The Bhutan Foundation
The Bhutan Foundation is a public charity located in Washington, DC, with an office in Thimphu, Bhutan. It supports people in Bhutan by developing local capacity and facilitating global support, and works with government and civil society partners.
The Bhutan Foundation at a glance
In short: The Bhutan Foundation reported $4.0M in grants paid in 2025 (a total; its filing lists no individual grants). Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Grants paid (2025)
- $3,963,541 — reported as a total on the IRS filing, without an itemized list
- +2400.5% vs 2024
- Total assets
- $7,525,681
- +30.8% vs 2024
- Revenue (2025)
- $6,198,488
- +44.1% vs 2024
- Net investment income (2025)
- $116,792
- +20.6% vs 2024
- Expenses (2025)
- $5,425,770
- +19.3% vs 2024
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to The Bhutan Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation accepts unsolicited requests through its Small Grants Program. Eligible CSOs and CBOs in Bhutan are invited to submit a concept proposal using the program’s Annex 1 template.
- Review Cycle
- March 6, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. Bhutan time.
- Deadline
- March 6, 2026, at 5:00 p.m.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1050 Connecticut Ave Nw Ste 66013, Washington, DC 20036
Phone: (202) 609-7363
Website: https://bhutanfound.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Bhutan 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: 2 grants of 5 (40%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation describes its work as supporting people and communities in Bhutan, with offices in Thimphu and Washington, DC. Its filing states that it makes grants to international organizations outside the United States that further its mission.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
How The Bhutan Foundation gives
- Giving fell 82% from 2021 to 2024. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $125K (2020) to $4.0M (2025). In 2025 it reported $4.0M 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Massachusetts Institute of Technolo Cambridge, MA | — | $155,013 |
| Health Volunteers Overseas Washington, DC | — | $2,415 |
| Perkins School For the Blind Watertown, MA | — | $1,079 |
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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 | $7,525,681 | $6,198,488 | $5,425,770 | $3,963,541 | Total only | $116,792 |
| 2024 | $5,755,203 | $4,302,332 | $4,546,183 | $158,507 | 3 | $96,811 |
| 2023 | $6,019,468 | $4,999,142 | $4,901,670 | $3,748,169 | Total only | $64,619 |
| 2022 | $6,119,919 | $6,721,082 | $4,569,046 | $156,376 | 1 | $2,796 |
| 2021 | $4,490,287 | $4,142,395 | $3,725,570 | $893,982 | 1 | $1,399 |
| 2020 | $4,865,642 | $4,579,598 | $3,358,062 | $125,000 | 1 | $10,520 |
"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 mission is “to support the people of Bhutan to reach their full potential by developing local capacity and facilitating global support.” Its work includes initiatives in conservation, cultural preservation, equitable development, and good governance. Examples described by the Foundation include snow leopard conservation, palace restoration, STEM development, special education, public health, food security, emergency medicine, and citizenship and news-literacy education.
In its 2024 filing, the Foundation said it provides grants to international organizations outside the United States that further its mission. Among the organizations listed as grantees, Health Volunteers Overseas describes its mission as improving health care through education, training, and professional development of health workers in resource-scarce countries. Perkins School for the Blind describes its work as serving people with multiple disabilities, families, educators, researchers, and professionals through education services, accessibility, professional development, and innovation.
Grantmaking
The Foundation’s 2026–2027 Small Grants Program invites civil society organizations (CSOs) and community-based organizations (CBOs) in Bhutan to apply for projects addressing emerging needs. The program supports locally driven initiatives and can fund work beyond the Foundation’s core program areas. Small grants typically range from $5,000 to $15,000; the 2026 call offers awards of up to $15,000. Grants have a 12-month implementation period, extendable by mutual agreement to 18 months.
The 2024 filing reports three grants totaling $158,507. Listed recipients included Health Volunteers Overseas, which received $2,415, and Perkins School for the Blind, which received $1,079.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Tshewang Wangchuk as Executive Director. It lists HM Gyalyum Tseyring Pem Wangchuck and Lucy Goelet as Co-Chairpersons; Henry Lewis as Vice Chair; Brian J Menkes as Treasurer; William Tacon as Secretary; and Daphne Hoch Cunningham, Dr Lisa Danzig, Katherine van Hengel, and Theodore N Kaplan as Board Members.
The Bhutan Foundation is led by Tshewang Wangchuk, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 1 of 16 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Tshewang Wangchuk
Executive Director
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$134K (2020) → $180K (2025)
Lucy Goelet
Co-Chairperson
Vice President → Secretary, 2022
Secretary → Co-Chairperson, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
HM Gyalyum Tseyring Pem Wangchuck
Co-Chairperson
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brian J Menkes
Treasurer
Treasurer → Secretary, 2021
Secretary → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Daphne Hoch Cunningham
Board Member
Member → Co-Chairperson, 2022
Co-Chairperson → Board Member, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Donna E Marshall
Board Member
Member → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Eric Lemelson
Board Member
Member → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Philipp
Board Member
Co Chair → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rebecca Donner Winsor
Board Member
Member → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rosemary Phelan
Board Member
Member → Board Member, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William Tacon
Secretary
Member → Vice Chairperson, 2022
Vice Chairperson → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Henry Lewis
Vice Chair
Board Member → Vice Chair, 2025
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Phuntsho Norbu
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Theodore N Kaplan
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lisa Danzig
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Katherine van Hengel
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (12)
- Former: David Hulse (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Douglas W. Hamilton Jr. (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Doma Tshering (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Sonam Ongmo (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Susan Wagner (2022) — Board Member
- Former: Bruce Bunting (2020–2021) — President
- Former: Jane Hancock (2020–2021) — Member
- Former: Karma Tshosar (2020–2021) — Member
- Former: Michael Mars (2020–2021) — Secretary
- Former: Robert Blake (2020–2021) — Member
- Former: Sukey Wagner (2020–2021) — Member
- Former: Tshering Pem Wangchuck (2020–2021) — Co Chair
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $180K, to Tshewang Wangchuk (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about The Bhutan Foundation
How much does The Bhutan Foundation give each year?
The Bhutan Foundation reported $4.0M in grants paid in 2025 on its 2025 IRS Form 990, as a total without an itemized list of grants. In 2024 it gave $159K across 3 grants.
How large is The Bhutan Foundation?
The Bhutan Foundation reported $7.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $6.2M.
What does The Bhutan Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s mission is “to support the people of Bhutan to reach their full potential by developing local capacity and facilitating global support.” Its work includes initiatives in conservation, cultural preservation, equitable development, and good governance. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Bhutan Foundation?
The Foundation accepts unsolicited requests through its Small Grants Program. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
Where does The Bhutan Foundation make grants?
The Foundation describes its work as supporting people and communities in Bhutan, with offices in Thimphu and Washington, DC. Its filing states that it makes grants to international organizations outside the United States that further its mission.
What is The Bhutan Foundation's EIN?
The Bhutan Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-3376290. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Bhutan Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 5, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 9, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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