U.S., August 14, 2005: A number of recent studies have focused on the role that Indian-American philanthropic organizations play in promoting social development and goodwill both in America as well as in India. For example, Priya Anand’s study, presented last year at the International Society for Third Sector Research, concludes that while temples in the United States help preserve and sustain Hindu religion and culture, they are limited in terms of their philanthropy to their immediate environments. On the other hand, Hindu religious movements such as Chinmaya Mission provide several faith-based outreach programs both in India and the US. The study found that the services offered by various groups range between the typical (education, healthcare, relief) and atypical (rural development, HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, income generation, women’s empowerment). Fundraising activities of these institutions also vary with groups like VedaVyasa foundation that approach it in a strategic manner while other groups like the Sathya Sai Baba Movement and the Ramakrishna Mission do not solicit funds. Among the study’s recommendations are the potential for diaspora fundraising and suggests that nonprofit organizations with links to religious organizations need to establish a distinct identity, adopt transparent accountability mechanisms, approach fundraising in a strategic fashion and extend their program sphere to tackle hitherto atypical areas not previously addressed by religious organizations.
Anand’s study attempts to look at how much Hindu religious institutions receive in terms of donations from donors and what percentage of these funds are utilized towards supporting civil society and social development initiatives in India and the United States. It looks at whether the philanthropic activities of these temples and religious movements are mainly India-centric or are directed towards local causes in the US. Also whether their beneficiaries are Indian or whether funds are directed at a broader target audience. The research covers key temples and Hindu religious movements based in the United States. Representatives of key Hindu religious movements such as the Chinmaya Mission, the Swaminarayan Sanstha, the Sathya Sai Organization etc. were contacted and interviews conducted through face-to-face meetings, telephone conversations and emails. In addition important temples based in New York, Maryland and Pennsylvania were also contacted. For more on the study, click on “source” above.