The BESS Family Foundation concentrates its support on a small number of sizable, unrestricted grants to organizations in higher education, applied research/technical nonprofits, and Buddhist spiritual community initiatives. They favor general operating support rather than project-specific funding and display both repeat funding and cross-sector interests rather than broad retail philanthropy. The foundation appears comfortable making large, flexible commitments to institutions and mission-driven organizations it trusts.
BESS Family Foundation stands out for pairing higher-education support with a concentrated body of Buddhist and earth-minded grantmaking. Its recent record includes two $150,000 grants to the University of Wisconsin Foundation in 2023 and 2024, alongside $125,000 to Natural Dharma Fellowship and $125,000 to Inquiring Systems Inc. That combination shows a funder willing to back both universities and mission-driven nonprofit partners at a substantial level. The foundation’s giving reaches beyond single institutions. In 2025, it awarded $100,000 to University of Wisconsin for the Loka Initiative and $100,000 to Inquiring Systems Inc for One Earth Sangha. Other sizable awards went to Mind & Life Institute, Brown University, and Shambhala USA, indicating a pattern of support for research, education, and Buddhist spiritual community organizations. Across the list, grants are often unrestricted or general support, with some targeted awards for specific programs, projects, or capital needs. The result is a profile shaped less by broad retail philanthropy than by a small number of meaningful commitments to organizations the foundation appears to know well.
Within higher education, the foundation gave $150,000 to Brown University in 2024 for general support and $100,000 to University of Wisconsin in 2025 for the Loka Initiative. Those grants sit alongside similar university support in the recent record and show that academic institutions are part of its grantmaking mix. A second area is Buddhist practice and community infrastructure. The foundation awarded $125,000 to Natural Dharma Fellowship for general support, $75,000 to Shambhala USA for general support, and $50,000 to Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism for general support. It also supported the Sati Center for Buddhist Studies with $50,000 for the Buddhist Eco-Chaplaincy Program. Earth-awareness and climate-related work is another thread. In 2025, Inward Bound Mindfulness Education received $50,000 for integrating earth awareness practices into existing programs, while the University of California San Francisco Foundation received $50,000 for a Climate Resilience course/Epel.
Typical grant size clusters in the upper middle range: p25 is $10,000, median grant size is $25,000, and p75 is $50,000. The recent record also includes larger commitments of $100,000 to $150,000, suggesting a willingness to make sizable awards when the relationship or project warrants it. The pattern is not one-off retail giving; several organizations appear across multiple years, including the University of Wisconsin Foundation, Mind & Life Institute, Inquiring Systems Inc, Brown University, and Inward Bound Mindfulness Education. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. The grants shown are mostly general or unrestricted, with some project, program, and capital support.
$1.3M
$2M
$2.1M
$1.5M
Most grants fall between $10K and $50K, with a median of $25K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$25K
75th Percentile
$50K
About 0% of grants go to recipients in CA.
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Concentrated portfolio of a few large, unrestricted grants with at least one repeat grantee; mixes higher-education philanthropy with targeted gifts to research/technical and faith-based community groups.
Notable grantees: University of Wisconsin Foundation, Inquiring Systems Inc, Natural Dharma Fellowship
Grants are national in scope, and every recent grant in the dataset went to a U.S. recipient. The highest concentration of awards goes to Virginia recipients overall, though the foundation is headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware and gives 0% of grants to Delaware recipients in the available data. Recent recipient locations include Charlottesville, VA; Barre, MA; Santa Rosa, CA; Madison and Milwaukee, WI; and Garrison, NY. California appears frequently through organizations in Santa Rosa, Escondido, Redwood City, and San Francisco.
The recent grants point to three main areas: higher education institutions, applied systems research and technical nonprofits, and Buddhist spiritual community organizations. Named recipients include University of Wisconsin Foundation, Inquiring Systems Inc, Mind & Life Institute, Natural Dharma Fellowship, and Shambhala USA.
The foundation’s grant sizes cluster around $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $25,000 at the median, and $50,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent record also includes larger grants of $100,000 and $150,000.
Yes. Many recent awards are labeled General & Unrestricted or General Grant. That includes grants to organizations such as Natural Dharma Fellowship, Brown University, and Plum Village Community of Engaged Buddhism, alongside some project-specific and capital grants.
The foundation gives nationally, with all recent grants going to U.S. recipients. Virginia has the highest grant count in the dataset, and recent recipient cities include Charlottesville, Madison, Milwaukee, Barre, Santa Rosa, and Garrison.
Yes. Several organizations appear in multiple years, including the University of Wisconsin Foundation in 2023 and 2024, Brown University in 2023 and 2024, Mind & Life Institute in 2023 and 2024, and Inward Bound Mindfulness Education in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN | GREEN BAY, WI | $100,000 | 2025 | the Loka Initiative |
| INQUIRING SYSTEMS INC | SANTA ROSA, CA | $100,000 | 2025 | One Earth Sangha |
| SATI CENTER FOR BUDDIST STUDIES | REDWOOD CITY, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | the Buddhist Eco-Chaplaincy Program |
| UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA SAN FRANCISCO FOUNDATION | San Francisco, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | Climate Resilience course/Epel |
| OUR LADY OF THE RESURRECTION MONASTERY INC C O BEN | COLD SPRINGS, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | Capital improvements fund |
| INSIGHT MEDITATION SOCIETY INC | BARRE, MA | $50,000 | 2025 | integrating earth awareness practices into new and existing programs |
| INWARD BOUND MINDFULNESS EDUCATION INC | ATTLEBORO, MA | $50,000 | 2025 | integration of earth awareness practices into existing programs |
| GARRISON INSTITUTE | GARRISON, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | a project to map and grow the field of interconnected people and organizations leading Earth-based mindfulness and meditation practices |
| BELOVED COMMUNITY CIRCLES | BELMONT, MA | $40,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| BARRE CENTER FOR BUDDHIST STUDIES INC | BARRE, MA | $35,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| BIG SPRINGS GARDEN RETREAT CENTER INC | SIERRA CITY, CA | $33,333 | 2025 | a series of three ecodharma retreats |
| ROCKY MOUNTAIN ECODHARMA RETREAT CENTER | NIWOT, CO | $33,333 | 2025 | a series of three Ecodharma nature retreats to be held at RMERC |
| INSIGHT MEDITATION COMMUNITY OF WASHINGTON | MONTGOMRY VLG, MD | $33,333 | 2025 | a series of three ecodharma retreats to be held at the seven oaks retreat center |
| BARRE CENTER FOR BUDDHIST STUDIES INC | BARRE, MA | $33,333 | 2025 | a series of three ecodharma retreats to be held at BCBS |
| INQUIRING SYSTEMS INC | SANTA ROSA, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | Work that Reconnects Network |
| CAMBRIDGE INSIGHT MEDITATION CENTER INC | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| BROWN UNIVERSITY | PROVIDENCE, RI | $25,000 | 2025 | travel expenses associated with the 2024 Indigenous mindfulness coalition retreat led by Dr Jeffrey Proulx |
| INQUIRING SYSTEMS INC | SANTA ROSA, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | Mindful of Nature Fund |
| ZEN PEACEMAKERS INC | SUNDERLAND, MA | $25,000 | 2025 | program offerings focused on climate, environment, and Earth care |
| UPAYA ZEN CENTER INC | SANTA FE, NM | $25,000 | 2025 | reviewing, indexing and cataloging teachings on eco-dharma in the vast Upaya audio and video archives |
| MOUNTAIN CLOUD ZEN CENTER INC | SANTA FE, NM | $25,000 | 2025 | 2024 Indigenous Mindfulness Coalition retreat |
| LOTUS INSTITUTE INC | PATASKALA, OH | $25,000 | 2025 | Integrating earth awareness practices into new and existing programs |
| MINDFUL LIVING REVOLUTION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| MINDFUL LIVING REVOLUTION | LOS ANGELES, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | Hurricane Relief |
| SHAMBHALA USA | CAMDEN, CT | $25,000 | 2025 | Touching the Earth's Hivemind Eco Assembly Project |
| SARANALOKA FOUNDATION | SAN RAFAEL, CA | $25,000 | 2025 | the work led by Ayya Santacitta at the Aloka Earth room |
| DHARMADATTA COMMUNITY | PEEKSKILL, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | Damcho and Karya's project on earth awareness practices |
| ROCKY MOUNTAIN ECODHARMA RETREAT CENTER | NIWOT, CO | $25,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| NATURAL DHARMA FELLOWSHIP | SPRINGFIELD, NH | $25,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| UPAYA ZEN CENTER INC | SANTA FE, NM | $25,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| BARRE CENTER FOR BUDDHIST STUDIES INC | BARRE, MA | $22,000 | 2025 | September, 2024 ecodharma retreat |
| INSIGHT MEDITATION CENTER OF THE MID-PENINSULA | REDWOOD CITY, CA | $15,000 | 2025 | a BIPOC retreat at Big Springs |
| DHARMA GATES INC | BROOKLYN, NY | $15,000 | 2025 | an eight-week online series "How to Love In A Damaged World" |
| BOUNDLESS IN MOTION | BOULDER, CO | $15,000 | 2025 | Indigenous Women's Retreat at Rocky Mountain Ecodharma retreat center |
| DURANGO SANGHA | DURANGO, CO | $12,500 | 2025 | establishing a new practice group that will gather in nature, on the land, particularly in the Durango community and surrounding areas |
| SKY MIND RETREATS | MOAB, UT | $10,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| MYRIAD USA INC | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | the Wellbeing Project |
| INTERDEPENDENCE PROJECT | BROOKLYN, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | a year long ecodharma project with 6 outdoor events |
| TERGAR INTERNATIONAL | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $10,000 | 2025 | integrating ecodharma into programming |
| BRAIDED WISDOM INC | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| INSIGHT MEDITATION COMMUNITY OF WESTERN MASSACHUSE | EASTHAMPTON, MA | $10,000 | 2025 | Rebecca Bradshaw's retreat "Down to Earth Dharma: healing our relationship with ourselves and the Earth" |
| FRACTURED ATLAS INC | HARTSDALE, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | Triptych Journey |
| FIREFIGHTERS UNITED FOR SAFETY ETHICS AND ECOLOGY | EUGENE, OR | $10,000 | 2025 | Great Vow Wildland Firefighter Mindfulness Retreat |
| VALLECITOS MOUNTAIN REFUGE | DURANGO, CO | $10,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| SPIRIT ROCK MEDITATION CENTER | WOODACRE, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | General & Unrestricted |
| SAN FRANCISCO ZEN CENTER | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | Tassajara Wildland Firefighter Retreat |
| SOUNDS TRUE FOUNDATION | LAFAYETTE, CO | $10,000 | 2025 | "We Are The Great Turning" podcast |
| INQUIRING SYSTEMS INC | SANTA ROSA, CA | $10,000 | 2025 | One Earth Sangha - website for Earth Awareness Community retreat program |
| NORTHWEST ZEN SANGHA | PORTLAND, OR | $10,000 | 2025 | coordinating across Buddhist sanghas for energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements to temple buildings and offerings events that focus on ecological awareness |
| TRICYCLE FOUNDATION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2025 | 2024 Buddhism and Ecology Gathering |
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN
$100,000the Loka Initiative
SATI CENTER FOR BUDDIST STUDIES
$50,000the Buddhist Eco-Chaplaincy Program
Climate Resilience course/Epel
OUR LADY OF THE RESURRECTION MONASTERY INC C O BEN
$50,000Capital improvements fund
INSIGHT MEDITATION SOCIETY INC
integrating earth awareness practices into new and existing programs
integration of earth awareness practices into existing programs
a project to map and grow the field of interconnected people and organizations leading Earth-based mindfulness and meditation practices
BELOVED COMMUNITY CIRCLES
$40,000General & Unrestricted
BARRE CENTER FOR BUDDHIST STUDIES INC
$35,000General & Unrestricted
BIG SPRINGS GARDEN RETREAT CENTER INC
$33,333a series of three ecodharma retreats
ROCKY MOUNTAIN ECODHARMA RETREAT CENTER
$33,333a series of three Ecodharma nature retreats to be held at RMERC
INSIGHT MEDITATION COMMUNITY OF WASHINGTON
$33,333a series of three ecodharma retreats to be held at the seven oaks retreat center
BARRE CENTER FOR BUDDHIST STUDIES INC
$33,333a series of three ecodharma retreats to be held at BCBS
CAMBRIDGE INSIGHT MEDITATION CENTER INC
$25,000General & Unrestricted
BROWN UNIVERSITY
$25,000travel expenses associated with the 2024 Indigenous mindfulness coalition retreat led by Dr Jeffrey Proulx
ZEN PEACEMAKERS INC
$25,000program offerings focused on climate, environment, and Earth care
UPAYA ZEN CENTER INC
$25,000reviewing, indexing and cataloging teachings on eco-dharma in the vast Upaya audio and video archives
MOUNTAIN CLOUD ZEN CENTER INC
$25,0002024 Indigenous Mindfulness Coalition retreat
LOTUS INSTITUTE INC
$25,000Integrating earth awareness practices into new and existing programs
MINDFUL LIVING REVOLUTION
$25,000General & Unrestricted
MINDFUL LIVING REVOLUTION
$25,000Hurricane Relief
SHAMBHALA USA
$25,000Touching the Earth's Hivemind Eco Assembly Project
SARANALOKA FOUNDATION
$25,000the work led by Ayya Santacitta at the Aloka Earth room
DHARMADATTA COMMUNITY
$25,000Damcho and Karya's project on earth awareness practices
ROCKY MOUNTAIN ECODHARMA RETREAT CENTER
$25,000General & Unrestricted
NATURAL DHARMA FELLOWSHIP
$25,000General & Unrestricted
UPAYA ZEN CENTER INC
$25,000General & Unrestricted
BARRE CENTER FOR BUDDHIST STUDIES INC
$22,000September, 2024 ecodharma retreat
INSIGHT MEDITATION CENTER OF THE MID-PENINSULA
$15,000a BIPOC retreat at Big Springs
DHARMA GATES INC
$15,000an eight-week online series "How to Love In A Damaged World"
BOUNDLESS IN MOTION
$15,000Indigenous Women's Retreat at Rocky Mountain Ecodharma retreat center
DURANGO SANGHA
$12,500establishing a new practice group that will gather in nature, on the land, particularly in the Durango community and surrounding areas
SKY MIND RETREATS
$10,000General & Unrestricted
INTERDEPENDENCE PROJECT
$10,000a year long ecodharma project with 6 outdoor events
BRAIDED WISDOM INC
$10,000General & Unrestricted
INSIGHT MEDITATION COMMUNITY OF WESTERN MASSACHUSE
$10,000Rebecca Bradshaw's retreat "Down to Earth Dharma: healing our relationship with ourselves and the Earth"
FRACTURED ATLAS INC
$10,000Triptych Journey
FIREFIGHTERS UNITED FOR SAFETY ETHICS AND ECOLOGY
$10,000Great Vow Wildland Firefighter Mindfulness Retreat
VALLECITOS MOUNTAIN REFUGE
$10,000General & Unrestricted
SPIRIT ROCK MEDITATION CENTER
$10,000General & Unrestricted
SAN FRANCISCO ZEN CENTER
$10,000Tassajara Wildland Firefighter Retreat
SOUNDS TRUE FOUNDATION
$10,000"We Are The Great Turning" podcast
One Earth Sangha - website for Earth Awareness Community retreat program
NORTHWEST ZEN SANGHA
$10,000coordinating across Buddhist sanghas for energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements to temple buildings and offerings events that focus on ecological awareness
TRICYCLE FOUNDATION INC
$10,0002024 Buddhism and Ecology Gathering