The Korean American Buddhist Foundation Inc concentrates its giving on supporting Korean-American Buddhist religious life, directing all recorded grants to a single temple partner. Its funding appears focused on contributions for worship, temple operations, and community religious activities rather than broad secular causes. The pattern suggests a narrowly focused, community-based philanthropic mission tied to a specific Buddhist congregation.
The largest recorded grant in the latest 990 data is $33,000 to Won Kak Sa for temple support, and that pattern defines Korean American Buddhist Foundation Inc’s giving. Across the grants on file, the foundation supports Buddhist worship and temple operations, while also making smaller contributions to community causes, scholarships for Buddhism students, and a few civic or charitable organizations. The grant record is compact and repeated, with Won Kak Sa appearing as the clearest anchor recipient over multiple years. Its religious giving is not limited to one type of support. Temple-related grants also went to Providence Zen Center, Bodhi Mind Zen Center, Borisa Zen Center, and Bo Kwang Sah, all framed as contributions to temples. Alongside those institutional gifts, the foundation made scholarship awards to named Buddhism students, including Miran Chung, Jong Suh Rhee, Kabjae Cho, and Hyon a Lee. This mix shows a funder that centers Korean-American Buddhist religious life while also supporting education within that tradition and selected charitable efforts connected to the broader community.
Temple support is the clearest theme in the record. In 2024, Korean American Buddhist Foundation Inc gave $5,000 to Providence Zen Center for a temple contribution, $2,000 to Bodhi Mind Zen Center for a temple contribution, and $1,000 to Bo Kwang Sah for a temple contribution. Those gifts sit alongside repeated support for Won Kak Sa, the foundation’s most visible recipient. Scholarships are another recurring line of giving. The foundation awarded $3,000 to Miran Chung in 2024 and $2,000 in 2023 for a Buddhism student scholarship, then made similar awards to Jong Suh Rhee, Kabjae Cho, and Hyon a Lee. Beyond the Buddhist field, the foundation also directed grants to food relief and charitable organizations, including Center for Food Action, Holy Apostle Soup Kitchen, Feeding America, and Doctors Without Borders.
Typical grants are small: the p25 is $1,175, the median is $2,000, and the p75 is $4,250. The record also includes a few larger temple gifts, but most awards cluster in the low-thousands. The grant history shows repeat giving to the same recipients across years, especially Won Kak Sa, Holy Apostle Soup Kitchen, Center for Food Action, Disabled American Veterans, Doctors Without Borders, Miran Chung, Jong Suh Rhee, and Paralyzed Veterans. The foundation appears to operate as a single-purpose private foundation, and it funds individuals as well as organizations.
$77K
$840K
$86K
$98K
Most grants fall between $1K and $4K, with a median of $2K.
25th Percentile
$1K
Median
$2K
75th Percentile
$4K
About 19% of grants go to recipients in NY.
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Highly concentrated giving: all recorded funds sent to one recurring grantee (repeat grants to a single temple), modest total dollars and few grants indicating targeted, relationship-based support.
Notable grantees: Won Kak Sa
Giving is national, with all recorded grants going to U.S. recipients. The most frequent recipient state is Ohio, while 19% of grants went to recipients in New Jersey, the foundation’s headquarters state. Recipient locations include Salisbury Mills, NY; Englewood, NJ; Toms River, NJ; Bronx, NY; Pinon Hills, CA; and Washington, DC. The spread also reaches Missouri, Rhode Island, Virginia, Kansas, Oregon, and California.
The record centers on Korean-American Buddhist religious life. Temple support is the main pattern, with grants labeled as temple contributions to Won Kak Sa, Providence Zen Center, Bodhi Mind Zen Center, Borisa Zen Center, and Bo Kwang Sah. The foundation also funds Buddhism student scholarships and a smaller set of charitable organizations.
Yes. It made scholarship awards to Buddhism students, including $3,000 to Miran Chung in 2024 and $2,000 to Jong Suh Rhee in both 2024 and 2023. Other scholarship recipients include Kabjae Cho and Hyon a Lee.
Typical awards are small. The grant-size distribution shows a p25 of $1,175, a median of $2,000, and a p75 of $4,250. That places most grants in the low-thousands, with only a few larger temple contributions above that range.
Its recipient geography is national, but the highest grant-count state is Ohio. New Jersey is also prominent: 19% of grants went to recipients in the HQ state, and recorded recipients include Englewood, Toms River, and other New Jersey locations.
Yes, but selectively. The recent record includes grants to Center for Food Action, Holy Apostle Soup Kitchen, Feeding America, Doctors Without Borders, Disabled American Veterans, Paralyzed Veterans, the Harry Truman Library, the Korean School of New York, Mount Washington Elementary School, and St Jude Children's Research Hospital.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WON KAK SA | SALISBURY MILLS, NY | $19,000 | 2026 | CONTRIBUTION TO TEMPLE |
| CENTER FOR FOOD ACTION | ENGLEWOOD, NJ | $8,000 | 2026 | CONTRIBUTION TO GOOD CAUSE |
| HOLY APOSTLE SOUP KITCHEN | TOMS RIVER, NJ | $7,000 | 2026 | CONTRIBUTION TO GOOD CAUSE |
| RUTGERS UNIVERSITY | PISCATAW, NJ | $5,000 | 2026 | CONTRIBUTION TO COMMUNITY SCHOOL |
| BOSTON UNIVERSITY | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2026 | CONTRIBUTION TO COMMUNITY SCHOOL |
| DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS | CINCINNATTI, OH | $4,000 | 2026 | CONTRIBUTION TO GOOD CAUSE |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS | HAGERSTOWN, MD | $4,000 | 2026 | CONTRIBUTION TO GOOD CAUSE |
| BUD ZEN CENTER | FLUSHING, NY | $3,000 | 2026 | CONTRIBUTION TO TEMPLE |
| MIRAN CHUNG | BRONX, NY | $3,000 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIP FOR BUDDHISM STUDENT |
| IKE EISENHOWER FOUNDATION | ABILENE, KS | $3,000 | 2026 | CONTRIBUTION TO LIBRARY |
| FRIENDS OF AI KWANG WON INC | MIDLOTHIAN, VA | $2,500 | 2026 | CONTRIBUTION TO CAUSE |
| FEEDING AMERICA | WASHINGTON, DC | $2,500 | 2026 | CONTRIBUTION TO GOOD CAUSE |
| INTERNATIONAL ZEN CENTER | PINON HILLS, CA | $2,000 | 2026 | CONTRIBUTION TO TEMPLE |
| HARRY TRUMAN LIBRARY | INDEPENDENCE, MO | $1,500 | 2026 | CONTRIBUTION TO LIBRARY |
| PARALYZED VETERANS | TOPEKA, KS | $1,000 | 2026 | CONTRIBUTION TO GOOD CAUSE |
| HYON A LEE | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIP FOR BUDDHISM STUDENT |
| MODERN BUDDHISM | GLEN SPEY, NY | $1,000 | 2026 | CONTRIBUTION TO TEMPLE |
| HEAN MEDITATION CENTER | CLOSTER, NJ | $1,000 | 2026 | CONTRIBUTION TO TEMPLE |
| LIVING WATER BAPTIST CHURCH | SHERWOOD, AR | $1,000 | 2026 | CONTRIBUTION TO CHURCH |
| KOREAN SCHOOL NY | WOODSIDE, NY | $1,000 | 2026 | CONTRIBUTION TO COMMUNITY SCHOOL |
| YONG HUI QUACH | ADNDOVER, MN | $1,000 | 2026 | CONTRIBUTION TO GOOD CAUSE |
| WON KAK SA | SALISBURY MILLS, NY | $62,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION TO TEMPLE |
| CENTER FOR FOOD ACTION | ENGLEWOOD, NJ | $6,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION TO GOOD CAUSE |
| HOLY APOSTLE SOUP KITCHEN | TOMS RIVER, NJ | $4,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION TO GOOD CAUSE |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS | HAGERSTOWN, MD | $3,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION TO GOOD CAUSE |
| FEEDING AMERICA | WASHINGTON, DC | $2,500 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION TO GOOD CAUSE |
| ST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPIT | NEW YORK, NY | $2,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION TO GOOD CAUSE |
| INTERNATIONAL ZEN CENTER | PINON HILLS, CA | $2,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION TO TEMPLE |
| BUD ZEN CENTER | FLUSHING, NY | $2,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION TO TEMPLE |
| DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS | CINCINNATTI, OH | $2,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION TO GOOD CAUSE |
| LIVING WATER BAPTIST CHURCH | SHERWOOD, AR | $1,500 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION TO CHURCH |
| HARRY TRUMAN LIBRARY | INDEPENDENCE, MO | $1,300 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION TO LIBRARY |
| HYON A LEE | NEW YORK, NY | $1,000 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIP FOR BUDDHISM STUDENT |
| BULKWANG ZEN CENTER | TAPPAN, NY | $1,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION TO TEMPLE |
| PARALYZED VETERANS | TOPEKA, KS | $1,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION TO GOOD CAUSE |
| REV HERRY GREVEMBERG | CUMBERLAND, RI | $1,000 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIP FOR BUDDHISM STUDENT |
| PROVIDENCE ZEN CENTER | CUMBERLAND, RI | $1,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION TO TEMPLE |
| JUNG MYUNG SA TEMPLE | FLUSHING, NY | $1,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION TO TEMPLE |
| MIRAN CHUNG | BRONX, NY | $1,000 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIP FOR BUDDHISM STUDENT |
| HEAN MEDITATION CENTER | CLOSTER, NJ | $1,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION TO TEMPLE |
| REV GYEONG SOON LEE | SALISBURY MILLS, NY | $1,000 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIP FOR BUDDHISM STUDENT |
| IKE EISENHOWER FOUNDATION | ABILENE, KS | $800 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION TO LIBRARY |
| HEIFER INTERNATIONAL | WASHINGTON, DC | $500 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION TO GOOD CAUSE |
| WON KAK SA | SALISBURY MILLS, NY | $16,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION TO TEMPLE |
| CENTER FOR FOOD ACTION | ENGLEWOOD, NJ | $6,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION TO GOOD CAUSE |
| HOLY APOSTLE SOUP KITCHEN | TOMS RIVER, NJ | $6,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION TO GOOD CAUSE |
| PROVIDENCE ZEN CENTER | CUMBERLAND, RI | $5,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION TO TEMPLE |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS | HAGERSTOWN, MD | $5,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION TO GOOD CAUSE |
| FEEDING AMERICA | WASHINGTON, DC | $4,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION TO GOOD CAUSE |
| MIRAN CHUNG | BRONX, NY | $3,000 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIP FOR BUDDHISM STUDENT |
WON KAK SA
$19,000CONTRIBUTION TO TEMPLE
CENTER FOR FOOD ACTION
$8,000CONTRIBUTION TO GOOD CAUSE
HOLY APOSTLE SOUP KITCHEN
$7,000CONTRIBUTION TO GOOD CAUSE
RUTGERS UNIVERSITY
$5,000CONTRIBUTION TO COMMUNITY SCHOOL
BOSTON UNIVERSITY
$5,000CONTRIBUTION TO COMMUNITY SCHOOL
DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS
$4,000CONTRIBUTION TO GOOD CAUSE
CONTRIBUTION TO GOOD CAUSE
BUD ZEN CENTER
$3,000CONTRIBUTION TO TEMPLE
MIRAN CHUNG
$3,000SCHOLARSHIP FOR BUDDHISM STUDENT
FRIENDS OF AI KWANG WON INC
$2,500CONTRIBUTION TO CAUSE
FEEDING AMERICA
$2,500CONTRIBUTION TO GOOD CAUSE
INTERNATIONAL ZEN CENTER
$2,000CONTRIBUTION TO TEMPLE
HARRY TRUMAN LIBRARY
$1,500CONTRIBUTION TO LIBRARY
PARALYZED VETERANS
$1,000CONTRIBUTION TO GOOD CAUSE
HYON A LEE
$1,000SCHOLARSHIP FOR BUDDHISM STUDENT
MODERN BUDDHISM
$1,000CONTRIBUTION TO TEMPLE
HEAN MEDITATION CENTER
$1,000CONTRIBUTION TO TEMPLE
LIVING WATER BAPTIST CHURCH
$1,000CONTRIBUTION TO CHURCH
KOREAN SCHOOL NY
$1,000CONTRIBUTION TO COMMUNITY SCHOOL
YONG HUI QUACH
$1,000CONTRIBUTION TO GOOD CAUSE
WON KAK SA
$62,000CONTRIBUTION TO TEMPLE
CENTER FOR FOOD ACTION
$6,000CONTRIBUTION TO GOOD CAUSE
HOLY APOSTLE SOUP KITCHEN
$4,000CONTRIBUTION TO GOOD CAUSE
INTERNATIONAL ZEN CENTER
$2,000CONTRIBUTION TO TEMPLE
BUD ZEN CENTER
$2,000CONTRIBUTION TO TEMPLE
DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS
$2,000CONTRIBUTION TO GOOD CAUSE
LIVING WATER BAPTIST CHURCH
$1,500CONTRIBUTION TO CHURCH
HARRY TRUMAN LIBRARY
$1,300CONTRIBUTION TO LIBRARY
HYON A LEE
$1,000SCHOLARSHIP FOR BUDDHISM STUDENT
BULKWANG ZEN CENTER
$1,000CONTRIBUTION TO TEMPLE
PARALYZED VETERANS
$1,000CONTRIBUTION TO GOOD CAUSE
REV HERRY GREVEMBERG
$1,000SCHOLARSHIP FOR BUDDHISM STUDENT
PROVIDENCE ZEN CENTER
$1,000CONTRIBUTION TO TEMPLE
JUNG MYUNG SA TEMPLE
$1,000CONTRIBUTION TO TEMPLE
MIRAN CHUNG
$1,000SCHOLARSHIP FOR BUDDHISM STUDENT
HEAN MEDITATION CENTER
$1,000CONTRIBUTION TO TEMPLE
REV GYEONG SOON LEE
$1,000SCHOLARSHIP FOR BUDDHISM STUDENT
IKE EISENHOWER FOUNDATION
$800CONTRIBUTION TO LIBRARY
HEIFER INTERNATIONAL
$500CONTRIBUTION TO GOOD CAUSE
WON KAK SA
$16,000CONTRIBUTION TO TEMPLE
HOLY APOSTLE SOUP KITCHEN
$6,000CONTRIBUTION TO GOOD CAUSE
PROVIDENCE ZEN CENTER
$5,000CONTRIBUTION TO TEMPLE
MIRAN CHUNG
$3,000SCHOLARSHIP FOR BUDDHISM STUDENT