Sunkara Family Foundation
Sunkara Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Los Altos, California. Its most recent filing on record is for 2020, with no filings since; it appears to have wound down or stopped grantmaking.
Sunkara Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Sunkara Family Foundation gave $147K across 10 grants in 2020 (avg $15K), mostly in Massachusetts. Source: 2020 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2020)
- $147,363
- +1.7% vs 2019
- Grants made (2020)
- 10
- -33.3% vs 2019
- Average grant
- $14,736
- +52.5% vs 2019
- Median grant
- $1,870
- Total assets
- $53,965
- -22.2% vs 2019
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (51% of itemized 2020 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2020 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2020; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Sunkara Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation stated in its 2019 filing that it does not accept unsolicited requests and contributes only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 940 Hayman Place, Los Altos, CA 94024
Phone: (650) 845-8100
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Sunkara Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2020
The largest 2020 recipient was Boston University ($74K). Together the top 10 received $147K.
Grant Size Distribution
25 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 22 grants of 25 (88%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2020 grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts (51%), Connecticut (26%), Rhode Island (18%), and California (6%). The foundation is based in Los Altos, California.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2020 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
Cities
How Sunkara Family Foundation gives
- 80% of 2020 grantees were also funded in 2019. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020). 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 2019 to 2020, annual grant giving ranged from $145K (2019) to $147K (2020). In 2020 it made 10 grants totaling $147K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Boston University Boston, MA | General Operating Purposes | $74,477 |
| Higher One Foundation Inc New Haven, CT | General Operating Purposes | $37,888 |
| Brown University Providence, RI | General Operating Purposes | $26,309 |
| YMCA of Silicon Valley Santa Clara, CA | General Operating Purposes | $3,251 |
| Transcendental Meditation Center Los Angeles, CA | General Operating Purposes | $2,740 |
| MVLA Foundation Los Altos, CA | General Operating Purposes | $1,000 |
| Kiwanis Club of Los Altos Foundation Los Altos, CA | General Operating Purposes | $1,000 |
| Mountain View High School Mountain View, CA | General Operating Purposes | $620 |
| Santa Clara High School Santa Clara, CA | General Operating Purposes | $58 |
| Calpirg Sacramento, CA | General Operating Purposes | $20 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | $53,965 | $139,980 | $155,390 | $147,363 | 10 | $139,763 | $6,969 |
| 2019 | $69,375 | $141,509 | $155,356 | $144,959 | 15 | $141,172 | $13,400 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sunkara Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $7K for 2020 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2020 grants show support for a range of organizations. The Kiwanis Club of Los Altos Foundation, which received a grant, describes its mission as “changing the world one child and one community at a time.”
Grantmaking
In 2020, the foundation reported 10 grants totaling $147,363. Grant amounts ranged from $20 to $74,477, with a median of $1,870. Its largest grants were $74,477 to Boston University, $37,888 to Higher One Foundation Inc., and $26,309 to Brown University. Each was designated for general operating purposes.
The 2019 filing states that the foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. This is a statement from that filing, not current application guidance.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2020 filing lists Ramu Sunkara as president and Jyothi Sunkara as vice president.
Sunkara Family Foundation is led by Ramu Sunkara, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 2 officers listed in 2020 report compensation.
Officers on the 2020 filing
Ramu Sunkara
President
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jyothi Sunkara
Vice President
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2020. "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 Sunkara Family Foundation
How much does Sunkara Family Foundation give each year?
Sunkara Family Foundation gave $147K across 10 grants in 2020, according to its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2019 it gave $145K across 15 grants.
What is Sunkara Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Sunkara Family Foundation's median grant in 2020 was $1,870, and its average grant was $14,736, across 10 grants on its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Sunkara Family Foundation give grants?
Sunkara Family Foundation gives mostly in Massachusetts: 51% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Connecticut (26%) and Rhode Island (18%). The most frequent recipient cities were Santa Clara, CA (2 grants) and Los Altos, CA (2 grants).
Does Sunkara Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Sunkara Family Foundation's 2020 grants with a stated purpose (10 of 10) were for general or operating support, per its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Sunkara Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Sunkara Family Foundation's largest 2020 grantees include Boston University ($74,477), Higher One Foundation Inc ($37,888) and Brown University ($26,309), according to its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 94% of its itemized 2020 grant dollars.
How large is Sunkara Family Foundation?
Sunkara Family Foundation reported $54K in total assets on its 2020 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $140K.
What does Sunkara Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2020 grants show support for a range of organizations. The Kiwanis Club of Los Altos Foundation, which received a grant, describes its mission as “changing the world one child and one community at a time.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Sunkara Family Foundation?
The foundation stated in its 2019 filing that it does not accept unsolicited requests and contributes only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
How much is Sunkara Family Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2020, Sunkara Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $7K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Sunkara Family Foundation's EIN?
Sunkara Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-4084978. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2020.
Does Sunkara Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 14, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 2, 2021)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal year 2020
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Sunkara Family Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?