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When Megha Desai and her family started the Desai Foundation in Gujarat, India, in 1997, they aimed to help marginalized communities.
Today, the foundation is a "philanthropist giant" with programs in nine states, helping more than 500 women and girls per year, Desai tells Fast Company.
But it wasn't always that way. "During those first 15 years, we really wanted to focus on the programs and get them right," she says.
"So we kept our heads down, kept experimenting, and working with the communities we serve to get the program to a place where they would really show results.
Once we realized we had 15 solid programs (we now actually have 30 programs), we sorted out which ones were designed to scale, and which ones were not."
The transition from a family foundation to a public one was "the smartest thing we could have done," she says. "We also knew that we didn't have all the answers. As a public organization, we can work with fantastic NGOs, corporates, and people that bring their experience and knowledge to the table. I think we were a bit naive on this transition being easy."
Selected Grant News Headlines
A customized collection of grant news from foundations and the federal government from around the Web.
Foundation: Pew Charitable Trusts, William Penn Foundation
The Children's World Fair was held in Philadelphia in 1876 as part of the Centennial International Exhibition to explore cultural and technological innovation. Now three of the city's most-loved...more
"You don't stop trying new things until the tears stopnot because you are innovative, but because you love your child." So writes Kenda Creasy Dean in her new book, Innovating for Love, in which...more
"More importantly, if we can make things fun and give each child confidence about the procedure, we can alleviate some of the stress they and their families may be feeling as part of the treatment...more
"We're taking a fresh approach to modernizing that system and bringing innovations and efficiencies to our workforce when it comes to supporting citizens of Florida and providing services for child...more
Detroit's Cody Rouge Community Resource Center is an example of what the Catholic Foundation of Michigan is trying to do: "Unleash the Good News with All, forming joyful disciples," the foundation...more
A Florida hospital has become the first in the US to use a "virtually free" MRI scanner. As part of a partnership with Philips, Nicklaus Children's Health System will be adopting the Ambition X...more
"The world's first water coaster for kids." That's what Cedar Fair, owner of Schlitterbahn New Braunfels, Texas, is banking on with its newest attraction: Schatze's Storybrook Park, a children's...more
A professor at the University of Texas at Austin has developed a play therapy approach that she says could help millions of children around the world, the Austin American-Statesman...more
If you're looking for a four-year degree in Ireland, Munster Technological University is the place for you. The school, which has campuses in Cork and Kerry, is the first university in the...more
One of the world's largest not-for-profit foundations has teamed up with a venture capital firm to invest $50 million in a fund that aims to improve the health of children around the world,...more
Children News from...
Pew Charitable Trusts
William Penn Foundation
Nike
Gates Foundation
MacArthur Foundation
Boeing Company
Social Entrepreneurship
Spotlight
Reviving Ancient Indian Art Forms – Empowering Artisans Towards Entrepreneurship
Rivaayat is an initiative by Shri Ram College of Commerce, Delhi to revive various dying art form and solve innumerable problems faced by the artisans. Rivaayat began with reviving a 20,000-year-old art form of pottery that is a means of survival for 600 families residing in Uttam Nagar, Delhi.
