Ila & Dinesh Paliwal Foundation
The Ila & Dinesh Paliwal Foundation is a private independent foundation based in New York City. Established in 2016, it operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to philanthropic giving across education, human services, and cultural initiatives.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$1.3M
-9.3% YoY
Grant Count
12
-7.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$105K
-1.8% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's grantmaking focuses on:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Human Services
- Arts and cultural programming, particularly Indian classical music
- Support for women in S.T.E.A.M. fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Mathematics)
Grantmaking
Ready to take the next step with Ila & Dinesh Paliwal Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Primary funding areas include New York, Texas, and Pennsylvania.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Data (2023):
- Total Assets: $17.2 million
- Total Revenues: $2.28 million
- Total Expenses: $1.39 million
- Total Liabilities: $0
Revenue Breakdown (2023):
- Grants and contributions: $348,171
- Investment income and dividends: $256,278
- Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets: $1,674,143
Staff: 0 employees (operates as a foundation)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
51 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Miami University of Ohio ($333,333), Charity Water ($333,000), Central Park Conservancy ($183,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| PRATHAM USA HOUSTON, TX | UNRESTRICTED | $150,000 |
| THE ASIAN AMERICAN FOUNDATION San Francisco, CA | UNRESTRICTED | $141,333 |
| MIAMI UNIVERSITY OF OHIO OXFORD, OH | UNRESTRICTED | $333,333 |
| 1000 DREAMS FOUNDATION WASHINGTON, DC | UNRESTRICTED | $18,000 |
| SEO SPONSORS FOR EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY NEW YORK, NY | UNRESTRICTED | $25,000 |
| Charity Water Hagerstown, MD | UNRESTRICTED | $333,000 |
| CENTRAL PARK CONSERVANCY NEW YORK, NY | UNRESTRICTED | $183,000 |
| AIM FOR SEVA SAYLORSBURG, PA | UNRESTRICTED | $10,000 |
| LINCOLN CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS NEW YORK, NY | UNRESTRICTED | $5,000 |
| NBA FOUNDATION ATLANTA, GA | UNRESTRICTED | $5,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Ila Paliwal — Founder and philanthropist. A classically trained vocalist, composer, and producer born in Agra, India. She holds degrees including a BA in English, Economics, Music and Fine Arts from Dayalbagh University, Agra; an MA in Fine Arts from Agra University; an MA (Sangeet Praveen) with distinction in Hindustani classical vocal music from Prayag Sangeet Samiti, Allahabad; and a BA in Mandarin from the Beijing Language and Culture Institute. She has performed in renowned venues worldwide and previously worked as a cross-cultural consultant in Beijing.
Dinesh Paliwal — Co-founder. Retired Chairman and CEO of HARMAN, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics.
The couple has two adult children, Shriya and Aasheesh.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ILA PALIWAL | DIRECTOR; PRESIDENT | — | — |
| DINESH PALIWAL | DIRECTOR; CHAIRMAN | — | — |
| SHRIYA PALIWAL | DIRECTOR; VICE PRESIDENT | — | — |
| AASHEESH PALIWAL | DIRECTOR; SECRETARY | — | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**Carnegie Hall Indian Music Festival (2027)**
Carnegie Hall Announces Annual Indian Music Festival Launching in May 2027The foundation made a historic $10 million gift to Carnegie Hall to establish the institution's first Indian Music Festival, scheduled for May 21-23, 2027. The annual festival will feature world-class musicians from India and will recognize select Indian artists with the Carnegie Hall Fellow Award.
Indo-American philanthropist Ila Paliwal makes history by announcing Carnegie\**Paliwal Club of 100 S.T.E.A.M. Scholars Program**
In partnership with 1,000 Dreams Fund, the foundation launched and subsequently expanded the Paliwal Club of 100 scholarship program. The initiative provides micro-grants to young women pursuing careers in S.T.E.A.M. fields, with $150,000 in funding allocated over a 10-year period.
1,000 Dreams Fund & Ila and Dinesh Paliwal Foundation Launch ScholarshipSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Ila & Dinesh Paliwal Foundation fund?
The foundation's grantmaking focuses on: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Arts and cultural programming, particularly Indian classical music • Support for women in S.T.E.A.M. fields (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts & Mathematics)
How do I apply for a grant from Ila & Dinesh Paliwal Foundation?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical award range: $1,000–$335,532 • Recent grants (2023) include: • Charity Water: $333,000 (unrestricted) • Pratham USA: $200,000 (unrestricted) • Central Park Conservancy: $183,000 (unrestricted) **Major Commitments:** • $10 million gift to Carnegie Hall to support the inaugural Indian Music Festival (launching May 2027) • $150,000 in scholarship funding over 10 years through the Paliwal Club of 100 S.T.E.A.M. Scholars Program, supporting young women pursuing c…
Where does Ila & Dinesh Paliwal Foundation make grants?
Primary funding areas include New York, Texas, and Pennsylvania.
What size grants does Ila & Dinesh Paliwal Foundation award?
In 2024, Ila & Dinesh Paliwal Foundation awarded 12 grants totaling $1.3M — an average of about $105K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Ila & Dinesh Paliwal Foundation's EIN?
Ila & Dinesh Paliwal Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-3873474. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Explore Open Grants
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.