
The NOK Foundation directs a concentrated portfolio of mid-sized grants toward mind–body wellness, cultural/ethnic heritage, and education-related causes, with a mix of US-based and international recipients. Funding frequently supports Transcendental Meditation and yoga research/programs, Armenian cultural and educational work, school scholarships and gala fundraising, and neighborhood family welfare initiatives. The foundation makes relatively few grants each year but targets them to specific programmatic purposes rather than broad general operating support.
A $120,000 grant to OM Prakash Tiwari for scientific research on yoga practices is the clearest signal in Nok Foundation Inc Fka Nok Charitable Organization Inc’s recent giving: this is a funder that backs specific work in mind-body practice, not broad general support. Across the latest grants, the foundation also paired a $100,000 sponsorship to the David Lynch Foundation for Transcendental Meditation instructions with large support for Armenian heritage through the Armenian General Benevolent Union. That mix shows a portfolio built around meditation and yoga, cultural preservation, and education-related fundraising. The foundation’s recent grants also reach into special-needs schooling, family welfare, and spiritual education. Its recipients include The Gillen Brewer School, SEAL Foundation, Lycee Francais de New York, and organizations working in meditation traditions such as Vipassana and Naam Yoga. Some grants are explicitly program-specific, such as support for teacher training, research, or annual scholarship events, while others are general operating support. The pattern is selective and purpose-driven, with recurring attention to a small set of program areas rather than a broad thematic spread.
In research and practice around yoga and meditation, the foundation funded OM Prakash Tiwari for scientific research on yoga practices and gave the David Lynch Foundation sponsorship for Transcendental Meditation instructions. It also supported Naam Yoga NY for training teachers in Naam Yoga methods and Vipassana Meditation Lebanon to teach and learn the Vipassana meditation technique. Cultural and heritage work is another clear thread. The Armenian General Benevolent Union received support to uphold Armenian heritage through educational, cultural, and humanitarian programs, while Women’s Aux Union of Holy Etchmiadz received a general contribution for the works and needs of the church. Education-linked grantmaking appears through Lycee Francais de New York, funded for its annual scholarship gala, and through The Gillen Brewer School, which received both general operating support and an annual fund contribution. The foundation also backed Seal for families and children needing general welfare, health, and education support.
$540K
$8.1M
$234K
$684K
Most grants fall between $5K and $30K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$30K
Top 6 recipient countries by grant volume for Nok Foundation Inc Fka Nok Charitable Organization.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 37 | $1.3M | 82.2% |
| 2 |
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Concentrated giving through a small number of mid-to-large grants (several five-figure gifts totaling most of annual outflow), occasional repeat funding to the same grantees (e.g., David Lynch Foundation), and a mix of program-specific awards and event/scholarship support rather than many small community grants.
Notable grantees: David Lynch Foundation, Om Prakash Tiwari (yoga research), Armenian General Benevolent Union (AGBU), Lycee Francais de New York, SEAL Foundation
Typical grants cluster in the mid-sized range: p25 is $5,000, median is $15,000, and p75 is $30,000. The recent list shows both larger one-off awards and repeated support to some recipients across different years, including the David Lynch Foundation, The Gillen Brewer School, and Maps. Many grants are purpose-specific, such as sponsorships, annual fund appeals, or program support, though some are general operating support. The foundation is a grantmaker rather than a program-related investor, and it also funds individuals, including a named general-support grant to Roger Gosselin.
Most grants land in New York: 67% of recipients are in the HQ state, and New York City appears repeatedly through awards to organizations such as the Armenian General Benevolent Union, Seal, The Gillen Brewer School, Lycee Francais De New York, and Memorial Sloan Kettering. Outside New York, the foundation’s giving reaches San Jose, Los Angeles, Kalamazoo, Pittsburgh, San Ramon, Kingston, and Newton in the United States. Internationally, grants also went to Lebanon, India, Japan, Armenia, and Montreal.
Its recent grants center on yoga and meditation research, Transcendental Meditation instruction, Armenian cultural and educational programs, scholarship fundraising for schools, and family welfare or special-needs services. The named program categories also include spiritual studies, research and education innovation, and subsidized yoga or mental health programming.
Its grant-size distribution is mid-sized: p25 is $5,000, the median is $15,000, and p75 is $30,000. Recent awards range from small support such as $1,000 for Autism Speaks to larger grants like $120,000 for yoga research.
Yes. The recipient-country distribution includes Lebanon, India, Japan, Armenia, and Canada, alongside U.S. recipients. In the recent-grants list, examples include Vipassana Meditation Lebanon, Vipassana Armenia, Shukyo Hojin Shougenji in Fukuoka, and Roger Gosselin in Montreal.
Yes. The recent grants show repeat support to several recipients across years, including the David Lynch Foundation, The Gillen Brewer School, and Maps. That pattern suggests some ongoing relationships rather than entirely one-off gifts.
The foundation gives most often in New York, which accounts for 67% of grants to recipients in the HQ state, and New York City appears frequently among recipient locations. It also gives regionally across U.S. cities such as San Jose, Los Angeles, Kalamazoo, Pittsburgh, San Ramon, Kingston, and Newton, with a smaller set of international recipients.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
| 3 |
| $220K |
6.7% |
| 3 | Lebanon | 2 | $10K | 4.4% |
| 4 | Canada | 1 | $5K | 2.2% |
| 5 | Armenia | 1 | $5K | 2.2% |
| 6 | Japan | 1 | $5K | 2.2% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARMENIAN GENERAL BENEVOLENT UNION (AGBU) | NEW YORK, NY | $103,200 | 2025 | TO SUPPORT EDUCATIONAL,CULTURAL, & HUMANITARIAN PROGRAMS FOCUSED ON UPHOLDING ARMENIAN HERITAGE. |
| ALFANAR INC | NEWTON, MA | $76,246 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| DAVID LYNCH FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $74,020 | 2025 | SPONSOR FOR TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION INSTRUCTIONS. |
| SEAL | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| MAPS | SAN JOSE, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | TO FUND PSYCHEDELIC RESEARCH, DRUG POLICY REFORM, PUBLIC EDUCATION,HEALTH EQUITY,HARM REDUCTION INTITIATIVES AND GENERAL OPERATIONS. |
| LYCEE FRANCAIS DE NEW YORK (LFNY) | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUNDRAISING GALA FOR SCHOLARSHIP FUND. |
| THE GILLEN BREWER SCHOOL | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| OM PRAKASH TIWARI | KAIVALYADHAMA LONAVLA, PU | $45,070 | 2025 | SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON YOGA PRACTICES. |
| THE SAMBODH SOCIETY | KALAMAZOO, MI | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| MA CENTER | SAN RAMON, CA | $10,008 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING | NEW YORK, NY | $5,900 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| THE FAMILY OF WOODSTOCK INC | KINGSTON, NY | $5,150 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| ROGER GOSSELIN | MONTREAL, QU | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| Armenian General Benevolent Union A | New York, NY | $175,000 | 2024 | To support educational, cultural, & humanitarian programs focused on upholding Armenian heritage. |
| David Lynch Foundation | New York, NY | $62,900 | 2024 | Sponsor for Transcendental Meditation instructions. |
| OM Prakash Tiwari | Kaivalyadhama, Lo | $55,000 | 2024 | Scientific research on yoga practices. |
| Lycee Francais de New York LFNY | New York, NY | $45,000 | 2024 | Annual fundraising gala for scholarship fund. |
| MAPS | San Jose, CA | $33,502 | 2024 | To fund psychedelic research, drug policy reform, public education, health equity, harm reduction intitiatives and general operations. |
| Regions Hospital Foundation | Saint Paul, MN | $25,000 | 2024 | For the Intranasal Insulin Treatment for Concussion and TBI Trials. |
| The Gillen Brewer School | New York, NY | $20,000 | 2024 | 2021-2022 Annual Fund. |
| Sambodh Society Inc | Kalamazoo, MI | $15,000 | 2024 | To support religious teachings & spiritual development. |
| Peninsula Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $15,000 | 2024 | For the benefit of the Apostolates of Opus Dei in the West. |
| Tripura Foundation | Pittsburgh, PA | $10,000 | 2024 | Contribution to the Organization's general fund. |
| Charitybuzzcom | New York, NY | $8,497 | 2024 | For the benefit of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. |
| Nicole Hirschey | NEW YORK, NY | $6,000 | 2024 | Meditation Training & Seminar |
| GoFundMe - Kahraman's Village | West Hollywood, CA | $5,250 | 2024 | Donation to Kahraman's Village devastated by earthquake. |
| New York Vipassana Association | New York, NY | $5,000 | 2024 | To facilitate the spread of Dhamma in the region by offering courses in Vipassana meditation and continue support for the local community of old students. |
| Naam Yoga LA | Santa Monica, CA | $5,000 | 2024 | Training teachers in Naam Yoga methods. |
| OM Prakash Tiwari | Kaivalyadhama, Lo | $120,000 | 2023 | Scientific research on yoga practices. |
| David Lynch Foundation | New York, NY | $100,000 | 2023 | Sponsor for Transcendental Meditation instructions. |
| SEAL Foundation | New York, NY | $60,000 | 2023 | To support families and children within neighborhoods that need special attention and assistance with general welfare, health, education. |
| Lycee Francais de New York LFNY | New York, NY | $50,300 | 2023 | Annual fundraising gala for scholarship fund. |
| MAPS | San Jose, CA | $30,000 | 2023 | To fund psychedelic research, drug policy reform, public education, health equity, harm reduction intitiatives and general operations. |
| Charitybuzzcom | New York, NY | $28,640 | 2023 | For the benefit of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. |
| Peninsula Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $25,000 | 2023 | For the benefit of the Tilden Study Center. |
| The Gillen Brewer School | New York, NY | $22,000 | 2023 | 2021-2022 Annual Fund. |
| Tripura Foundation | Pittsburgh, PA | $15,000 | 2023 | Contribution to the Organization's general fund. |
| Naam Yoga NY | New York, NY | $15,000 | 2023 | Training teachers in Naam Yoga methods. |
| Sambodh Society Inc | Kalamazoo, MI | $15,000 | 2023 | To support religious teachings & spiritual development. |
| Vipassana Armenia | Vanadzor | $5,000 | 2023 | To teach and learn Vipassana technique. |
| Vipassana Meditation Lebanon | LEBANON | $5,000 | 2023 | TO TEACH AND LEARN THE VIPASSANAN MEDITATION TECHNIQUE. |
| Shukyo Hojin Shougenji | Fukuoka | $5,000 | 2023 | Donation for Video Translation Services. |
| Women's Aux Union of Holy Etchmiadz | Beirut | $5,000 | 2023 | General contribution for the works and needs of the church |
| Brahma Kumaris | Elmhurst, NY | $2,500 | 2023 | To provide spiritual knowledge. |
| Autism Speaks | New York, NY | $1,000 | 2023 | 2022 Autism Speaks Walk Fundraising |
ARMENIAN GENERAL BENEVOLENT UNION (AGBU)
$103,200TO SUPPORT EDUCATIONAL,CULTURAL, & HUMANITARIAN PROGRAMS FOCUSED ON UPHOLDING ARMENIAN HERITAGE.
ALFANAR INC
$76,246GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
DAVID LYNCH FOUNDATION
$74,020SPONSOR FOR TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION INSTRUCTIONS.
TO FUND PSYCHEDELIC RESEARCH, DRUG POLICY REFORM, PUBLIC EDUCATION,HEALTH EQUITY,HARM REDUCTION INTITIATIVES AND GENERAL OPERATIONS.
LYCEE FRANCAIS DE NEW YORK (LFNY)
ANNUAL FUNDRAISING GALA FOR SCHOLARSHIP FUND.
THE GILLEN BREWER SCHOOL
$50,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
OM PRAKASH TIWARI
$45,070SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH ON YOGA PRACTICES.
THE SAMBODH SOCIETY
$15,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
MA CENTER
$10,008GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING
$5,900GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
ROGER GOSSELIN
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
To support educational, cultural, & humanitarian programs focused on upholding Armenian heritage.
OM Prakash Tiwari
$55,000Scientific research on yoga practices.
Lycee Francais de New York LFNY
$45,000Annual fundraising gala for scholarship fund.
To fund psychedelic research, drug policy reform, public education, health equity, harm reduction intitiatives and general operations.
For the Intranasal Insulin Treatment for Concussion and TBI Trials.
The Gillen Brewer School
$20,0002021-2022 Annual Fund.
Sambodh Society Inc
$15,000To support religious teachings & spiritual development.
Peninsula Foundation
$15,000For the benefit of the Apostolates of Opus Dei in the West.
Tripura Foundation
$10,000Contribution to the Organization's general fund.
Charitybuzzcom
$8,497For the benefit of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Nicole Hirschey
$6,000Meditation Training & Seminar
GoFundMe - Kahraman's Village
$5,250Donation to Kahraman's Village devastated by earthquake.
New York Vipassana Association
$5,000To facilitate the spread of Dhamma in the region by offering courses in Vipassana meditation and continue support for the local community of old students.
Naam Yoga LA
$5,000Training teachers in Naam Yoga methods.
OM Prakash Tiwari
$120,000Scientific research on yoga practices.
David Lynch Foundation
$100,000Sponsor for Transcendental Meditation instructions.
SEAL Foundation
$60,000To support families and children within neighborhoods that need special attention and assistance with general welfare, health, education.
To fund psychedelic research, drug policy reform, public education, health equity, harm reduction intitiatives and general operations.
Charitybuzzcom
$28,640For the benefit of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.
Peninsula Foundation
$25,000For the benefit of the Tilden Study Center.
The Gillen Brewer School
$22,0002021-2022 Annual Fund.
Tripura Foundation
$15,000Contribution to the Organization's general fund.
Naam Yoga NY
$15,000Training teachers in Naam Yoga methods.
Sambodh Society Inc
$15,000To support religious teachings & spiritual development.
Vipassana Armenia
$5,000To teach and learn Vipassana technique.
Vipassana Meditation Lebanon
$5,000TO TEACH AND LEARN THE VIPASSANAN MEDITATION TECHNIQUE.
Shukyo Hojin Shougenji
$5,000Donation for Video Translation Services.
Women's Aux Union of Holy Etchmiadz
$5,000General contribution for the works and needs of the church
Brahma Kumaris
$2,500To provide spiritual knowledge.