Foundation for World Education Inc
Foundation for World Education Inc is a private foundation based in Lowell, Massachusetts. It awards grants to incorporated nonprofit organizations around the world whose work supports integral education, human unity, conscious evolution, and a transformed world as envisioned by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother.
Foundation for World Education Inc at a glance
In short: Foundation for World Education Inc gave $236K across 20 grants in 2025 (avg $12K), top state New York. 58% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $235,551
- +47.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 20
- +11.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $11,778
- +32.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,500
- Total assets
- $3,436,443
- +19.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 58% first-time grantees (7 of 12, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- New York (12% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Foundation for World Education Inc
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s guidelines direct proposals originating in Auroville through the Auroville Project Coordination Group (PCG); other proposals are to be sent to the board secretary. Applicants must apply through a U.S.-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit. First-time applicants are asked to include proof of tax-exempt status or identify the nonprofit organization that would facilitate the request. Organizations not registered in the U.S. must also provide certification that they can receive foreign exchange funds from the U.S. The foundation asks applicants to provide a project summary, rationale, implementation plan and schedule, personnel, current and future funding, a detailed budget, and a plan for progress evaluation and final reporting.
- Review Cycle
- The 2025 filing lists January 7 and August 15. Both dates have passed in 2026. The website says proposals generally need to be received by January 7 for consideration that year; applications received at other times may be considered at a subsequent board meeting.
- Deadline
- The 2025 filing lists January 7 and August 15.
- Contact
Application contact: Susan Curtiss
Mailing address: PO Box 1946, Lowell, MA 01853
Phone: (978) 844-0954
Email: info@foundationforworldeducation.org
Website: https://www.foundationforworldeducation.org/
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Foundation for World Education Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Auroville Unity Fund ($152K across 5 grants). Together the top 10 received $229K.
Grant Size Distribution
72 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 70 grants of 72 (97%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2025 filing reports that 81% of grant dollars went to recipients in an unspecified state, 12% to New York, 5% to California, and 2% to Utah. The listed 2025 grants include support for projects in Auroville and for recipients in the United States.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Foundation for World Education Inc open to new grantees?
58%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 12 grantees (58%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $6K; repeat grants $39K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $12K repeat.
- 33% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 193% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 147% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $18K (2023) to $236K (2025). In 2025 it made 20 grants totaling $236K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Auroville Unity Fund | Morning Star Construction Grant-Tranche 1 | $50,000 |
| Auroville Unity Fund | Morning Star Construction Grant-Tranche 2 | $50,000 |
| Auroville Unity Fund | Support for 6 PCG projects in Auroville (Completion of AV Language Lab, Morning Star Birth Training, Morningstar Infrastructure, Supportive Learning Satellite, Nandanam Kindergarten, Cultivating Wisdom and Compassion) - Tranche 2 | $25,752 |
| Auroville Unity Fund | Support for 6 PCG projects in Auroville (Completion of AV Language Lab, Morning Star Birth Training, Morningstar Infrastructure, Supportive Learning Satellite, Nandanam Kindergarten, | $25,000 |
| Auro Mira Service Society | Annual disbursal from Sapru Kohl Fund to support the Kechla school | $19,092 |
| The Sarvam Trust USA Buffalo, NY | Animation Film 'Sri Aurobindo: A Call to New India' Grant | $12,000 |
| JAL Trust | Tone of Mind Project Grant | $9,500 |
| Matagiri Tremper, NY | Awareness Through the Body Dutch | $6,590 |
| Auroville International USA Sacramento, CA | Annual Disbursal Morning Star Fund (remainder) | $6,513 |
| Sri Aurobindo Delhi Ashram | Rural Education Project Grant | $6,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,436,443 | $205,618 | $268,102 | $235,551 | 20 | $235,929 | $27,783 | $160,231 |
| 2024 | $2,867,131 | $212,760 | $137,070 | $160,032 | 18 | $174,987 | $197,205 | $139,478 |
| 2023 | $2,903,625 | $353,494 | $94,816 | $18,337 | 4 | $26,856 | $131,194 | $123,354 |
| 2022 | $2,336,178 | $171,121 | $107,285 | $80,451 | 8 | $91,196 | $84,576 | $118,326 |
| 2021 | $2,911,230 | $197,889 | $177,433 | $153,667 | 22 | $162,688 | $146,044 | $133,846 |
| 2020 | $2,580,551 | $260,779 | $176,329 | $155,440 | 28 | — | $65,609 | $105,578 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Foundation for World Education Inc reported a distributable amount of $160K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to support integral education, human unity, conscious evolution, and a transformed world as envisioned by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. Its website invites applications from individuals, programs, and groups that share this vision, while requiring proposals to be submitted through a U.S.-registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.
Among its 2025 grantees, Auroville International USA describes its own mission as supporting projects that advance understanding and peace between diverse communities and individuals, unending education, conscious spiritual evolution, and Earth stewardship—ideals it identifies as the founding ideals of Auroville.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation made 20 grants totaling $235,551. Grant amounts ranged from $628 to $50,000, with a median of $5,500. Notable grants included two $50,000 awards to Auroville Unity Fund for Morning Star construction; $25,752 and $25,000 to Auroville Unity Fund for Auroville projects; $19,092 to Auro Mira Service Society for the Kechla school; and $12,000 to The Sarvam Trust USA for an animation film about Sri Aurobindo.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Matthew A. Needham as president; Susan Curtiss as secretary; Andrew Kay as treasurer; and Chaitanya Datla, Norbert Schuster, Andrew Sechler, and Pravir Malik as trustees.
Foundation for World Education Inc is led by Matthew A. Needham, President on every filing since 2023; none of the 7 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Matthew A. Needham
President
On filings since 2023
12 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chaitanya Datla
Trustee
On filings since 2022
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Norbert Schuster
Trustee
On filings since 2023
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Andrew Sechler
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Pravir Malik
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Andrew Kay
Treasurer
On filings since 2023
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susan Curtiss
Secretary
On filings since 2023
4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (8)
- Former: John Schlorholtz (2020–2022) — President
- Former: Mateo Needham (2020–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Aviram Rozin (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Bhuvana Nandakumar (2020–2021) — President
- Former: Dakshina Vanzetti (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Heidi Watts (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Jean Eisele (2020–2021) — Secretary
- Former: Jerry Schwartz (2020–2021) — Treasurer
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 Foundation for World Education Inc
How much does Foundation for World Education Inc give each year?
Foundation for World Education Inc gave $236K across 20 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $160K across 18 grants.
What is Foundation for World Education Inc's typical grant size?
Foundation for World Education Inc's median grant in 2025 was $5,500, and its average grant was $11,778, across 20 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Foundation for World Education Inc that year got $6K on average.
Where does Foundation for World Education Inc give grants?
Foundation for World Education Inc's top state is New York, with 12% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest state was California (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Tremper, NY (2 grants), Lodi, CA (2 grants), Mt Temper, NY (2 grants) and Salt Lake City, UT (2 grants).
Does Foundation for World Education Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 20 grants with a stated purpose on Foundation for World Education Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Foundation for World Education Inc's largest grantees?
Foundation for World Education Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Auroville Unity Fund ($151,763 across 5 grants), Auro Mira Service Society ($19,092) and The Sarvam Trust USA ($12,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 78% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Foundation for World Education Inc?
Foundation for World Education Inc reported $3.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $236K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $160K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Foundation for World Education Inc fund?
The foundation’s mission is to support integral education, human unity, conscious evolution, and a transformed world as envisioned by Sri Aurobindo and the Mother. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Foundation for World Education Inc?
The foundation’s guidelines direct proposals originating in Auroville through the Auroville Project Coordination Group (PCG); other proposals are to be sent to the board secretary. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Foundation for World Education Inc's EIN?
Foundation for World Education Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-6169404. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 4, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Foundation for World Education Inc funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Foundation for World Education Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 21, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/foundation-for-world-education-inc-morg_0c4bfadd23db438096e6ee476652eeb8
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_136169404_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Foundation for World Education Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/foundation-for-world-education-inc-morg_0c4bfadd23db438096e6ee476652eeb8},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-21. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Foundation for World Education Inc'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.
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