Hriti Foundation

What Hriti Foundation does

Hriti Foundation is a non-profit policy think tank headquartered in Birendranagar (Surkhet), Karnali Province, Nepal, founded in 2019. The organization produces evidence-based policy research, budget reviews, and governance analysis for sub-national government stakeholders, with a thematic focus on liberal governance, economic freedom, and individual rights. It serves the Karnali Provincial Government, the Provincial Assembly, municipal governments (notably Birendranagar Municipality), civil society organizations, youth, and the general public across Karnali's districts.

The foundation operates an interconnected portfolio of programs: Karnali Utsav (Kuda Karnalika), an annual three-day policy festival now in its 7th edition; the Youth in Policy and Governance (YPG) Fellowship, a year-long program that has completed five cohorts across four provinces; Let's Speak, a bi-monthly policy discussion series; Shine Karnali, a governance-in-economic-sector program; Badalido Karnali district dialogues; and the Karnali Policy Outreach Centre, a joint initiative with Kathmandu University School of Management. Research output includes 15 publications, quarterly budget reviews, and 200+ videos, with the library distributed free via hriti.org and ideas.hriti.org.

Hriti Foundation does not sell products or services commercially. Its business model is grant-funded non-profit operations, with financing channeled through international development organizations and foreign government programs — primarily the Australian Government via The Asia Foundation's Subnational Governance Program, CIPE, UNDP/PSP, and Atlas Network. Outputs are provided free of charge to government, civil society, youth, and citizens. The organization is led by Executive Director Dinesh Gautam and operates with approximately 7 employees.

Name

Hriti Foundation

Legal name

Hriti Foundation

Website

https://hriti.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hriti Foundation is a non-profit policy think tank based in Karnali Province, Nepal, producing evidence-based policy research, budget reviews, and governance programs for the provincial government, municipal authorities, and youth across the province.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Policy Research

NAICS

Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742)

akta.pro primary industry

Think Tanks, Policy Research & Public Policy Institutes (BPAGAFAO)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA), Education Policy Research Institutes & Think Tanks (EDADADAA)

Keywords

• Policy research
• Governance consulting
• Public policy
• Youth fellowship
• Budget analysis

Headquarters

HQ city

Birendranagar

HQ country

Nepal

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Grant Funding and Donor Support: Hriti Foundation operates as a non-profit policy think tank financed primarily through grants and programmatic support from international development organizations, foreign governments, and foundations. Funding is received from entities such as the Australian Government (via The Asia Foundation's Subnational Governance Program), Atlas Network, CIPE, UNDP/PSP, and others for specific programmatic initiatives.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Hriti Foundation is a non-profit policy think tank that conducts evidence-based policy research, quarterly budget reviews, and governance studies for provincial and local governments in Karnali Province, Nepal. It organizes the annual Karnali Utsav policy festival, runs the Youth in Policy and Governance (YPG) Fellowship, hosts the bi-monthly Let's Speak discussion program, supports parliamentary committees with expert bill reviews, and publishes research on economic sectors, urban development, and sub-national governance through the Karnali Policy Outreach Centre.

Product overview

Hriti Foundation is a policy think tank based in Karnali Province, Nepal, offering a portfolio of programs and services focused on governance, policy research, and youth engagement. The organization operates a collection of interconnected programs including: the annual Karnali Utsav (Kuda Karnalika) policy festival; the Youth in Policy and Governance (YPG) Fellowship for provincial policymaking; the Let's Speak monthly discussion program; the Shine Karnali governance strengthening initiative; and the Badalido Karnali district dialogue series. Additionally, the foundation conducts research and publishes reports on topics such as urban management, economic sectors, public transport, and sub-national governance through its Karnali Policy Outreach Centre in partnership with Kathmandu University. The organization also runs advocacy programs promoting liberal principles and sustainable urban development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Karnali Utsav .. Kuda Karnalika: Annual three-day idea festival organized by Hriti Foundation in Surkhet, focused on sustainable economic development of Karnali, socio-cultural identity, and building a prosperous Karnali.
• Karnali Policy Outreach Centre
• Shine Karnali
• Youth in Policy and Governance (YPG) Fellowship
• Let's Speak
• Badalido Karnali
• Ideas (ideas.hriti.org)

Products and services

• Karnali Utsav (Kuda Karnalika) Annual Policy Festival

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 120 programs conducted since establishment
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kathmandu University School of Management Policy Lab (KUSOM Policy Lab)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 November 2023Established in November 2023, the Karnali Policy Outreach Centre (KPOC) is a joint initiative between KUSOM Policy Lab and Hriti Foundation. The center aims to enhance policy research and governance in Karnali Province through rigorous research, education, capacity building, public engagement, and policy dialogues. It bridges the gap between research and policymaking at the provincial level.
• UNDP (United Nations Development Programme) — PSP ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHriti Foundation collaborates with UNDP through the PSP (Parliamentary Support Program) on 'Promoting Evidence-Based Law-Making in Karnali.' The partnership supports parliamentary committees in reviewing legislation by incorporating expert opinions and stakeholder feedback. UNDP also partners on water scarcity policy oversight programs with the Karnali Provincial Assembly Secretariat.
• The Asia FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Asia Foundation supports the Subnational Governance Program (SNGP) which funds the 'Shine Karnali: Strengthening Governance in the Economic Sector' project. This initiative addresses governance challenges in Karnali Province's economic sector through multi-stakeholder approaches involving government agencies, civil society organizations, and business entities.
• Atlas NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAtlas Network supports the 'Exploring Liberal Legacies in Nepal' program, which uncovers and highlights liberal ideas in Nepal's historical texts, religious scriptures, and social events. The project produces research-based articles, podcasts, videos, and discussion programs to promote liberal values within Nepal's historical and literary context.
• Purak AsiacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPurak Asia partners with Hriti Foundation on multiple research initiatives: (1) 'Promoting Sustainable Cities in Karnali' project in Birendranagar Municipality, covering evidence-based planning, cultural sustainability, and governance assessment; and (2) research study on 'The State and Management of Public Transport in Birendranagar,' which was presented to municipal officials and stakeholders in November 2025.
• Samriddhi FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSamriddhi Foundation partners with Hriti Foundation on the Legislation Repository initiative (repository.samriddhi.org). This partnership supports access to and tracking of legislation relevant to Karnali Province governance and policy.
• CIPE (Center for International Private Enterprise)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCIPE supports the 'Strengthening the Subnational Governance' project focused on 'Strengthening Federal Democracy by Improving Governance and Enabling Markets.' The project enhances the capabilities of the Karnali provincial government, engages diverse stakeholders in budget-making processes, and builds grassroots capacity to hold government accountable for reforms.
• Karnali State GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Karnali State Government supports the annual Karnali Utsav festival and collaborates on various governance and economic development initiatives with Hriti Foundation, including participation in policy dialogues and budget discussions.
• Birendranagar MunicipalitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBirendranagar Municipality coordinates with Hriti Foundation on the 'Promoting Sustainable Cities' project and public transportation research. Mayor Mohanmaya Dhakal has publicly acknowledged Hriti Foundation's research contributions and committed to implementing recommendations, including municipal bus services.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Forum of Federations: International organization dedicated to federalism and decentralized governance. Comparable as an adjacent ecosystem actor addressing the same federalism and subnational capacity-building themes that Hriti tackles at the provincial level in Nepal.
• International IDEA: Intergovernmental organization supporting democratic governance and federalism reform. Thematically aligned with Hriti's subnational governance work, though operating at a multilateral scale and serving as an ecosystem enabler rather than a direct competitor.
• UNDP Nepal: UN agency supporting Nepal's federalism and governance reform through the Parliamentary Support Program. UNDP is a core program partner with Hriti on evidence-based law-making — comparable as a governance-reform funder/convener, not a direct competitor.

Broad incumbents

• CIPE (Center for International Private Enterprise): US-affiliated nonprofit supporting democratic and market-economy reform globally. CIPE directly funds Hriti's 'Strengthening the Subnational Governance' project and works with analogous civil-society partners across emerging markets on transparency and governance reform.
• The Asia Foundation (Nepal): Major international development organization operating across Nepal and Asia on governance and subnational reform. Overlaps substantially — The Asia Foundation funds Hriti's Shine Karnali program via SNGP and engages similar provincial government counterparts across multiple countries.
• Atlas Network: Global network supporting free-market and liberty-oriented think tanks worldwide. Comparable as the umbrella/network funder for liberal-leaning policy organizations — Atlas Network directly funds Hriti's 'Exploring Liberal Legacies in Nepal' program.

Direct peers

• Purak Asia: Nepal-based research and advocacy organization focused on sustainable urbanization and cultural heritage. Directly comparable — Hriti is an active implementing partner with Purak Asia on the 'Promoting Sustainable Cities' project in Birendranagar, addressing overlapping themes of urban governance and evidence-based municipal policy.
• Samriddhi Foundation: Nepal's leading free-market/prosperity-oriented policy think tank based in Kathmandu. Directly comparable as a Nepal-based think tank advocating liberal economic policy reform, with similar donor ecosystem and research-to-advocacy model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hriti-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Hriti Foundation