M. Night Shyamalan Foundation

The M. Night Shyamalan Foundation supports remarkable leaders, through their organizations, working to remove the barriers created by poverty and inequality, which prevent individuals and communities from unleashing their full potential.

MNSF Values

1. Social Justice & Equality

Everyone is entitled to have their basic human needs met and their civil rights protected

2. Power of Education

Access to a quality education is a basic human right and the one proven way for both individuals and communities to flourish

3. Leadership

We support resilient tested leaders, willing to take risks, who remain true to their values and are dertimined to improve the quality of life for the people they serve

Our Approach

The M. Night Shyamalan Foundation enters into multi-year grant partnerships with a select group of leaders both locally and around the globe. These leaders are social entrepreneurs who have demonstrated both resilience and commitment in addressing problems of poverty and inequality in their own community or a community they have ties with. They have the support and buy-in from their community, and work with their members to produce mutually desired and sustainable change. They are self-starters who are not willing to take "no" for an answer, and they are often working to address a problem which no one else is addressing in their community.

The objective is to work with each leader and their organization for a number of years and through the provision of both financial and non-financial assistance, help each leader establish their work for long-term success. The M. Night Shyamalan Foundation does this in a number of ways, including but not limited to: Providing financial grants and seed funding; Convening organizations to share best practices; Increasing exposure and providing a network for new organizations; Disseminating new ideas and research; Leveraging other resources and expertise, Fundraising; and Advocating on behalf of our leaders and their work. By committing to partner with our leaders for a number of years, they hope to help them realize their vision for their community and increase the scope of their impact.

They work to empower communities, one leader at a time.