Kolkata Foundation

What Kolkata Foundation does

Kolkata Foundation is a Princeton, New Jersey-based US 501(c)(3) nonprofit (EIN 81-4479308) that operates as a grantmaking intermediary, channeling donations from US-based donors — primarily members of the Indian-American diaspora — to a curated set of six grassroots NGO partners in Kolkata and rural West Bengal. Founded in 2016 and inspired by the Robin Hood model, the foundation selects partners from a pool of more than 200 reviewed organizations using a 17-category vetting methodology covering financial transparency, FCRA compliance, leadership capacity, and growth potential. Programs span four pillars: Education, Healthcare, Women's Empowerment, and Disaster Relief, with cumulative reach cited at 2.1 million+ poor patients treated and 6,000+ students actively supported.

The foundation does not develop proprietary technology. Its 'product' is the FIND–FUND–NURTURE–AUDIT–CONNECT operating framework, executed through a website donation portal, direct email campaigns, social channels (Facebook, YouTube, Instagram), and integrations with Benevity and YourCause workplace-giving platforms that expose the organization to approximately 450 corporate matching programs. The Board of Trustees absorbs all administrative costs, enabling a 100% pass-through donation model. Third-party validation is the foundation's principal reputational asset: a GuideStar/Candid Platinum rating and a Charity Navigator 4-star rating.

Revenue mechanics are purely philanthropic: individual donations range from $10 to $5,000+, monthly recurring gifts, time-limited campaigns (e.g., COVID-19 relief raised $229,227; 2022 Holiday Fundraiser raised $183,580), and corporate matching that doubles donor impact at no additional cost. The foundation enforces geographic restrictions — supporting only Kolkata-region NGOs — and devolves all on-the-ground monitoring to its partnership with Kolkata Gives. Governance is the operational backbone: a 14-employee organization is overseen by a Board of Trustees drawn from D.E. Shaw, Blackrock, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Merck Manufacturing, JP Morgan Chase, and Millennium Management.

Name

Kolkata Foundation

Legal name

Kolkata Foundation

Website

https://kolkatafoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kolkata Foundation is a Princeton, NJ-based US 501(c)(3) nonprofit that channels donations from the Indian-American diaspora to six vetted grassroots NGO partners operating in education, healthcare, women's empowerment, and disaster relief in Kolkata and West Bengal, India. The organization passes 100% of donations to program partners, with administrative costs borne by the Board.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Grantmaking

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

International Grantmaking & Development Foundations (BPAGAKAH), Grantmaking & Philanthropic Funds (Institutional Donors) (BPADAOAB)

Keywords

• Nonprofit grantmaking
• Diaspora philanthropy
• Donor matching programs
• NGO vetting services
• Poverty alleviation programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Princeton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Personnel, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Individual donors primarily from the Indian diaspora make tax-deductible donations to support education, healthcare, and women's empowerment programs in Kolkata. Donations range from $10 to $5,000+ per transaction. The organization offers monthly recurring donation options.
2. Corporate Donation Matching: Corporate employers match employee donations through Benevity.org and YourCause platforms. Partners include Blackrock, Microsoft, Google, Merck Foundation, and approximately 450 companies registered with Benevity. This doubles individual donor impact at no additional cost.
3. Fundraising Campaigns: Time-limited campaigns for specific causes such as COVID-19 relief, cyclone disaster relief (Amphan, Bulbul), education sponsorships, and healthcare initiatives. Campaigns have raised from $1,000 to over $229,000 individually.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Kolkata Foundation is a US 501(c)(3) nonprofit that raises donations from the Indian-American diaspora and distributes 100% of funds to a rigorously vetted portfolio of six NGO partners in Kolkata, India working on education, healthcare, women's empowerment, and disaster relief. The organization applies a Find-Fund-Nurture-Audit-Connect model, having reviewed 200+ NGOs to select partners with strong impact track records, financial transparency, FCRA compliance, and growth potential. Administrative costs are entirely borne by the Board of Trustees, so all donor contributions reach program beneficiaries.

Product overview

Kolkata Foundation is a registered US 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 81-4479308) focused on fighting poverty in Kolkata, India. The organization operates a philanthropy platform that connects donors with vetted local NGOs working in education, women's empowerment, and healthcare. Rather than a technology product company, Kolkata Foundation functions as a charitable organization that facilitates donations, monitors nonprofit partners, and delivers impact in underserved communities. The organization is rated Platinum by GuideStar/Candid and received a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Education Program
• Healthcare Program
• Women's Empowerment Program
• Disaster Relief Program

Quantifiable outcome

• 2.1 million+ poor patients treated by supported programs
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Kolkata GivescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal Kolkata partner for NGO vetting and monitoring. Collaborated on reviewing 200+ nonprofits and selecting the 6 current partners. Provides ground-level oversight and site visit coordination.
• BenevitycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerWorkplace giving platform enabling automatic corporate donation matching. Approximately 450 companies registered. Simplifies donation process for employees and maximizes donor impact through matching.
• YourCause (YourCause, LLC)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate giving platform similar to Benevity, enabling employee donation matching for company employees.
• US-India Strategic Partnership Forum (USISPF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSanat Chattopadhyay serves on the USISPF Board, facilitating connections for pandemic relief efforts including mask donations and oxygen concentrators.
• PrathamminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEducation nonprofit that partnered with Sanat Chattopadhyay and USISPF for COVID-19 relief, including distribution of masks and medical supplies.
• WHEELS Global FoundationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCollaborated on Bengal relief campaigns including COVID-19 and Cyclone Amphan relief. Contributed $4,120 to COVID-19 relief and participated in Rebuild Bengal campaign.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• GiveWell: Charity evaluator and effective giving platform that influences donor allocation globally. Comparable by focus on transparency, efficiency ratings, and donor confidence frameworks—similar positioning to Kolkata Foundation's GuideStar Platinum credentials.
• GiveDirectly: Large-scale global charity that delivers donor funds directly to recipients in low-income countries. Comparable by transparent, low-overhead donation-to-impact model, though India operations are limited.

Direct peers

• Dasra: India-focused philanthropic advisory and funding collaborative that supports NGOs with capacity building and connects donors to vetted nonprofits. Comparable mission of strengthening India-based NGO partners and guiding philanthropists.
• Pratham: One of India's largest education NGOs with US fundraising arm operating in Kolkata/West Bengal. Comparable geography and education focus; overlapping donor base in Indian-American diaspora.
• Give2Asia: US-registered nonprofit that channels charitable donations from Asian diaspora communities to Asia-based NGOs, including India. Directly comparable as a diaspora-led grantmaking intermediary with rigorous partner vetting.
• American India Foundation: US-based nonprofit that mobilizes Indian-American diaspora philanthropic capital for education, health, and livelihood programs in India. Most direct comparable by diaspora-led grantmaking model and India-focused deployment.
• GlobalGiving: Global crowdfunding and donation platform connecting donors to vetted nonprofits in 170+ countries, including significant India presence. Comparable as a digital-first grantmaking intermediary with rigorous vetting.
• WHEELS Global Foundation: Diaspora-led nonprofit that has collaborated with Kolkata Foundation on Bengal relief campaigns. Comparable by diaspora-driven community model and India focus.

Others

• Benevity: Corporate workplace giving platform that powers Kolkata Foundation's corporate matching program (~450 companies). Ecosystem partner rather than competitor; enables donor acquisition.
• Charity Navigator: Independent charity evaluator that has awarded Kolkata Foundation a 4-star rating. Influences donor trust and traffic to the organization rather than competing for donations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCbD6n7KdyPic
• Facebookfacebook.com/kolkatafoundation
• Instagraminstagram.com/kolkata.foundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kolkata-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Kolkata Foundation