Satya and Rao Remala Foundation

OVERVIEW: The Satya and Rao Remala Foundation primarily funds grantmaking related to education, health (including global health), Indian causes, the environment, human services, and the arts.

IP TAKE: The foundation lacks transparency, which limits information available on its grantmaking priorities and activities.

PROFILE: Established in 1998, the Satya and Rao Remala Foundation was founded by technology veteran Rao Remala and his wife Satya. Rao joined Microsoft in 1981 and was the company’s first Indian hire. He worked on many of the company's best known products - Basic, Cobol Compiler, Windows 1.0, Windows 2.0, OLE 1.0, OLE 2.0, Office 95, Office 97. The foundation does not maintain a website, which limits information available on its grantmaking priorities and activities. According to tax records, the Satya and Rao Remala Foundation primarily funds grantmaking related to education, health (including global health), Indian causes, the environment, human services, and the arts.

Grants for Health and Community Development

Remala is on the board of United Way of King County, which the family steadily supports via its foundation. Other grantees have included University District Food Bank, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Overlake Hospital Foundation, Seattle Children’s Hospital, Washington Women in Need, and Youth Care, which “works to end youth homelessness and to ensure that young people are valued for who they are and empowered to achieve their potential.”

Grants for Indian Diaspora and Global Development

The foundation makes a program-related investment in Global Health Investment Fund, which “seeks to provide affordable funding to support the development of drugs, vaccines, preventative, diagnostics and other products to address global health challenges that disproportionately impact developing countries.” Other partners include the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and JP Morgan Chase.

The couple’s daughters strongly influence giving; Srilata serves as Director of Health Initiatives and her older sister Srilakshmi, as Director of Education Programs. The couple are gradually shifting their giving responsibilities to their children. The foundation makes a program related investment in Global Health Investment Fund, which “seeks to provide affordable funding to support the development of drugs, vaccines, preventative, diagnostics and other products to address global health challenges that disproportionately impact developing countries.” The family is also involved with PATH, “a global team of innovators working to accelerate health equity so all people and communities can thrive.” Srilata discovered PATH when she was just 21 and Remela himself grew up in a mud house with no running water in southeastern India and had to walk six miles to school each day.

Grants for K-12 and Higher Education

The Remalas support University of Washington, where Srilakshmi is on the advisory board of Evans School of Public Policy & Governance, where she graduated. Srilakshmi has a particular interest in education and has experience in the nonprofit and education reform space. Other grantees have included Washington Opportunity Scholarship; Teach for America (Srilakshmi is on the advisory board of TFA Washington); Seattle University; George Washington University (Srilata’s alma mater); Literacy Bridge; and Carnegie Mellon University, where the Remala daughters both graduated.

Grants for the Environment

Srilakshmi is an avid outdoorswoman. Grantees have included Weatherhill Nature Preserve, Washington Wildlife & Recreation Coalition, Washington Trails Association, and Splash, “a social justice organization committed to the poor, an international development agency disciplined around urban economies, a social enterprise dedicated to putting ourselves out of business, and a safe water company focused on children.”

Grants for the Arts

Grantees have included Village Theatre, Seattle Theatre Group, and Seattle Art Museum. The couple directs steady funds to the Seattle Foundation, where they’ve set up a donor advised fund.

Important Grant Details:

Grants range from $25 to $207,080. In a recent fiscal year, the foundation gave away $580,658. Past grantees include United Way of King County (Rao is on the board); Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center; Indian Association of Washington; University of Washington, where Srilakshmi is on the advisory board of Evans School of Public Policy & Governance, from where she graduated; Teach for America (Srilakshmi is on the advisory board of TFA Washington); Washington Wildlife & Recreation Coalition; and Seattle Art Museum.

The foundation keeps a low profile and does not accept unsolicited proposals.

PEOPLE:

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CONTACT:

Satya and Rao Remala Foundation
11808 Northrup Way No 240
Bellevue, WA 98005