named programs · 2 · from sources
What they call their work
RTR Alumni Grant Program
Grant initiative supporting alumni in launching community projects in cultural preservation, community engagement, storytelling, or academic research
Zoroastrian Return to Roots (RTR) Trip Program
Annual 10-day heritage trips to India for Zoroastrian youth aged 22–35 from the global diaspora, focusing on religious, cultural, and historical sites
activities · 5 groups
What they do
-
Annual Impact and Evaluation Reporting 1 activity
- Document and publish trip reportsProduces and publishes detailed reports on the Return To Roots trips, including program outcomes and participant experiences, such as the 2020 report and documentation of the 5th edition.
-
-
Flexible Grants to Grassroots Organizations 1 activity
- Fund alumni-led community initiativesAwards grants to alumni of the Return To Roots program to support new projects that benefit the Zoroastrian community, through the RTR Alumni Grant program.
-
-
Youth Cultural and Educational Travel Programs 1 activity
- Organize heritage trips for Zoroastrian youth to IndiaPlans and conducts educational and cultural trips to India for Zoroastrian youth from the diaspora, focusing on historical, religious, and cultural sites across cities including Mumbai, Gujarat, Delhi, Pune, and Udvada. Trips typically last 10–12 days and include visits to fire temples (Agiaries and Atash Behrams), community engagement, and interactions with local Zoroastrian leaders in business, science, arts, and philanthropy.
-
-
Religious Education Support 1 activity
- Provide financial and logistical support for temple visitsOffers financial and organizational assistance to Zoroastrian individuals who lack the means to visit significant religious sites in India, including temples in Udvada and other historic regions.
-
-
Alumni Community Building 1 activity
- Support post-trip community engagement and leadershipEncourages ongoing participation in Zoroastrian communities after return from heritage trips, including involvement in local associations, peer recruitment, and alumni-led initiatives to strengthen global community ties.
-
financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$10K
Contributions & grants$9K90%
Program service revenue$99010%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$32K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits$0
Grants paid out$0
balance sheet
Total assets$23K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$23K
2 years on record · 2023–2024 · YoY revenue -78.2%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 2
- Aban Marker-Kabraji — Chair Of The Board
- Arzan Sam Wadia — Program Director
relationships · 13
Who they work with
- Bombay Parsi Punchayet (BPP) Partner — Received permission from BPP to visit Doongerwadi.
- Della Adventure Training Academy (DATA) Partner — Hosted participants at the Della Adventure Park and Training Academy in Lonavala.
- FEZANA Partner — Partnered with FEZANA to embed and promote the Roots programme in North America.
- Forbes-Marshall Group of Companies Partner — Hosted a factory tour, presentation, and lunch for participants.
- Meherjirana Library Partner — Welcomed participants to the Meherjirana Library in Navsari.
- Parzor Partner — Supported the Return to Roots program and its inaugural journey.
- RTR Alumni Partner — Alumni are lead applicants for grant-funded initiatives to benefit the Zoroastrian community.
- RTR Fellows Partner — Participants who attended the trip and authored the trip report.
- TBI Tours Partner — Collaborates with TBI Tours to organize logistics for the India trips, including accommodations and travel.
- Trail Blazers India (TBI) Partner — Partnered with Trail Blazers India as travel and logistics provider for the trip.
- World Zoroastrian Organization Trust Funds India Partner — Collaborated with WZOTF India to showcase initiatives for Parsis in rural Gujarat.
- Zoroastrian Association of Greater New York (ZAGNY) Partner — Received sustained support from ZAGNY since the inception of the programme.
- Zoroastrian diaspora Partner — Engages members of the Zoroastrian diaspora as participants in educational and cultural trips to India.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Community-Academic Integrationmethodology: community-academic collaborationBy promoting collaboration between academic research and community engagement, we strengthen the relevance and impact of scholarship on Zoroastrian heritage because integrating scholarly rigor with lived community experience fosters public understanding and preserves cultural knowledge.
- Immersive Heritage Reconnectionmethodology: cultural-immersionBy engaging diaspora Zoroastrian youth in immersive cultural and religious travel experiences to ancestral regions in India and Iran, we strengthen their community identity and religious connection because direct, lived experience of heritage deepens belonging and understanding in ways that distant learning cannot.
- Leadership Development Through Mentorship and Reflectionmethodology: mentorship-based programmingBy integrating mentorship from experienced community members and structured participant-led documentation, we foster leadership development and post-trip community engagement because guided reflection and role modeling help youth internalize their experiences and translate them into active community roles.
- Preparation and Informed Participationmethodology: informational_preparationBy providing informational resources such as videos and FAQs to prospective applicants, we enhance transparency and informed participation because clear expectations and accessible knowledge reduce barriers and increase meaningful engagement in the program.