The Desai Foundation

What The Desai Foundation does

The Desai Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1997 by Samir and Nilima Desai, headquartered in Woburn, Massachusetts, with program operations in India through the Desai Foundation Trust (established 2016 in Navsari, Gujarat). The organization serves women and children in rural India across eight states (Gujarat, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and Karnataka) and more than 4,000 villages, delivering community-led programs in menstrual hygiene, maternal and child health, livelihood training, and increasingly climate resilience.

Its core programmatic assets include the Asani Sanitary Napkin Program (a locally manufactured, low-cost sanitary pad with production units distributed through a network of ambassadors), Heroes for Humanity (a community health facilitator program with approximately 500 trained local women), Bal Health Mela (children's health screening fairs), and a portfolio of targeted health camps covering vision, cancer, gynecological, anemia, diabetes, and pediatric care. Vocational training streams include sewing, computer literacy, beautician work, and newer EV-rickshaw mechanic and solar technician training aligned to a Climate Resilience vertical. Cumulative reported impact exceeds 12 million lives served.

The Foundation's revenue model rests on individual donations, corporate CSR partnerships (Dabur, PwC, Schaeffler, Suzuki, TE Connectivity, and others), foundation grants (including Hinduja and Vista Hermosa), and event-based fundraising. A distinctive structural feature is that the founding family matches 100% of donations and separately covers all operating expenses, meaning every donated dollar flows directly to programs—a stated amplification of roughly 7x relative to donor contribution.

Name

The Desai Foundation

Legal name

Desai Foundation

Website

https://thedesaifoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Desai Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit that empowers women and children in rural India across 8 states and 4,000+ villages through community-led programs in menstrual hygiene, health, livelihood, and climate resilience, funded by donations, corporate CSR, and foundation grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Community Development Services

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Health Promotion, Prevention & Wellness Education (EDALAFAF), Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), Health Promotion, Prevention & Community Health Programs (BPAIAJAC), Community Health & Prevention Program Funding (HLAJALAF), Health Promotion & Public Health Education (Community Workshops) (EDAAAFAG)

Keywords

• Community health programs
• Menstrual equity initiatives
• Vocational skill training
• Rural community development
• Women empowerment programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Burlington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting health, livelihood, and menstrual equity programs in rural India. All individual donations are 100% matched by the founding family.
2. Corporate Partnerships & CSR: Corporate Social Responsibility collaborations through event sponsorships, corporate giving, in-kind support, and matching gift programs with companies like Dabur, PwC, Schaeffler, Suzuki.
3. Foundation Grants: Grants from foundations including S.P. Hinduja Banque Privee, Vista Hermosa Foundation, TE Connectivity Foundation, Ghanta Family Foundation supporting specific programs.
4. Event Revenue: Proceeds from signature events (Diwali on the Hudson, Lotus Festival, Holi in Miami) that serve as donations supporting programming.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Desai Foundation runs community-based programs across 8 Indian states and 4,000+ rural communities to empower women and children through integrated initiatives in health, livelihood, menstrual equity, and climate resilience. Core program pillars include the Asani Sanitary Napkin Program (local production and distribution of low-cost sanitary pads), Heroes for Humanity (a network of nearly 500 community facilitators delivering health, hygiene, and livelihood services), Bal Health Mela (children's health fairs), specialized health camps (vision, cancer, gynecological, anemia, diabetes, pediatric), and vocational skill training (sewing, computer, beautician, EV rickshaw mechanics, solar). The Foundation supports these programs through individual donations, corporate CSR partnerships, foundation grants, and signature fundraising events in the United States.

Product overview

The Desai Foundation operates a portfolio of community-based programs organized around four impact areas: Health, Livelihood, Menstrual Equity, and Climate Resilience. The core programs include the Asani Sanitary Napkin Program (a menstrual equity initiative producing and distributing locally-made sanitary products), Heroes for Humanity (a community health facilitator network), and Bal Health Mela (children's health fairs). These are supported by specialized health camps (vision, cancer, gynecological, anemia, diabetes, pediatric), and vocational training programs (sewing, computer skills, beautician, EV rickshaw mechanics, solar). The organization does not offer a unified software platform but rather delivers its mission through direct community programming across eight Indian states.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Asani: Asani Sanitary Napkin brand - locally produced sanitary pads made by women for women, with associated menstrual hygiene management awareness sessions
• Heroes for Humanity
• Pledge Your Period
• Bal Health Mela
• Lok Vidyalaya

Products and services

• Asani Sanitary Napkin Program A menstrual equity initiative that trains women to manufacture and distribute high-quality, low-cost Asani sanitary napkins throughout rural communities via 5 local production units, combined with menstrual health and hygiene awareness sessions. Targeted at women and girls in rural India facing period poverty.
• Heroes for Humanity Community health and empowerment program that recruits and trains local community facilitators (Heroes) to deliver health services, hygiene awareness, menstrual dignity programs, and access to government schemes across eight states in India. Each Hero reaches an average of 2,400 community members.
• Bal Health Mela

Quantifiable outcome

• 12 million+ lives directly impacted across 8 Indian states
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• PwCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner providing professional services support for operations and program delivery
• DaburcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSR partner supporting health and livelihood programs through corporate social responsibility initiatives
• SuzukicoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSR partner supporting programs and initiatives through corporate social responsibility
• SchaefflercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner supporting livelihood and skill training programs
• Google Ad GrantscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGoogle advertising grants providing digital marketing support for visibility and donor acquisition
• NYKAAminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSR partnership supporting women's health and menstrual equity initiatives
• L&TminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate social responsibility partner supporting infrastructure and livelihood programs
• MNGLminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCSR partner supporting livelihood and community programs
• Sagility HealthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare partner supporting health awareness and screening programs
• EvalueserveminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProfessional services partner supporting operations and program delivery
• Britannia Nutrition FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNutrition and health partner supporting children's health programs
• Ujjivan Small Finance BankminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBanking partner supporting financial literacy and saving education programs
• Cotton Connect Farmer Community FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgricultural partner supporting livelihood and skill development programs
• GACL Education SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation partner supporting school programs and children's initiatives
• Pad ProjectminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMenstrual health partner supporting pad distribution and awareness
• Adhyan FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation and development partner supporting programs
• GrihumminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHousing and development partner supporting community programs
• Gulbrandsen TechnologiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology partner supporting operational programs
• SCORminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCorporate partner supporting risk management and insurance-related community programs
• IIT GandhinagarminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partnership for research, innovation, and program development launched 2016
• Hansa Community Development CentercoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEarly partner in India since 2003 for health, education, and livelihood programs in Gujarat

Scale indicators19 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Myna Mahila Foundation: India-based nonprofit focused on menstrual health and women's empowerment through local manufacturing of sanitary pads and community engagement. Directly comparable to The Desai Foundation's Asani program in mission and delivery model.
• The Pad Project: US-based nonprofit tackling period poverty globally through pad production, distribution, and education. Direct peer in menstrual equity advocacy and Asani-style pad-distribution programming.
• Smile Foundation: India-based NGO operating across health, education, livelihood, and women's empowerment with corporate CSR partnerships. Closely matches The Desai Foundation's multi-cause programming model, scale, and CSR-funded operating model.
• Mann Deshi Foundation: Rural India-focused nonprofit serving women entrepreneurs through livelihoods, financial literacy, and health programming. Closely comparable as a women-empowerment nonprofit serving similar rural Indian demographics with integrated programming.
• Days for Girls: Global nonprofit producing and distributing reusable menstrual pads through local enterprise models in developing countries. Highly comparable product model and mission alignment with Asani.

Broad incumbents

• SEWA (Self-Employed Women's Association): Large-scale Indian trade union and nonprofit supporting informal women workers through economic empowerment, health, and child-care services. Comparable as a women's empowerment organization operating across rural India with multi-cause programming.
• Habitat for Humanity India: Indian arm of global housing-focused nonprofit operating across multiple states with corporate partner and donor networks. Comparable as an international NGO with established India trust structure, CSR partnerships, and donor-leveraged program model.
• UNICEF India: UN agency operating across India in child health, education, gender, and WASH — including menstrual hygiene. Adjacent peer given overlapping thematic focus on child and women's health in rural India and overlapping corporate/donor partner ecosystem.
• Pratham: One of India's largest NGOs focused on education and livelihood for underprivileged children and youth. Comparable as a large-scale, multi-state Indian nonprofit with similar donor base and operational footprint.

Regional players

• WaterAid India: India arm of global WASH nonprofit addressing water, sanitation, and hygiene in underserved communities. Comparable through menstrual hygiene management programming, rural health-and-hygiene community delivery, and similar beneficiary base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@desaifoundation332
• Facebookfacebook.com/DesaiFoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/desai-foundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/desaifoundation
• Xx.com/desaifoundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about The Desai Foundation