The Sawhney Family Foundation directs a small number of large, unrestricted gifts to elite higher-education institutions with a technical and research focus. Their giving favors major, institutional endowment or general operating support rather than program-specific projects, and includes international as well as U.S. recipients. The foundation appears to prioritize long‑term institutional stability for premier engineering and technology universities.
Very concentrated giving: few (two) large, unrestricted grants totaling $300K, focused on flagship higher-education institutions; favors one-off major gifts to institutional endowments or general funds rather than many small or restricted grants.
A $250,000 unrestricted grant to IIT Delhi Endowment Fund (US) is the largest recent gift on file for Sawhney Family Fdn Dima-etf, and it sets the tone for a portfolio that favors major institutions in technical education and research. The foundation’s giving leans toward flexible support rather than restricted project funding, with recent gifts going to universities, Sikh organizations, and select community foundations. Its pattern suggests a preference for institutions that can use funds to strengthen long-term operations, endowments, or general capacity. Other large awards show the same institutional tilt. MIT - Massachusetts Institute Technology received a $50,000 unrestricted grant, while Friends of Freeland Foundation received $30,000. The foundation also backed Sikh Research Institute with repeated grants in 2023 and 2024, and supported The Good Nation Foundation Inc and Town of Lexington Lhs Robotics in 2024. Across the recent list, the grantees are mostly U.S.-based, but the presence of IIT Delhi Endowment Fund (US) points to an interest in Indian technical education alongside American STEM and Sikh-related nonprofits.
In engineering and technology education, the foundation gave $250,000 to IIT Delhi Endowment Fund (US) for unrestricted general support, and $50,000 to MIT - Massachusetts Institute Technology for unrestricted general support. Those gifts match a clear emphasis on institutions with strong technical and research profiles. Its Sikh-related giving is also visible. Sikh Research Institute received $25,000 in both 2023 and 2024, and Sikh Coalition received $10,000 in 2024, both unrestricted. A broader cultural and educational thread appears in support for Nessc - New England Sikh Study Circle, Sikh Dharma Education International, Cyber Sikh Organization, and Nishkam Sikh Welfare Organization USA. The foundation also makes smaller grants to local and community-serving nonprofits. Examples include $10,000 to Centre for Wildlife Studies, $2,500 to Essex County Community Foundation, and $1,000 to Pan-massachusetts Challenge Inc, all for unrestricted general use.
Typical grant size is modest relative to the largest awards: the 25th percentile is $1,500, the median is $5,000, and the 75th percentile is $10,000. The distribution is skewed by a few much larger institutional grants, including the $250,000 award to IIT Delhi Endowment Fund (US). The recent record also shows repeat support to the same recipients across years, including Sikh Research Institute, Friends of Freeland Foundation, Roundglass Foundation, Fidelity Investments (daf) Charitable Gift Fund, Cyber Sikh Organization, Urology Care Foundation Inc, and Nishkam Sikh Welfare Organization USA. The foundation gives as a private family foundation; it does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments.
$197K
$3.4M
$190K
$230K
Most grants fall between $2K and $10K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$2K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$10K
About 6% of grants go to recipients in MA.
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Notable grantees: IIT Delhi Endowment Fund (US), Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
Grantmaking is national, with all recent grants going to U.S. recipients. Massachusetts appears most often among recipient locations, including Cambridge, Lexington, Boston, Bedford, Salem, Needham, and Westborough. Other repeated recipient cities include New York, NY; Bridgewater, NJ; and Bellevue, WA. The foundation’s own headquarters is in Pennington, NJ, but only 5% of grants went to recipients in New Jersey.
Recent grants favor technical and research institutions, especially in engineering and STEM, along with Sikh-related nonprofits and a few community-serving organizations. Examples in the record include IIT Delhi Endowment Fund (US), MIT - Massachusetts Institute Technology, Sikh Research Institute, Sikh Coalition, and Centre for Wildlife Studies.
The recent grants are consistently labeled unrestricted general support. That includes the $250,000 gift to IIT Delhi Endowment Fund (US), the $50,000 grant to MIT - Massachusetts Institute Technology, and repeated support to organizations such as Sikh Research Institute and Cyber Sikh Organization.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Sikh Research Institute, Friends of Freeland Foundation, Roundglass Foundation, Fidelity Investments (daf) Charitable Gift Fund, Cyber Sikh Organization, Urology Care Foundation Inc, and Nishkam Sikh Welfare Organization USA.
The typical grant size is $1,500 at the 25th percentile, $5,000 at the median, and $10,000 at the 75th percentile. The distribution includes smaller general-support gifts and a few much larger awards, including a $250,000 grant in 2024.
The foundation gives nationally, but Massachusetts is the top state by grant count. Recent recipient cities in that state include Cambridge, Lexington, Boston, Bedford, Salem, Needham, and Westborough.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIT - MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE TECHNOLOGY | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $50,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| FREELAND USA FOUNDATION | GREEN LAKE, WI | $30,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| SIKH RESEARCH INSTITUTE | BRIDGEWATER, NJ | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| PARTNERS IN DEMOCRACY EDUCATION | DENVER, CO | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| DESAI FOUNDATION | BEDFORD, MA | $15,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| DISCOVERY MUSEUM | ACTON, MA | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| CYBER SIKH ORGANIZATION | YORBA LINDA, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| ROUNDGLASS FOUNDATION | BELLEVUE, WA | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| NESSC - NEW ENGLAND SIKH STUDY CIRCLE | WESTBOROUGH, MA | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| FIDELITY INVESTMENTS (DAF) CGF | BOSTON, MA | $7,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| NISHKAM SIKH WELFARE ORGANIZATION USA | ATLANTA, GA | $1,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| SIKHNET INC | ALBUQUERQUE, NM | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| HEARTFELT DREAMS FOUNDATION LTD | HOLLIS, NH | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| UROLOGY CARE FOUNDATION INC | LINTHICUM, MD | $1,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| PAN-MASSACHUSETTS CHALLENGE INC | NEEDHAM, MA | $500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| IIT DELHI ENDOWMENT FUND (US) | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $250,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| THE GOOD NATION FOUNDATION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| SIKH RESEARCH INSTITUTE | BRIDGEWATER, NJ | $25,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| TOWN OF LEXINGTON LHS ROBOTICS | LEXINGTON, MA | $19,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| CENTRE FOR WILDLIFE STUDIES | BETHESDA, MD | $10,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| SIKH COALITION | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| ROUNDGLASS FOUNDATION | BELLEVUE, WA | $10,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| AMERICAN INDIA FOUNDATION (AIF) | SANTA CLARA, CA | $10,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| FRIENDS OF FREELAND FOUNDATION | GREEN LAKE, WI | $7,500 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| FIDELITY INVESTMENTS (DAF) CHARITABLE GIFT FUND | BOSTON, MA | $6,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| CYBER SIKH ORGANIZATION | YORBA LINDA, CA | $5,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| SIKH DHARMA EDUCATION INTERNATIONAL | SANTA CRUZ, NM | $5,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| UROLOGY CARE FOUNDATION INC | LINTHICUM, MD | $2,500 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| ESSEX COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | SALEM, MA | $2,500 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| NISHKAM SIKH WELFARE ORGANIZATION USA | ATLANTA, GA | $1,500 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| LEXINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS | LEXINGTON, MA | $1,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| NEW ENGLAND HINDI MANCH INC | LEXINGTON, MA | $1,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| HEARTFELT DREAMS FOUNDATION LTD | HOLLIS, NH | $600 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| PAN-MASSACHUSETTS CHALLENGE INC | NEEDHAM, MA | $500 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| MIT - MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE TECHNOLOGY | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $50,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| FRIENDS OF FREELAND FOUNDATION | GREEN LAKE, WI | $30,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| SIKH RESEARCH INSTITUTE | BRIDGEWATER, NJ | $25,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| ROUNDGLASS FOUNDATION | BELLEVUE, WA | $10,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| NESSC - NEW ENGLAND SIKH STUDY CIRCLE | WESTBOROUGH, MA | $10,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| FIDELITY INVESTMENTS (DAF) CHARITABLE GIFT FUND | BOSTON, MA | $6,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| UNITED SIKHS | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2023 | UKRAINE RELIEF |
| DESAI FOUNDATION | BEDFORD, MA | $5,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| NATIONAL ACADEMY OF ENGINEERING FUND | WASHINGTON, DC | $5,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| CYBER SIKH ORGANIZATION | YORBA LINDA, CA | $5,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| TIE FOUNDATION | SANTA CLARA, CA | $4,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| VISION-AID INCORPORATED | LEXINGTON, MA | $2,500 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| UROLOGY CARE FOUNDATION INC | LINTHICUM, MD | $1,641 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| NISHKAM SIKH WELFARE ORGANIZATION USA | ATLANTA, GA | $1,500 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| PAN-MASSACHUSETTS CHALLENGE INC | NEEDHAM, MA | $1,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
| SIKHNET INC | ALBUQUERQUE, NM | $1,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED GENERAL |
FREELAND USA FOUNDATION
$30,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
SIKH RESEARCH INSTITUTE
$25,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
PARTNERS IN DEMOCRACY EDUCATION
$25,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
DESAI FOUNDATION
$15,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
NESSC - NEW ENGLAND SIKH STUDY CIRCLE
$10,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
FIDELITY INVESTMENTS (DAF) CGF
$7,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
NISHKAM SIKH WELFARE ORGANIZATION USA
$1,500UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
SIKHNET INC
$1,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
HEARTFELT DREAMS FOUNDATION LTD
$1,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
UROLOGY CARE FOUNDATION INC
$1,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
TOWN OF LEXINGTON LHS ROBOTICS
$19,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
AMERICAN INDIA FOUNDATION (AIF)
$10,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
FRIENDS OF FREELAND FOUNDATION
$7,500UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
SIKH DHARMA EDUCATION INTERNATIONAL
$5,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
UROLOGY CARE FOUNDATION INC
$2,500UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
NISHKAM SIKH WELFARE ORGANIZATION USA
$1,500UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
LEXINGTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS
$1,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
NEW ENGLAND HINDI MANCH INC
$1,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
HEARTFELT DREAMS FOUNDATION LTD
$600UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
FRIENDS OF FREELAND FOUNDATION
$30,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
NESSC - NEW ENGLAND SIKH STUDY CIRCLE
$10,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
DESAI FOUNDATION
$5,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
TIE FOUNDATION
$4,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
VISION-AID INCORPORATED
$2,500UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
UROLOGY CARE FOUNDATION INC
$1,641UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
NISHKAM SIKH WELFARE ORGANIZATION USA
$1,500UNRESTRICTED GENERAL
SIKHNET INC
$1,000UNRESTRICTED GENERAL