis and does not accept unsolicited applications for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Dhanam Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Dhanam Foundation's 38 itemized 2024 grants were Pennsylvania (59%), California (18%) and District of Columbia (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were San Francisco, CA (9 grants), Washington, DC (3 grants), San Jose, CA (3 grants) and Houston, TX (2 grants). 79% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is Dhanam Foundation open to new grantees?
22%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 8 of 37 grantees (22%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $228K; repeat grants $635K. How we count
Medians: $50K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 70% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+18%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 86% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Dhanam Foundation
- How to evaluate Dhanam Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$254.2M
+4.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$20.2M
-9.6% YoY
Grant Count
38
+31.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$532K
-31.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Dhanam Foundation reported a distributable amount of $24.0M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's primary focus is education, with particular emphasis on supporting academically motivated students in their access to education and career development. Secondary funding areas include:
- Arts and culture
- Civic engagement and participation
- Human services
- International education programs in India and Africa focused on marginalized youth
The foundation prioritizes education institutions with personal connections to the founding family and organizations focused on South Asia and Indian culture.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$5,000 to $57,000,000
Average Grant
amount: $419,000
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with Dhanam Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on:
- United States (particularly the Bay Area)
- California, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas
- India
- Africa
Approximately 89% of grants support organizations in California, Pennsylvania, and New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 38 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Revenue:
- Total assets: $254,200,286 (2024)
- Total revenues: $36,287,243 (2024)
- Total expenses: $25,398,520 (2024)
- Total giving: $20,234,833 (2024)
Revenue Breakdown (2024):
- Grants and contributions: $15,002,648
- Investment income and dividends: $4,411,784
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $16,053,376
Growth Trajectory: Total assets have grown from $156.6 million in 2011 to $254.2 million in 2024. Annual giving has increased substantially from approximately $6 million in earlier years to over $20 million in recent years.
Funding Source: The foundation is funded by RV Investment Partners LLC.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $254,200,286 | $243,311,563 | $244,349,364 |
| Revenue | $36,287,243 | $27,010,695 | $12,271,453 |
| Expenses | $25,398,520 | $28,048,496 | $27,004,269 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $20,650,871 | $22,721,800 | $21,450,692 |
| Net Investment Income | $31,910,563 | $12,679,469 | $9,495,053 |
| Distributable Amount | $24,017,331 | $21,236,630 | $22,028,290 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
187 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include National Philanthropic Trust ($12,000,000), Exploratorium ($1,005,000 across 2 grants), The Barack Obama Foundation ($1,000,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| NATIONAL PHILANTHROPIC TRUST Jenkintown, PA | GENERAL CHARITABLE PURPOSE | $12,000,000 |
| EXPLORATORIUM San Francisco, CA | TO SUPPORT THE STABILITY AND REVITALIZATION FUND | $1,000,000 |
| THE BARACK OBAMA FOUNDATION Chicago, IL | US LEADERS PROGRAM | $1,000,000 |
| AFRICAN PARKS FOUNDATION OF AMERICA Washington, DC | IN SUPPORT OF GENERAL OPERATIONS | $1,000,000 |
| GLOBAL IMPACT (CO-DEVELOP FUND) Washington, DC | IN SUPPORT OF GENERAL OPERATIONS | $1,000,000 |
| AGASTYA USA San Jose, CA | IN SUPPORT OF GENERAL OPERATIONS | $555,000 |
| IIT MADRAS FOUNDATION Cupertino, CA | IN SUPPORT OF GENERAL OPERATIONS | $500,000 |
| THE MONTEREY BAY AQUARIUM Monterey, CA | TO SUPPORT THE SEA OTTER RESCUE AND REHABILITATION PROGRAM | $500,000 |
| CARNEGIE ENDOWMENT FOR INTERNATIONAL PEACE Washington, DC | IN SUPPORT OF GENERAL OPERATIONS | $350,000 |
| ATREE USA Belmont, MA | IN SUPPORT OF GENERAL OPERATIONS | $333,333 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Key Trustees:
- Kavitark "Ram" Shriram (President) — An early investor in Google, former vice president at Netscape, and former president of Junglee (acquired by Amazon). He served as VP of Business Development at Amazon and founded venture capital firm Sherpalo. Ram Shriram grew up in India and studied at the University of Madras.
- Vijay Shriram (Treasurer/Secretary) — Serves on the Stanford Graduate School of Education advisory council.
The foundation is governed by 2 officers and trustees and operates with limited paid staffing.
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kavitark R Shriram | President | — | — |
| Vidjealatchoumy Shriram | Treasurer/Secretary | — | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Dhanam Foundation fund?
The foundation's primary focus is education, with particular emphasis on supporting academically motivated students in their access to education and career development. Secondary funding areas include: • Arts and culture • Civic engagement and participation • Human services • International education programs in India and Africa focused on marginalized youth The foundation prioritizes education institutions with personal connections to the founding family and organizations focused on South Asia …
How do I apply for a grant from Dhanam Foundation?
The foundation operates on a preselected-only basis and does not accept unsolicited applications for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does Dhanam Foundation make grants?
The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on: • United States (particularly the Bay Area) • California, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas • India • Africa Approximately 89% of grants support organizations in California, Pennsylvania, and New York.
What size grants does Dhanam Foundation award?
In 2024, Dhanam Foundation awarded 38 grants totaling $20.2M — an average of about $532K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Dhanam Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Dhanam Foundation reported a distributable amount of $24.0M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Dhanam Foundation's EIN?
Dhanam Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-1914298. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Dhanam Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.