The Meera & Ashok Vasudevan Foundation

Foundation · Grantmaker STAMFORD, CT EIN: 47-7154309

The Meera & Ashok Vasudevan Foundation (MAVF) is a private grantmaking foundation based in Stamford, Connecticut. Established as a fully funded initiative by Meera and Ashok Vasudevan, co-founders of Preferred Brands International, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to addressing hunger and malnutrition in the United States through a sustainable, self-reliant, and healthy approach.

Key facts about The Meera & Ashok Vasudevan Foundation

EIN: 47-7154309
Latest 990 filing: Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024): $403,500
Grants made (2024): 32
Average grant: $12,609
Median grant: $8,000
Total assets: $4,336,844
Primary geography: Massachusetts (23% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
How to apply: Specific application procedures are not detailed in available sources.

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated June 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who The Meera & Ashok Vasudevan Foundation funds

By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Meera & Ashok Vasudevan Foundation's 32 itemized 2024 grants were Massachusetts (23%), New York (21%) and District of Columbia (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (2 grants), New York, NY (2 grants) and Bridgeport, CT (2 grants). 100% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$4.3M

-3.4% YoY

Annual Giving

$404K

+10.1% YoY

Grant Count

-8.6% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$13K

+20.4% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Meera & Ashok Vasudevan Foundation reported a distributable amount of $337K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

Mission Statement: MAVF is dedicated to the idea that it is possible to permanently move people out of hunger and malnourishment in a manner that is sustainable, self-reliant and healthy.

Approach: The foundation provides grants, collaborates with, and supports an ecosystem of grassroots organizations, non-profits, research institutions, think tanks, independent scholars, artists, and social entrepreneurs aligned with its mission.

Three Primary Focus Areas:

Grassroots Support — Including initiatives such as:
- Green the Pantry: Ensuring availability of fresh produce in all food pantries across America to have an immediate and lasting effect on the health of pantry visitors
- Remove the Stigma: Creating a fresh market image and eliminating the embarrassment associated with visiting a pantry
Research & Policy — Supporting research grants to individual scholars, research organizations, and think tanks
Social Entrepreneurship — Funding independent social entrepreneurs working toward sustainable solutions to hunger and malnutrition

Grantmaking

The foundation provides research grants to individual scholars, research organizations, think tanks, and supports grassroots organizations and non-profits. The foundation is open to new applicants, with approximately 12% of new applicants funded.

Grant Range

$46

Average Grant

$46

Grant Types

How to Apply

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation funds projects across numerous U.S. states and cities, including:

Major urban centers: New York, San Francisco, Washington D.C.
Smaller communities: Pikeville, Waban
States with documented funding activity: California, Texas, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, West Virginia, and others

Grant Distribution by State

Massachusetts $93K (23%)

New York $84K (21%)

District of Columbia $58K (14%)

Connecticut $35K (9%)

Virginia $30K (7%)

All other $104K (26%)

Share of all 32 itemized 2024 grant dollars.

States

California Connecticut District of Columbia Georgia Illinois Kentucky Louisiana Massachusetts Mississippi New York Ohio Oklahoma Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina Texas Virginia Washington West Virginia

Cities

New YorkStamfordWashingtonBaton RougeBridgeportDorchesterHoustonActonBig IslandEl PasoElmsfordGlencoeGreenwichNew OrleansNorth AmherstNorthamptonNorwalkProvidenceRichmondWallingford

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of 2023:

Total Assets: $4,487,364
Total Expenses: $427,249
Total Revenue: $182,967
Total Liabilities: $14,500

Tax Status:

Designated as a 501(c)(3) organization
Tax-exempt since January 2016
EIN: 47-7154309
Donations are tax-deductible

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$4,336,844	$4,487,364	$4,731,292
Revenue	$314,004	$182,967	$278,797
Expenses	$464,689	$427,249	$385,147
Qualifying Distributions	$424,107	$390,242	$350,525
Net Investment Income	$274,498	$149,320	$244,626
Distributable Amount	$337,479	$298,292	$300,941

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

179 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Merit America ($50,000), Year up United ($50,000), Brooklyn Workforce Innovation ($25,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
MERIT AMERICA WASHINGTON, DC	GENERAL SUPPORT	$50,000
YEAR UP UNITED BOSTON, MA	GENERAL SUPPORT	$50,000
BROOKLYN WORKFORCE INNOVATION BROOKLYN, NY	GENERAL SUPPORT	$25,000
DAILY TABLE DORCHESTER, MA	GENERAL SUPPORT	$25,000
STRIVE INTERNATIONAL INC NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL SUPPORT	$25,000
HOT BREAD KITCHEN NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL SUPPORT	$20,000
JEWISH VOCATIONAL & CAREER COUNSELING SERVICE SAN FRANCISCO, CA	GENERAL SUPPORT	$20,000
THE SOCIETY OF ST ANDREW INC BIG ISLAND, VA	GENERAL SUPPORT	$20,000
HOPE MINISTRIES OF BATON ROUGE BATON ROUGE, LA	GENERAL SUPPORT	$10,000
HOPE'S HARVEST PROVIDENCE, RI	GENERAL SUPPORT	$10,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Founders & Co-Presidents:

Meera Vasudevan — Co-founder and Co-President (serves without compensation)
Ashok Vasudevan — Co-founder and Co-President (serves without compensation)

Staff:

Bob Wells — Program Coordinator

Meera and Ashok Vasudevan met in Chennai in 1980 and were married two years later. After careers in various cities including Mumbai and New Delhi, they established their home in Stamford, Connecticut nearly 25 years ago. In 1995, they co-founded Preferred Brands International, which manufactures and markets TastyBite® and other natural and organic foods sold internationally across the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, UK, Japan, and India.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
ASHOK VASUDEVAN	CO-PRESIDENT	1	—
MEERA VASUDEVAN	CO-PRESIDENT	1	—

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

2017

In 2017, Meera and Ashok Vasudevan received the Alliance to End Hunger Partnership Award, presented by Bread for the World and The Alliance to End Hunger, recognizing their work and commitment to ending hunger and malnutrition.

Contact Information

Address: 2777 Summer Street, Suite 401 Stamford, CT 06905-4324

Phone: 203-327-7151

Website: www.mavfoundation.org

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Meera & Ashok Vasudevan Foundation fund?

**Mission Statement:** MAVF is dedicated to the idea that it is possible to permanently move people out of hunger and malnourishment in a manner that is sustainable, self-reliant and healthy. **Approach:** The foundation provides grants, collaborates with, and supports an ecosystem of grassroots organizations, non-profits, research institutions, think tanks, independent scholars, artists, and social entrepreneurs aligned with its mission. **Three Primary Focus Areas:** 1. **Grassroots Support**…

How do I apply for a grant from The Meera & Ashok Vasudevan Foundation?

**Grant Activity (2023):** • Total giving: $366,500 • Number of grants: 8,194 • Average grant size: $46 **Grant Types:** The foundation provides research grants to individual scholars, research organizations, think tanks, and supports grassroots organizations and non-profits. The foundation is open to new applicants, with approximately 12% of new applicants funded. **Application Process:** Specific application procedures are not detailed in available sources. Interested organizations should con…

Where does The Meera & Ashok Vasudevan Foundation make grants?

The foundation funds projects across numerous U.S. states and cities, including: • Major urban centers: New York, San Francisco, Washington D.C. • Smaller communities: Pikeville, Waban • States with documented funding activity: California, Texas, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, West Virginia, and others

What size grants does The Meera & Ashok Vasudevan Foundation award?

In 2024, The Meera & Ashok Vasudevan Foundation awarded 32 grants totaling $404K — an average of about $13K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Meera & Ashok Vasudevan Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Meera & Ashok Vasudevan Foundation reported a distributable amount of $337K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is The Meera & Ashok Vasudevan Foundation's EIN?

The Meera & Ashok Vasudevan Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-7154309. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.