Mani Charitable Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The Mani Charitable Foundation primarily funds grantmaking related to global causes, including those in India, education and the arts.
IP TAKE: The foundation lacks transparency, which limits information available on its grantmaking priorities and activities.
The Chainanis, via their foundation, have recently given much more modest sums to health organizations including National Alliance on Mental Illness. Support has gone to human services organization Bellevue Lifespring. Manisha is heavily involved with API Chaya, which “provides support to people who have experienced domestic violence, sexual assault, forced marriage or human trafficking.”
PROFILE: The Mani Charitable Foundation was established in 2001 by tech couple Devindra Chainani and his wife Manisha. Devindra has been with Microsoft for decades and has managed engineering teams for products such as Microsoft Windows, Microsoft Office, Microsoft Visual Studio and Microsoft Azure. Manisha, meanwhile, is currently a senior program manager at Microsoft. The foundation does not maintain a website, which limits information available on its grantmaking priorities and activities. According to tax records, the Mani Charitable Foundation primarily funds grantmaking related to global causes, including those in India, education and the arts.
The Chainanis support Pratham USA, which “was established in 1995 to provide education to children in Mumbai slums, and is now one of the largest and most successful non-governmental education organizations in India.” Manisha is interested in nonprofits in India that serve children with special needs. She is on the advisory board of Upaya, whose mission is to “create dignified jobs for the poorest of the poor by building scalable businesses with investment and consulting support.” Manisha also has a passion for education and the performing arts and started Liveanklets, which provided Indian classical dance education to children and adults for more than a decade. The couple also supports the University of Washington, including its Meany Center for the Performing Arts.
Important Grant Details:
Grants range from $260 to $38,500. Past grantees include India Association of Western Washington, Bellevue Schools Foundation (Manisha sits on the board), University Prep (Chainani is on the board), and API Chaya, which “provides support to people who have experienced domestic violence, sexual assault, forced marriage or human trafficking.”
The foundation keeps a low profile and does not accept unsolicited proposals.
PEOPLE:
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CONTACT:
Mani Charitable Foundation
c/o D Chainani 9031 NE 19th Street
Clyde Hill, WA 98004
