The Seva Foundation is a non-profit foundation, founded in December, 1978, whose goal is to build partnerships to respond to "locally defined problems with culturally sustainable solutions throughout the world."

In Sanskrit seva means "selfless service".   Seva has various missions to respond to the 'local problems', from sight saving and restoring projects in Nepal, India, Tibet, Cambodia and Tanzania, to community self-development projects in Chiapas and Guatemala, to diabetes prevention programs and grants for indigenous peoples of North America.

Seva is associated with the Aravind Eye Hospital in Madurai. 

Seva was honored in the DVD Fierce Grace in which Ram Dass talks about the founding of Seva by Larry Brilliant and Girija Brilliant, a devoted group of doctors, social workers, activists, and at least one clown. Larry and Girija discuss the spiritual motivations for their efforts, and Wavy Gravy explains how he was motivated to join their efforts when he learned that millions of blind people could see again immediately for a cost of about five dollars per eye. The cost of cataract surgeries has gone up in the past twenty-five years, but Seva's work has expanded to meet this need. 

Video: Service as a Spiritual Practice