Four GaN nanopowders of systematically varying surface properties, prepared via an anaerobic synthesis method from gallium imide (ammonia assisted decomposition in the range 600-975 A degrees C), were subjected to functionalization with manganese centers. Each powder was slurried in a diluted hexane solution of manganese (II) bis{bis[trimethylsilyl]amide} Mn{N[Si(CH3)(3)](2)}(2) and stirred overnight at ambient conditions. This was followed by filtering out of the solid, rinsing it with hexane to remove excess of the manganese precursor, and evacuating volatiles. The raw solid with some adsorbed Mn precursor was then subjected to transamination/deamination chemistry at 200 A degrees C, 18 h, under a flow of ammonia to afford Mn surface-functionalized GaN nanopowders. The powders were thoroughly characterized including investigation of their magnetic properties with a SQUID magnetometer. They were confirmed to have tightly bound manganese and significantly modified surface properties with relatively decreased BET specific surface areas and helium densities. Magnetic measurements were consistent with the formation of a paramagnetic surface (Ga,Mn)N-type of phase and some antiferromagnetic by-product, the latter formed from adventitious oxidation of excessive quantities of the manganese precursor.