The Chirag Foundation
The Chirag Foundation is a private foundation based in Carlisle, Massachusetts. It provides grants to nonprofit organizations in the U.S. and North India, and says its work is intended to increase opportunity, wealth, and power in historically excluded communities across the United States and India.
The Chirag Foundation at a glance
In short: The Chirag Foundation gave $578K across 13 grants in 2024 (avg $44K), top state Massachusetts. 31% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $577,673
- -45.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 13
- +0.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $44,436
- -45.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $40,000
- Total assets
- $14,355,894
- +6.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 31% first-time grantees (4 of 13, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (38% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Chirag Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s 2024 filing states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Its website says it is not currently accepting new grant submissions. The website also describes an LOI process for prospective applicants: a 500–1,000-word letter outlining the project, requested amount, and recent financial information (current-year budget and prior-year balance sheet and income statement). It says the foundation does not fund non-501(c)(3) organizations, religiously affiliated organizations, or private schools.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 228, Carlisle, MA 01741
Phone: (978) 614-4000
Website: https://thechiragfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Chirag Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Pardada Pardadi Educational Society ($98K). Together the top 10 received $517K.
Grant Size Distribution
73 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 42 grants of 73 (58%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation says it provides grants to nonprofit organizations located in the U.S. and North India. In 2024, recipient grant dollars were reported as 38% to Massachusetts, 17% to Virginia, 13% each to California and New York, and 7% to Louisiana.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Chirag Foundation open to new grantees?
31%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 4 of 13 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $48K; repeat grants $43K. How we count
Medians: $39K first-time, $40K repeat.
- 54% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−2%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 92% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $578K (2024) to $1.1M (2023). In 2024 it made 13 grants totaling $578K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Pardada Pardadi Educational Society Fairfax, VA | To sponsor girls education and women's health & hygiene (expenditure responsibility grant) | $98,000 |
| Idea Boston, MA | Various | $65,000 |
| The Akshayapatra Foundation Canoga Park, CA | Sponsor nutritious meals to children studying in government schools and government-aided schools. (expenditure responsibility grant) | $61,157 |
| Boston Higher Education Resource Center Boston, MA | Various | $60,000 |
| Boys and Girls Club of Greater Lwoell Lowell, MA | Various | $50,000 |
| Sakhi for South Asian Women New York, NY | Various | $45,000 |
| Operation Restoration New Orleans, LA | Various | $40,000 |
| Resilient Neighborhood Project Pittsburgh, PA | Various | $35,000 |
| NAV Srishti | Enhance the capacities and skills of underprivileged and marginalized communities, especially womenand children so that they could become self-dependent and live a dignified and respectful life.(expenditure responsibility grant) | $32,516 |
| Neighborhood Villages Jamacia Plain, MA | Various | $30,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Chirag Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $14,355,894 | $2,058,558 | $650,149 | $577,673 | 13 | $577,673 | $752,376 | $629,014 |
| 2023 | $13,467,502 | $1,673,518 | $1,106,570 | $1,054,236 | 13 | $1,054,236 | $308,120 | $596,254 |
| 2022 | $13,051,376 | $2,595,535 | $733,938 | $639,470 | 15 | $639,470 | $1,678,837 | $620,473 |
| 2021 | $13,101,149 | $4,935,645 | $687,269 | $591,579 | 15 | $591,579 | $2,849,856 | $462,932 |
| 2020 | $9,710,023 | $1,401,234 | $665,337 | $608,864 | 17 | — | $1,851,982 | $389,685 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Chirag Foundation reported a distributable amount of $629K for 2024 — 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 says it shifts resources to increase opportunity, wealth, and power in historically excluded communities. Its current portfolio includes education, workforce development, affordable housing, anti-domestic violence, and food security.
Its 2024 grants illustrate support for organizations with varied missions. Pardada Pardadi Educational Society says it supports girls’ education in Uttar Pradesh, India. Operation Restoration says it supports women and girls impacted by incarceration. Neighborhood Villages describes work on early education and child care, while the Red Hook Initiative describes empowering young people in its community. The Life Is Good Playmaker Project says it trains and supports early-childhood professionals to help children heal from trauma.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 13 grants totaling $577,673. Grants ranged from $15,000 to $98,000, with a median of $40,000.
Among the largest grants were $98,000 to Pardada Pardadi Educational Society for girls’ education and women’s health and hygiene; $65,000 to IDEA; $61,157 to The Akshaya Patra Foundation for meals for children in government and government-aided schools; and $60,000 to Boston Higher Education Resource Center. Other recipients included Boys and Girls Club of Greater Lowell ($50,000), Sakhi for South Asian Women ($45,000), and Operation Restoration ($40,000).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Abha Singhal and Anil Singhal as trustees. The foundation’s website says Abha and Anil Singhal established the foundation in 1999.
The Chirag Foundation's 2024 filing lists 2 officers; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Abha Singhal
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Anil Singhal
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 The Chirag Foundation
How much does The Chirag Foundation give each year?
The Chirag Foundation gave $578K across 13 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.1M across 13 grants.
What is The Chirag Foundation's typical grant size?
The Chirag Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $40,000, and its average grant was $44,436, across 13 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Chirag Foundation that year got $48K on average.
Where does The Chirag Foundation give grants?
The Chirag Foundation's top state is Massachusetts, with 38% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Virginia (17%) and California (13%). The most frequent recipient cities were Boston, MA (3 grants).
Does The Chirag Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 13 grants with a stated purpose on The Chirag Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Various" (10 grants).
Who are The Chirag Foundation's largest grantees?
The Chirag Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Pardada Pardadi Educational Society ($98,000), Idea ($65,000) and The Akshayapatra Foundation ($61,157), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 39% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Chirag Foundation?
The Chirag Foundation reported $14.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $578K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $629K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Chirag Foundation fund?
The foundation says it shifts resources to increase opportunity, wealth, and power in historically excluded communities. Its current portfolio includes education, workforce development, affordable housing, anti-domestic violence, and food security. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Chirag Foundation?
The foundation’s 2024 filing states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Chirag Foundation's EIN?
The Chirag Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 04-6902382. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Chirag 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Chirag Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-chirag-foundation-morg_5d5c4aa3b91a4532b8e5789f99471d2a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_046902382_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Chirag Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-chirag-foundation-morg_5d5c4aa3b91a4532b8e5789f99471d2a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 The Chirag Foundation'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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