The Dharma Karma Foundation concentrates its funding on university-led climate technology research, with very large, targeted grants to advance carbon removal and related science. Nearly all giving in this snapshot supports higher-education research projects — notably a major Direct Air Capture program at Technische Universität Wien and an unrestricted research gift to Arizona State University. The foundation appears mission-driven toward scalable climate solutions rather than broad community or operating support.
Highly concentrated, few but very large grants; repeat funding to a single research institution (TU Wien) and selective support for major university research programs rather than many small organizations.
Notable grantees: Technische Universitat Wien, Arizona State University Foundation for A New American University
Dharma Karma Foundation’s largest recent grants go to a Direct Air Capture System project at Technische Universitat Wien, signaling a clear emphasis on university-based carbon removal research. The foundation’s recent giving is dominated by large, targeted awards to academic institutions rather than broad charitable support, with two of the biggest grants supporting the same Vienna research effort in 2023. In 2025, the foundation also backed Arizona State University Foundation for a New Amer with both general operating support and a research grant tied to carbon dioxide removal and the center for negative carbon emissions at ASU. That pattern points to a funder focused on climate mitigation science and the institutions developing it. A smaller 2023 grant to Brighter Children Inc in Huntington, NY shows that the portfolio is not limited entirely to universities, but the main thread remains concentrated, project-based support for research grounded in negative emissions and direct air capture. The foundation’s activity in this snapshot is highly selective, with very large awards that appear designed to move specific research programs forward rather than to spread funding broadly.
The core theme in Dharma Karma Foundation’s recent grants is carbon removal research. Two 2023 grants to Technische Universitat Wien supported the Direct Air Capture System project, making direct air capture the clearest named project in the portfolio. In 2025, the foundation added support for Arizona State University Foundation for a New Amer, including a grant to advance research in carbon dioxide removal and to benefit the center for negative carbon emissions at ASU. That places negative emissions science alongside direct air capture as a central interest. The foundation also made a general and unrestricted grant to the same ASU-related recipient, suggesting some support for institutional capacity as well as project work. Outside the climate research focus, a 2023 grant to Brighter Children Inc in Huntington, NY indicates at least one smaller award beyond university science.
Dharma Karma Foundation’s recent grant sizes are large: the 25th percentile is $308,736, the median is $567,471, and the 75th percentile is $633,636. The top awards cluster close to that range, which suggests a pattern of substantial individual grants rather than many small ones. The foundation is a regular funder and does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. The recent record shows repeat support to the same university recipient across different grants and years, including multiple awards connected to the same ASU-related organization and the same Vienna project. That points to a project-oriented approach with some continuation over time.
Most recent grants land in the United States and Austria. By recipient location, Vienna appears twice through Technische Universitat Wien, while Tempe, Arizona appears twice through Arizona State University Foundation for a New Amer. Huntington, New York appears once through Brighter Children Inc. The recipient-country mix in this snapshot is 60% U.S. and 40% AU, showing that the foundation’s giving reaches both domestic and international research institutions.
The recent grants are concentrated in university-led research, especially climate technology and carbon removal. Technische Universitat Wien received two grants for the Direct Air Capture System project, and Arizona State University Foundation for a New Amer received two grants tied to carbon dioxide removal and the center for negative carbon emissions at ASU.
The grant-size distribution is high: p25 is $308,736, the median is $567,471, and p75 is $633,636. That indicates the foundation usually makes substantial individual awards rather than small grants.
Yes. In the recent-grants sample, 60% of grants went to recipients in the U.S. and 40% went to recipients in Austria. Vienna appears twice, while Tempe, Arizona appears twice.
The pattern includes repeat support. Technische Universitat Wien appears twice in 2023 for the Direct Air Capture System project, and Arizona State University Foundation for a New Amer appears twice in 2025, once for general and unrestricted support and once for research in carbon dioxide removal.
Yes, though the main pattern is university research. One recent grant went to Brighter Children Inc in Huntington, NY for general and unrestricted support.
$1.6M
$22.1M
-$360K
$2.4M
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most grants fall between $309K and $634K, with a median of $567K.
25th Percentile
$309K
Median
$567K
75th Percentile
$634K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in NY.
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Dharma Karma Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 3 | $350K | 60.0% |
| 2 | Austria | 2 | $1.3M | 40.0% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION FOR A NEW AMER | TEMPE, AZ | $200,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION FOR A NEW AMER | TEMPE, AZ | $100,000 | 2025 | To advance research in the area of carbon dioxide removal, and to benefit the center for negative carbon emissions at ASU |
| TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAT WIEN | VIENNA | $699,800 | 2023 | the Direct Air Capture System project |
| TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAT WIEN | VIENNA | $567,471 | 2023 | the Direct Air Capture System project |
| BRIGHTER CHILDREN INC | HUNTINGTON, NY | $50,000 | 2023 | General & Unrestricted |
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION FOR A NEW AMER
$200,000General & Unrestricted
ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION FOR A NEW AMER
$100,000To advance research in the area of carbon dioxide removal, and to benefit the center for negative carbon emissions at ASU
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAT WIEN
$699,800the Direct Air Capture System project
TECHNISCHE UNIVERSITAT WIEN
$567,471the Direct Air Capture System project
BRIGHTER CHILDREN INC
$50,000General & Unrestricted