The Chirag Foundation is a private foundation established in 1999 and incorporated in Massachusetts. Based in Carlisle, MA, the foundation moves resources to community-led organizations striving to achieve racial and wealth equity through advocacy, economic development, and direct-service programs. Since its inception, the foundation has provided organizations with over $5 million in grants.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$14.4M
+6.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$578K
-45.2% YoY
Grant Count
13
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$44K
-45.2% YoY
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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to support organizations striving to achieve equal opportunity through the core tenet of education. The foundation seeks to support individuals, communities, and institutions through monetary resources, targeted investments, and thought partnership to make meaningful change in society.
Primary funding focus areas include:
- Education
- Workforce development
- Affordable housing
- Anti-domestic violence
- Food security
The foundation is drawn to grant partners that are demographically reflective of the populations they serve, collaborative, and eager to create systemic change. The foundation recognizes that each community has its own strengths and needs, and program success or impact must be defined and measured with that consideration.
Grantmaking
The foundation accepts Letters of Inquiry (LOI) from interested organizations. Applicants should submit a LOI of 500-1,000 words to Nikita Singhal at Nikita@TheChiragFoundation.org. The letter should include:
Grant Range
s:**
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation provides grants to nonprofit organizations located in the United States and North India.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $14,355,894
- Total giving: $577,673
As of 2023:
- Total assets: $13,467,502
- Total revenues: $1,673,518
- Total expenses: $1,106,570
- Total grants, contributions, etc.: $1,313,064
- Investment income and dividends: $163,536
Tax Status:
- 501(c)(3) private foundation
- Tax-exempt since February 2001
- EIN: 04-6902382
- No liabilities reported (2023)
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $14,355,894 | $13,467,502 | $13,051,376 |
| Revenue | $2,058,558 | $1,673,518 | $2,595,535 |
| Expenses | $650,149 | $1,106,570 | $733,938 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $577,673 | $1,054,236 | $639,470 |
| Net Investment Income | $752,376 | $308,120 | $1,678,837 |
| Distributable Amount | $629,014 | $596,254 | $620,473 |
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
73 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Pardada Pardadi Educational Society ($98,000), Idea ($65,000), The Akshayapatra Foundation ($61,157).
| 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 |
| 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 |
| RED HOOK INITIATIVE BROOKLYN, NY | VARIOUS | $30,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Trustees:
Anil Singhal – Co-Founder & CEO of NetScout Systems. He has provided strategic direction and technical leadership to the company since founding it in 1984. Anil has earned recognition for his entrepreneurial success, including the TiE Boston Lifetime Achievement Award (2013), Enterprise Bank's George L. Duncan Award of Excellence (2013), and Ernst & Young's New England Entrepreneur of the Year (1997). He holds a BSEE from BITS, Pilani, India and an MS in Computer Science from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Abha Singhal – Her career includes finance and accounting roles in Massachusetts-based high tech companies, including Wang Labs. Since retiring, she devotes her time to community service and foundation activities. Abha is currently on the Board of the Carlisle Council on Aging, a member of Hestia Funds, and part of Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts' Council. She holds a BS in Economics from Delhi University and an MBA with a major in Accounting from University of Lowell, MA.
The Singhals have been married for 40 years and have two daughters, Priyanka and Nikita.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANIL SINGHAL | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| ABHA SINGHAL | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Recent Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In 2024, the foundation supported 14 organizations with an average gift size of $44,000 and maintained 11 multi-year partnerships. The foundation has demonstrated consistent grant-making activity with recent grants documented in its 2024 tax filings.
Chirag Foundation Graduate Fellowship in Computer ScienceSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Chirag Foundation fund?
The foundation's mission is to support organizations striving to achieve equal opportunity through the core tenet of education. The foundation seeks to support individuals, communities, and institutions through monetary resources, targeted investments, and thought partnership to make meaningful change in society. Primary funding focus areas include: • Education • Workforce development • Affordable housing • Anti-domestic violence • Food security The foundation is drawn to grant partners that ar…
How do I apply for a grant from The Chirag Foundation?
**Grant Activity (2024):** • Average gift size: $44,000 • Organizations supported: 14 • Multi-year partnerships: 11 **Grant Ranges:** • Typical awards range from $500 to $400,000 • Median grant amount: $40,000 • Range: $15,000–$98,000 **Application Process:** The foundation accepts Letters of Inquiry (LOI) from interested organizations. Applicants should submit a LOI of 500-1,000 words to Nikita Singhal at Nikita@TheChiragFoundation.org. The letter should include: 1. An overview of the program …
Where does The Chirag Foundation make grants?
The foundation provides grants to nonprofit organizations located in the United States and North India.
What size grants does The Chirag Foundation award?
In 2024, The Chirag Foundation awarded 13 grants totaling $578K — an average of about $44K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Chirag Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Chirag Foundation reported a distributable amount of $629K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
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.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Chirag Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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