FAQs
General
The Dharma Endowment Fund (DEF) is a long-term charitable endowment established to help sustain dharma to thrive for generations to come. DEF raises permanent capital through donations, invests that capital responsibly and ethically, and uses the investment returns to support dharmic initiatives, organisations and community projects in the UK and around the world, while preserving the original capital base for perpetuity.
An endowment fund is an investment portfolio where donated assets are invested to generate long-term, sustainable income, most commonly for charitable or nonprofit purposes. Endowment funds are commonly used to provide long-term funding security, by universities like Harvard, as well as by organisations associated with Abrahamic religions. Rather than spending the original donation itself, the principal is preserved and invested, while a portion of the investment returns are distributed annually to support initiatives. This creates a lasting and potentially growing source of funding that can continue across generations.
DEF has been established to sustain dharma to thrive for generations to come. Many dharmic organisations and initiatives carry out extraordinary work, often with limited financial stability, fragmented support systems and few opportunities for long-term planning. We also rarely have a common platform to collaborate, share lessons and work together across dharmic organisations to achieve common goals.
DEF seeks to help address this challenge by creating:
• a permanent and growing capital base for dharma,
• strong governance, oversight and impact measurement, and a
• sustainable support for both established institutions and emerging initiatives.Donations made to DEF are pooled into a permanent endowment fund. These funds are invested using a prudent and dharmically-aligned investment approach. A portion of the annual returns generated from these investments is then distributed through grants, partnerships and strategic support for dharmic initiatives - subject to a rigorous due-diligence process. The original capital remains invested so that it can continue generating support year after year.
Yes. Many faith traditions around the world have developed long-term endowment models to help sustain their institutions, communities and charitable activities across generations.
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Examples include:
• university and church endowments within Christian traditions
• Jewish communal and philanthropic endowment foundations
• Islamic waqf (endowment) systems, which have historically funded mosques, schools, hospitals and social welfare initiatives for centuries
These models demonstrate the importance of long-term stewardship, intergenerational giving and sustainable philanthropy in supporting faith communities over time.
DEF seeks to help cultivate a similar long-term culture of strategic and collaborative philanthropy within the dharmic ecosystem.
There are a growing number of philanthropic initiatives, family foundations and temple trusts supporting Hindu and dharmic causes around the world. However, large-scale permanent endowment models dedicated specifically to the long-term strategic support of the wider dharmic ecosystem remain relatively limited, especially in the UK compared to other faith traditions. Many Hindu institutions have traditionally relied on community donations, temple giving and volunteer-led support rather than structured perpetual endowment models. We want to ensure that dharma is funded and supported eternally, beyond the generosity of the current generation of donors and benefactors.
DEF seeks to support initiatives that strengthen the wider dharmic ecosystem through collaboration, research, capacity-building and shared infrastructure. The details are still a work-in-progress, and we look forward to exploring this further with the wider dharmic community.
DEF is rooted in the dharmic traditions originating in South Asia, including Hindu and Jain traditions. Over time we intend to expand the definition of dharma to be even more inclusive and universal. However, given we are just getting started, we have focused DEF’s initial efforts on initiatives from the Sanatana Dharma community, especially those that bring us together to address critical gaps with future generations in mind.
DEF follows a prudent long-term investment approach designed to preserve capital while generating sustainable returns. Investments are screened through a dharmic lens, incorporating ethical, environmental and social considerations.
DEF avoids investments in industries considered harmful or inconsistent with dharmic values, including:
• tobacco and addictive substances
• animal cruelty and unnecessary harm
• exploitative or unethical industriesAs the fund grows, DEF also intends to prioritise investments that contribute positively to society and the environment.
Fundraising is a core part of DEF’s work. The greater the funds we manage, the more initiatives we are able to support each year. There are three primary ways that donors can donate funds to DEF:
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Donors can contribute directly to DEF’s main endowment fund (which we will manage and allocate to DEF approved initiatives).
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DEF can establish sub-endowment funds for organisations (that will enable organisations to direct the proceeds of the endowment to initiatives of their choosing).
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Donors may also request DEF to manage their specified donations to their chosen dharmic cause. DEF can add value through due diligence, project management, professional capacity building and support, governance etc.
DEF encourages contributions from individuals and organisations that extend beyond financial support to include time, skills, knowledge and networks.
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DEF aims to apply thoughtful governance, due diligence and impact assessment processes when evaluating initiatives. Projects are assessed based on factors such as:
• alignment with dharmic values and mission
• long-term impact and sustainability
• leadership and organisational capability
• transparency and accountability
• potential for wider ecosystem benefitDEF is committed to supporting individuals, teams as well as more established charitable organisations. In line with the Charity Commissioner requirements, we ensure that funds are directed to a registered charitable organisation, or to initiatives that provide a clear public benefit. This is an important part of our due-diligence process.
Yes. It is still early days and DEF continues to learn and refine its assessment criteria over time. DEF hopes to work collaboratively with organisations, advisors and community leaders in ensuring we are effectively learning from others. These partnerships will help to shape and strengthen DEF’s assessment criteria.
Yes. DEF is operational. The endowment has been running as a registered charity since July 2021 and started supporting early initiatives from 2023 and now are fully operational to build strategic partnerships and a proof of concept.
Yes. The Dharma Endowment Fund is a registered charity in England and Wales since July 2021 (charity number: 1195342).
Over the next 12-18 months, DEF will distribute $500,000 to projects in the UK. We hope this will grow significantly in coming years as DEF’s donor base also expands.
Yes DEF is currently a UK-based organisation. The board and team work in the UK and DEF’s current focus in the immediate term is to provide funding towards UK-based organisations. There are plans in the future to expand to the US and India.
There are many ways to support DEF, including:
• making a monetary donation to the endowment,
• sharing expertise, skills or strategic guidance, and/or
• supporting volunteering efforts, research or strategic partnerships.To learn more or get involved, please visit:
To learn more about the core team and governance of DEF, please visit: