Sports philanthropy might not be the first thing that comes to mind when high-net-worth families sit down to talk about giving. But Karen Kardos, Head of Philanthropic Advisory at Citi Wealth, has seen first-hand how a personal passion can evolve into something far more significant.
Although she’s based in New York, Kardos works closely with one of India’s wealthiest families, the Danis, heirs to the Asian Paints empire with an estimated net worth of almost $6 billion. In an interview with InvestmentNews she says that their approach to philanthropy is a blueprint that can work just as well in the US.
The story of Vita and Jalaj Dani, whose foundations have transformed access to sports and wellness across India, offers a compelling case study in what modern, professionalized philanthropy can look like.
When asked how the Danis translated a personal love of sport into measurable social change, Kardos points to the deliberate way the family has structured their giving.
"The Dani family has transformed a personal passion for sports into a structured philanthropic strategy with measurable community impact by taking a deliberate, community-first approach," she says "While they have adopted a ‘hands-on’ approach instead of merely writing checks, they focus on keeping the community at the center of their initiatives, treating beneficiaries as ‘customers.’ They listen to the people on the ground when it comes to program design, process reviews, and decision-making, valuing their voices.”
In practice, the Danis actively seek partners with expertise to build teams and develop talent aligned with the needs of the community.
They designed structured sports programs such as a district-level sports school in Kapadwanj, which has served thousands of students by providing training, coaching, and sports science inputs. They also initiated ‘sports for transformation fellows’ where graduates use sports to address various engagement models for physically and mentally challenged children."
Sports and physical fitness attract a fraction of philanthropic giving compared to health and education, yet Kardos argues their impact is far wider than is commonly recognised.
"In my opinion, there is no right or wrong when it comes to philanthropy as it’s very personal. There is so much need out there, so doing something is better than doing nothing," she says. "For the Danis, it’s not just sports for the sake of sports. Sports and physical fitness promote healthy lifestyles and can significantly impact long-term wellbeing and preventive health."
The ripple effects stretch well beyond the playing field.
"Sports teach valuable life skills, such as leadership, teamwork, discipline, and resilience. Participation in sports can increase school attendance, as it makes school a ‘fun place.’ It also helps young individuals, especially those from challenged backgrounds, gain self-worth and become leaders in their communities," Kardos explains.
Inclusion is another dimension often overlooked by donors.
"Sports can also act as a powerful tool for social inclusion, breaking barriers by bringing together people from different backgrounds, genders, social strata and communities,” Kardos notes. “This fosters a sense of belonging while helping to break down social divisions. Sports can challenge societal norms and empower individuals, as seen in the story of women participating in sports and becoming leaders in their towns."
The economic case is compelling too, she adds.
"The sports ecosystem offers diverse avenues for engagement beyond just being an athlete, including event organizing, physical and mental fitness coaching, media roles, and sponsorship,” Kardos says. “This creates various opportunities for individuals to earn a living and contribute to society. Sports programs serve as a catalyst for community engagement, bringing people together, fostering collaboration, and creating a sense of shared purpose. Philanthropy in sports can connect to broader societal issues, such as education and health. It allows for a multi-faceted approach to community development, addressing various needs simultaneously."
The Dani family’s model rests on three pillars that Kardos has developed into a framework she uses with clients across Citi Wealth’s philanthropic advisory practice.
"When I work with clients, our first conversations are about their goals and objectives when it comes to philanthropy. I have developed tools to help families articulate ‘what is motivating their philanthropy’, ‘what are the family’s shared beliefs and values’, ‘what are the causes, nonprofits, regions and/or geographies that are important to them’, and ‘how do they distinguish themselves from other families’.
Kardos says that these thought-provoking questions help the family members look introspectively and define their passion and purpose. It also forms the basis of their mission statement to give focus and direction to their philanthropy. But the next pillar is partnership.
"Encourage clients to get involved, visit programs, and connect directly with beneficiaries to deepen their understanding and commitment," Kardos advises. "It’s always helpful to connect with like-minded funders and experts in the field, as well as established nonprofits to learn the underlying issues of what you are trying to solve for, who is working in the space, where the funding gaps are, what has worked and what has not, rather than starting from scratch. By empowering local communities and partners — giving them ownership and decision-making authority, rather than imposing solutions — a true collaboration model is created whereby the community is at the center, ensuring relevance and sustained engagement."
The third pillar, professionalization, is where Kardos is most emphatic.
"While I have stated there is no right or wrong when it comes to philanthropy, if you truly want to make impact, you must run your philanthropy as a business venture," she says. "Effective governance, policy and process can provide a solid underpinning for your philanthropic business venture and outlive the founders. This professionalism extends to the nonprofits you partner with. Helping your partners to create robust organizational structures, which includes attracting and retaining skilled talent and developing future leaders. Transparent reporting and accountability are critical – extending from funder to nonprofit, from nonprofit to funder, and both funder and nonprofit to beneficiaries."
The philanthropy expert also cautions against giving up when things go wrong.
"Businesses that are successful demonstrate nimbleness by continuously learning, evolving community engagement models and adapting their approach when things aren’t working,” she says. “This includes continually evaluating initiatives and refining strategies based on feedback and results. Outputs are tangible, immediate results, direct products or services, while outcomes reflect the longer-term effects or changes that follow. Since outcomes occur gradually over time and are influenced by many external factors, it’s not easy to attribute them to one specific program or grant. As a funder you must be willing to pivot and not give up on community projects despite initial failures; this can be crucial for long-term impact."
When it comes to applying the Dani model closer to home — for example, in addressing fragmented access to youth sports and wellness programs in the United States — Kardos identifies several principles that travel well regardless of geography.
"There are several lessons from the Dani family’s model that transfer to any region," she says, beginning with what she calls community-centric design. "Empowering local voices by involving the target communities and beneficiaries in designing and implementing programs. The Dani family emphasizes listening to ‘people on the ground’ and letting them decide on the vision and operating model. This ensures programs are relevant and genuinely address local needs, rather than being top-down."
Building local talent matters just as much as funding programs.
"Invest in building local capacity to develop local talent and leadership within the communities. When these individuals do take ownership and make decisions, programs can become self-sustaining and foster continuous local engagement,” she says.
Institutional partnerships, particularly with government, are also essential for scale, she says.
"Engaging the public sector is critical when speaking about sports, as public schools, parks and recreation departments and state health agencies can be key partners to collaborate with,” Kardos explains. “Working with government bodies can lead to scaling initiatives and ensuring long-term sustainability, given they often have the largest resources to do so."
She also emphasises the importance of measuring what matters.
"Assess impact by developing clear metrics to measure the impact of programs. Collaborate with nonprofit partners and experts in the development and measurement of the KPIs. Remain accountable to the community by maintaining transparency with beneficiaries and stakeholders, allowing them to understand where resources are going and the impact being generated,” she says.
One of the most valuable things an advisor can do is help a client assess whether their giving has the potential to become something more permanent. Kardos recommends caution at the outset.
"It may be more prudent to pilot programs before committing to large-scale infrastructure," she says. "A clear vision and theory of change are a good place to start — define the long-term impact, not just short-term outputs. If passion is directed toward solving a community problem, this will get fleshed out early."
Co-creation is another signal. "A key indicator is whether the target community will be involved in design, implementation, and governance. Genuine co-creation — rather than a top-down approach — is more likely to evolve into sustainable community infrastructure. Empowering local leaders to eventually manage programs independently is truly the goal."
Funding diversification is the final test. "The initiative shouldn't rely solely on the client's funding. There should be a strategy to attract diverse funding sources and in-kind support, ensuring it doesn't 'outlive' the initial funding."
Whether the Dani story will prompt a wave of sports and wellness philanthropy among wealthy families globally remains to be seen. Kardos is measured in her expectations but clear about the intent behind sharing it.
"Philanthropy is personal and if the Danis’ story influences others to support sports and wellness, that would be lovely," she says. "The goal of the case study is for others to learn from the Danis’ journey to apply the principles and strategies to focus areas of their own passions."
The Passion, Partnership, Professionalization framework is ultimately a tool for any conversation about giving, whatever the cause.
"Advisors can use the Passion, Partnership, Professionalization model to frame conversations with clients,” she says. “Each client is unique; each has differing goals, objectives, financial and personnel resources, philanthropic vehicles, time commitment, etc. Understanding the goals and objectives and then using some of the strategies employed by the Dani family can help set clients up for success, even in smaller ways."
The Dani family case study is available on the Citi Wealth website.
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