COMMON MAPS
Map version new-york activity top-down
Main site Contact
Menu
↑ parent activity group ·
research dossier

TAMIL SANGAM NEW YORK INC
Arverne, NY · EIN 237132218 · Form 990EZ · FY2025 · Micro (<$100K) · newyorktamilsangam.com
revenue
$62K
expenses
$112K
net assets
$207K
employees
—
mission · from form 990

Cultural Organization

profile · synthesized from sources

New York Tamil Sangam is a nonprofit cultural organization serving the Tamil community in the New York area. Founded in 1970, it promotes Tamil language, art, literature, and traditions through festivals, performances, and community events. The organization also supports charitable causes locally and internationally, including disaster relief and educational initiatives.

named programs · 6 · from sources

What they call their work

Charity Initiatives
Humanitarian aid and fundraising efforts supporting disaster relief, education, and underprivileged communities in the U.S. and abroad
Chithirai Thiruvizha
Annual celebration of the Tamil New Year featuring cultural performances, traditional rituals, and community gathering
Meet & Greet Events
Programs bringing Tamil artists, scholars, and public figures to interact with the New York Tamil community
Mega Diwali Celebration
Large-scale festival marking Deepavali with performances, food, and cultural activities for the Tamil community
Pongal Vizha
Harvest festival celebration honoring Tamil agricultural traditions with music, dance, and traditional Pongal dish preparation
Therukoothu
Traditional Tamil street theater performances featuring folk stories and cultural narratives
activities · 5 groups

What they do

  • Community Event-Based Giving Programs 1 activity
    • Distributes food and school supplies to low-income communities
      Organizes annual food distribution events for low-income individuals during Tamil New Year in Staten Island, ongoing for 27 years, and distributes school bags and supplies to economically disadvantaged students in New York City schools.
  • Community Festival & Event Production 1 activity
    • Organizes annual cultural festivals and events celebrating Tamil heritage
      Hosts 4 to 5 major cultural events annually, including Pongal, Deepavali, Chithirai Thirunaal, and street theater performances, featuring traditional music, art, and programming to celebrate Tamil culture and provide platforms for youth talent.
  • Literary Events & Workshops 1 activity
    • Promotes Tamil literature and academic discourse
      Organizes literary events such as Kaviarangam, Sollarangam, Pattimandram, and academic speeches to advance Tamil language and intellectual engagement within the community.
  • Volunteer Engagement and Capacity Support 1 activity
    • Supports youth engagement and volunteerism
      Provides volunteer hours certificates for students participating in its activities, encouraging youth involvement in cultural and community service initiatives.
  • Uncategorized 1 activity
    • Conducts charitable outreach and disaster relief efforts
      Organizes charitable events to collect and distribute funds and aid to the needy, including disaster relief for Hurricane Harvey (2017), the 2015 Nepal earthquake, and flood-affected schools in Chennai and Cuddalore (2015–2016), as well as international aid projects such as providing sewing machines to families in Tamil Nadu.
financials · form 990EZ · fy2025
revenue
Total revenue$62K
Contributions & grants$27K43%
Program service revenue$36K57%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$112K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits—
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$207K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$207K
5 years on record · 2020–2025 · YoY revenue -27.3%
relationships · 19

Who they work with

  • Akshaya Trust Partner — Received support from NYTS; associated with CNN Top Ten Hero Madurai Narayanan Krishnan in Madurai, India.
  • Bala Family Partner — Sponsored events hosted by Tamil Sangam New York Inc.
  • Dr. Krishnan Partner — Sponsored events hosted by Tamil Sangam New York Inc.
  • Facebook Partner — Uses Facebook page to engage community and promote events.
  • Federation of Tamil Sangam of North America Network — Participates in FeTNA activities as part of its organizational engagement.
  • Harvard Tamil Chair Partner — Jointly supported through a fundraising event organized by NYTS and other Tamil organizations in January 2018.
  • Instagram Partner — Uses Instagram to share visual content and connect with the Tamil community.
  • Jopa Ministry Partner — Conducts charitable activities in New York in collaboration with NYTS.
  • Kanchana Partner — Sponsored events hosted by Tamil Sangam New York Inc.
  • Meenakshi Educational Trust Partner — Recipient of donations from NYTS Charity Account for educational purposes in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, India.
  • NYTS Network — Organization participates in its own programs and initiatives as NYTS
  • Nepal Embassy, New York Government — Channel through which NYTS contributed funds for Nepal earthquake relief in 2015.
  • Other registered non-profit organizations in the U.S.A and abroad Partner — Collaborates with other registered nonprofit organizations in the U.S. and internationally to support charitable, cultural, educational, and humanitarian causes.
  • Ramakrishna Math Partner — Collaborated with NYTS to build shelters for orphans and elders in Thiruvarur through Dr. Gopalakrishnan's initiative at Ammaiyappan Village.
  • Siragu Montessori School Charities Partner — Supported by NYTS to provide boarding and education for destitute street children in 2014 and 2017.
  • Telegram Partner — Uses Telegram platform for communication and outreach.
  • Twitter Partner — Uses Twitter to communicate with members and share updates.
  • Udavum Karangal Trust Partner — Recipient of financial contributions from NYTS for humanitarian work in Chennai, India.
  • YouTube Partner — Uses YouTube channel to share content and events.
strategies · 3

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.

  • Cultural Preservation Through Community Forums
    methodology: cultural_preservation_forum
    By creating structured forums for sharing Tamil culture, heritage, and literature, the organization strengthens collective identity and belonging, because sustained communal practice reinforces cultural resilience in diaspora populations.
  • Intergenerational Cultural Transmission
    methodology: intergenerational_cultural_transmission
    By engaging youth as primary participants and future bearers of Tamil traditions, the organization ensures the long-term survival of cultural identity, because early cultural exposure produces deeper lifelong connection and continuity across generations.
  • Needs-Based Grant Allocation for Social Impact
    methodology: needs-based_grant_allocation
    By distributing funds selectively to initiatives based on social value and urgency, the organization maximizes community benefit, because targeting resources to high-need, meritorious causes increases the effectiveness and relevance of charitable giving.