Our commitment to transparency
Sneha Karma Foundation is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in the United States (EIN 47-3774368). Every gift is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law, and we issue a receipt for every donation. We believe trust is earned in the details — so we publish how we are governed, how your money is spent, and who makes this work possible.
Our promise is simple and measurable: at least 90% of every donation we receive goes directly to program expenses — the education, care, skills and livelihoods of the girls and women we serve — while no more than 10% is spent on internal and administrative costs. That is not a slogan; it is the standard we hold ourselves to, and the one we invite you to hold us to.
Where your money goes: 90 cents of every dollar
Most charities talk about overhead. We prefer to talk about outcomes per dollar. Because our board is unpaid, our professional work is largely donated, and our social enterprise helps cover running costs, the overwhelming majority of every gift reaches the field instead of the office.
In practical terms, a $100 gift is designed to send about $90 to the girls and women we serve: a girl kept in school, a woman trained in a trade, an artisan given the small loan a bank would not provide. The remaining $10 or less keeps the foundation running — the accounting, compliance and fundraising that make the programs possible at all.
What program spending pays for
Program expenses are everything that directly delivers our mission to a girl or woman. They include:
- Education: tuition and school fees, uniforms, books, stationery, and exam costs, so no girl drops out over the price of the basics.
- Care: safe accommodation, nourishing meals, clothing, and access to healthcare — the conditions that let a girl stay in school and thrive.
- Skills: vocational training, computer literacy, soft skills, instructors, tools and materials in trades the local job market actually needs.
- Livelihoods: interest-free artisan loans and equipment such as handlooms, delivered and set up so a woman can earn from her own village.
- Mentorship and family engagement: mentors who track each girl’s progress and work with parents when pressure builds to withdraw her early.
- Monitoring and evaluation: measuring enrollment, retention, completion and income outcomes, so we know what works and fix what does not.
How we keep internal costs low
Holding internal spending to 10% or less is a deliberate design choice, not an accident:
- An all-volunteer board. Our directors serve without compensation and cover their own expenses.
- Donated professional skills. Volunteers around the world contribute design, technology, marketing and legal expertise free of charge.
- Lean, shared operations. We work with partner schools and hostels, sharing facilities and staff rather than duplicating expensive infrastructure.
- Earned revenue. Our social enterprise is designed to help cover running costs, so donated funds stay focused on programs.
Who supports us
Our work is funded by people and organizations who believe that a girl’s future should not be decided by the family she is born into. Every group below plays a distinct part, and every contribution — large or small — is treated as a trust.
Individual supporters
Individuals are the backbone of the foundation. Many are members of the Indian diaspora and friends of the mission who give one-time gifts, set up a recurring monthly donation, or sponsor a girl’s education through the Support-A-Girl program. A monthly gift is especially valuable: it lets us commit to a girl for a full school year rather than a single term. Supporters receive updates on the girls and programs their gifts make possible.
Corporate and CSR partners
Companies support us through corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs, employee giving and matching-gift schemes, and sponsorship of specific programs. CSR funding is often what allows us to expand to a new village, equip a training centre, or fund a cohort of artisans. Partners receive reporting on the programs they fund and can engage their employees through volunteering and fundraising.
Foundations and institutional grants
Grants from foundations and institutional funders underwrite larger, multi-year work — building capacity, sustaining a skills centre, and measuring impact rigorously. Grant-makers receive detailed financial and program reporting against agreed milestones.
Community fundraisers and events
Volunteers, students and well-wishers raise money on our behalf — through birthdays, marathons, workplace campaigns and peer fundraisers. These efforts bring in both funds and new supporters, and they extend our reach far beyond our own networks.
Social enterprise customers
Every purchase from our social enterprise and ArtisansDirect marketplace pays an artisan fairly and helps fund our programs. It is a form of support that sustains itself: customers receive beautiful, handmade goods, and the revenue helps keep the mission going.
How program spending is allocated
Within the 90% that goes to programs, donations are directed to the greatest need across our focus areas and programs. The indicative allocation below reflects our approach; exact figures are reviewed by the board each year and reported to supporters.
| Area of spending | Share of total donations | What it funds |
|---|---|---|
| Support-A-Girl | 55% | Education, safe accommodation, meals, healthcare and mentorship for girls in school |
| Skills Development | 20% | Vocational training, computer literacy, tools, instructors and placement support |
| Artisans Direct & artisan capital | 15% | Interest-free artisan loans, equipment, and fair-market access for women’s goods |
| Program subtotal | 90% | Everything that directly serves the girls and women |
| Administration & governance | 5% | Accounting, compliance, insurance, banking and board administration |
| Fundraising & communications | 5% | Reaching new supporters and keeping donors informed |
| Internal subtotal | 10% | The minimum needed to run the foundation |
Governance and accountability
Your donation is a trust, and we treat it that way:
- Board oversight. A volunteer board of directors sets strategic direction, approves the annual budget, and reviews financial performance.
- Independent review. Our finances are reviewed annually, and audited financial statements are prepared for supporters, partners and grant-makers.
- Financial controls. Disbursements require dual authorization, and spending is tracked against the approved budget.
- Open reporting. We report program results and spending to our supporters — including what did not work — because honesty is the foundation of lasting trust.
Our work is overseen by a volunteer board of directors who serve without compensation: founder and president Prashant P Godiwala, secretary Karl Meulema, and treasurer Sudhir Sreedharan. The board approves our annual budget, reviews our audited financial statements, and safeguards the 90/10 commitment above. Meet our board →
Financial documents
We are happy to share our paperwork. Audited financial statements, our IRS Form 990, the 501(c)(3) determination letter, and registration documents are available to donors, partners and grant-makers on request. Simply contact us and we will send them to you promptly.
Registration: Sneha Karma Foundation Inc is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in the United States (EIN 47-3774368). Sneha Karma Foundation is also registered in India under Section 12A and 80G of the Income Tax Act, 1961 (NGO Darpan Unique ID: AS/2025/0754895), so eligible Indian donors can claim deductions on their contributions.
You can also review our independently verified nonprofit profile on Candid (GuideStar), which confirms our legal name, tax-exempt status and EIN: View our Candid (GuideStar) transparency profile →
Looking ahead: self-sustaining by 2030
Transparency is not only about the past; it is about the promise we are building toward. Alongside our programs, we are growing our social enterprise so that earned revenue covers a rising share of our operating costs — reducing our dependence on donations and making the mission more resilient. Our goal is to become a fully independent, self-funded organization by 2030, so that the girls we serve today can be supported by a foundation that sustains itself tomorrow.
Our promise to you
When you give to Sneha Karma Foundation, you are not funding an office — you are funding a girl’s education, a woman’s skill, a family’s future. We promise that at least 90% of your gift will go directly to that work, that every rupee and dollar will be handled with care, and that we will always be open about how it is spent.
If you have any question about our finances, or would like a copy of our reports, please contact us — we would be glad to hear from you. And if you are ready to help, make a donation today →
