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Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation

San Dimas, CA · EIN 94-2952782 · 501(c)(3) · Church
Latest filing: Form 990 for calendar year 2023 (tax year 2023) · View the filing · Correct or respond

Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation reported $35.3 million in revenue and $35.8 million in expenses for calendar year 2023. Of every $100 it spent, $91.23 went to program services, $6.74 to management and general costs and $2.03 to fundraising. Its largest source of revenue was contributions and grants: 80.9% of the total. The highest compensation it reported for one person was $120,000 (CEO). 1 person received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation. Source: Form 990, 2023.

Where $100 of spending went

Calendar year 2023 · Form 990, Part IX, line 25 · total expenses $36M

For context, the median across 290 covered religion-related charities: $88.39 programs, $9.62 management, $1.99 fundraising (medians computed separately, so they may not sum to $100).

Where $100 of revenue came from

Calendar year 2023 · Form 990, Part VIII · total revenue $35M

The 990 scorecard · same measures for every charity, no grades

2023 filing. Median across 290 covered charities in this category, from their latest filings.
Measure2023Median
Program services
Part IX 25(B) ÷ 25(A)
91.2%86.0%
Management & general
Part IX 25(C) ÷ 25(A)
6.7%9.4%
Fundraising
Part IX 25(D) ÷ 25(A)
2.0%1.9%
Fundraising cost per $1 of contributions
Part IX 25(D) ÷ Part VIII 1h
$0.03$0.04
Contributions & grants share of revenue
Part VIII 1h ÷ 12
80.9%83.4%
Government grants share of revenue
Part VIII 1e ÷ 12
0.0%0.0%
Program service revenue share
Part VIII 2g ÷ 12
6.9%2.3%
Highest reported compensation
Part VII-A, columns D–F
$120,000$276,040
Highest compensation as share of expenses
Part VII-A ÷ Part IX 25(A)
0.33%1.40%
People paid over $100,000
Part VII, line 2
14
Net assets, in months of expenses
Part X 33(B) ÷ monthly expenses
29.912.7
Independent voting board members
Part VI 1a–1b
13 of 1390.9%

A median is context, not a target: hospitals, universities, food banks and grantmakers spend in very different ways. What these measures can and can't tell you.

What the money paid for, in its own words

2023 · Form 990, Part III · the three largest programs by expense
$33M expenses · 100.0% of program spending · grants $1.1M · revenue $3.8M

Philanthropic and benevolent activities include participation in local community assistance through convalescent home visits, individual case relief, special education, youth outreach, prison outreach, meal distribution for the homeless, and book distribution.Medical services related activities include the conduct of medical research and studies for the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and other medical conditions, the establishment of nonprofit clinics and laboratories, the promotion of public health awareness, and the maintenance of a bone marrow registry .Instructional…

Highest reported compensation

2023 · Form 990, Part VII, Section A · roles as filed; names are in the filing, not here
RoleFrom this orgFrom related orgsOtherTotal
CEO
Director/trustee, officer, 40.00 hrs/week
$110,519$0$9,481$120,000

1 people received more than $100,000 in reportable compensation from Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation (Part VII, line 2). Compensation of current officers, directors and key employees totaled $302K (Part IX, line 5).

1 years of filings

Form 990, Parts I, VII, IX and X · each row is that year's own filing, linked
FilingRevenueExpensesProgramsNet assetsTop pay
2023 ⓘ$35M$36M91.2%$89M$120,000

Governance answers, as filed

2023 · the organization's own yes/no answers; explanations, if any, are in Schedule O of the filing · what each means
  • Voting board members, and how many are independent Part VI, lines 1a–1b13 · 13 independent
  • Audited financial statements Part XII 2bYes
  • Conflict-of-interest policy Part VI 12aYes
  • Whistleblower policy Part VI 13Yes
  • Document retention policy Part VI 14Yes
  • Independent process for top executive pay Part VI 15aYes
  • Board given the 990 before filing Part VI 11aYes
  • Family or business ties among insiders Part VI 2No
  • Aware of a significant diversion of assets Part VI 5No
  • Excess benefit transaction with an insider Part IV 25aNo
  • Loans to or from insiders outstanding Part IV 26No
  • Lobbying, or a 501(h) election in effect Part IV 4No
  • Over $15,000 of professional fundraising services Part IV 18No
  • Over $10,000 of activity outside the U.S. Part IV 14bNo
  • Employees Part I, line 5652
  • Volunteers Part I, line 616,969

Private foundation grants it received

27 private foundations reported grants to Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation totaling $551K on their tax year 2023 Form 990-PF returns. See which foundations, on WHOFUNDS.

Source: WHOFUNDS open grant graph, matched from Form 990-PF Part XV.

Correct a figure or respond

Every number above is copied from Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation's own Form 990. If one doesn't match the filing, that's our error and we'll fix it. If you work for Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation, you can publish a response that is linked from this page.

Similar-sized charities in this cause

All religion-related charities · Largest charities in California

Questions people ask

How much of Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation's spending goes to programs?

In calendar year 2023, Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation reported that 91.2% of its $35.8 million in expenses went to program services, 6.7% to management and general and 2.0% to fundraising (Form 990, Part IX).

How much does Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation pay its top executive?

The largest total compensation Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation reported for one person in calendar year 2023 was $120,000, for the role of CEO (Form 990, Part VII, including compensation from related organizations and other compensation).

Where does Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation get its money?

Of $35.3 million in revenue in calendar year 2023, 80.9% came from contributions and grants and 6.9% from program service revenue (Form 990, Part VIII).

Is Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation a registered charity?

The IRS lists EIN 94-2952782 as a 501(c)(3) organization (church), and its records show contributions as tax-deductible. Form 990 filings on record here cover tax years 2023. A filing shows what the organization reported; it doesn't by itself show whether a program works.

Sources

  • 2023: Form 990 for calendar year 2023, object 202433069349302233 · read the filing · XML

All filings for EIN 94-2952782: ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer · IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search. Figures are as the organization reported them; we have not audited them.