named programs · 7 · from sources
What they call their work
Dharmakaya Center for Wellbeing (大印山)
Residential meditation and wellness center in New York offering long- and short-term retreats in Buddhist practice, yoga, and holistic health; recognized as one of the top five meditation centers in the U.S. by USA Today
Eight Great Stupas Park (Taiwan)
Planned Buddhist pilgrimage and meditation park in Taiwan, currently in development, intended to promote spiritual practice and cultural exchange
Insight Vision Academy (IVA)
Planned educational initiative in northern Nepal supported by the Trungram Foundation, aiming to upgrade rural schools through teacher training, curriculum enhancement, and student housing
Lumbini Udyana Mahachaitya (Blue Lotus Great Stupa)
Spiritual and cultural center in Lumbini, Nepal, established as a UNESCO World Heritage site; serves as a global peace and unity center open to all, hosting meditation, lectures, and interfaith events
Nepal Trungram Monastery
Monastic institution in Sankhu, Nepal, training young monks in Buddhist studies, languages, and meditation; rebuilt after the 2015 Nepal earthquake
Tibet Trungram Monastery Reconstruction
Rebuilding and restoration of the historic Trungram Monastery in Tibet destroyed in the 2010 Yushu earthquake, preserving the unique three-year oral transmission retreat tradition
Trungram International Academy (TIA)
Private K-10 school in Nepal providing high-quality bilingual education to over 200 students, with scholarships for underprivileged and minority children; emphasizes compassion, global citizenship, and small-class instruction
activities · 7 groups
What they do
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Buddhist Religious Ceremonies & Teachings 2 activities
- Advocate for Buddhism nationally and internationallyRepresents Buddhist interests through leadership roles such as serving as president and advisor of Nepal’s Dharmodaya Sabha (National Buddhist Association) and representing Nepal at international forums like the International Buddhist Conference in Australia.
- Organize international religious events and ceremoniesHosts large-scale prayer ceremonies, butter lamp offerings, and empowerment events at significant Buddhist sites such as Lumbini (Nepal) and Taiwan, often under the guidance of senior lamas. Examples include the 2023 Amitabha empowerment in Taiwan and the 2024 butter lamp offering in Lumbini.
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Spiritual Development & Meditation Programs 2 activities
- Operate meditation and retreat centersManages physical and online meditation programs including weekly and monthly group sessions, structured practice curricula, short- and long-term retreats (e.g., Eight Precepts, White Tara, Medicine Buddha), and large-scale retreat centers such as Dharmakaya Center in New York and facilities around Dzongsar Monastery.
- Provide Buddhist teachings and spiritual guidanceOffers public Dharma lectures, Buddhist precepts, empowerments, meditation guidance, and religious ceremonies led by resident or guest teachers, including senior lamas, across multiple countries. Activities are conducted at local centers, retreats, and online platforms.
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Community Service and Charitable Outreach 1 activity
- Conduct charitable and environmental volunteer initiativesEngages in humanitarian care, ecological protection, and community service activities globally, including organizing school construction and supporting home-based practice groups that share learning experiences.
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Direct Clinical Care Delivery 1 activity
- Deliver healthcare and emergency aidProvides medical care through clinics and annual medical camps in developing countries, with student involvement from Trungram International Academy. Also delivers emergency aid following natural disasters, including post-earthquake reconstruction of monasteries in Tibet and Nepal.
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Fundraising for Community and Charitable Initiatives 1 activity
- Fund charitable and religious activities through sales and donationsGenerates funding for charitable work by selling Buddhist religious items such as prayer flags, statues, malas, thangkas, and recorded chants, and uses unrestricted donations to support public lectures and resident teachers.
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Tibetan Cultural Preservation and Language Education 1 activity
- Promote and preserve Buddhist traditions and archivesMaintains an archive of recorded teachings by Rinpoche, including transcripts and summaries available online. Works to preserve the Nyengyu oral transmission lineage and supports the reconstruction of sacred sites such as stupas and monasteries damaged by earthquakes.
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Support for Tibetan Buddhist Communities 1 activity
- Support Buddhist education and monastic trainingOperates Trungram International Academy in Nepal with over 200 students and 40 staff, and provides religious and language education to more than thirty monks at Trungnam Institute in Nepal. Courses include Buddhist studies, Tibetan, Sanskrit, English, and Chinese. Supports advanced study by sending selected lamas to institutions like Nalanda Buddhist Institute in India.
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financials · form 990EZ · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$11K
Contributions & grants$11K100%
Program service revenue——
Investment income——
Other revenue—
expenses
Total expenses$21K
Program expenses—
Admin / overhead—
Fundraising—
Salaries & benefits—
Grants paid out—
balance sheet
Total assets$303K
Cash—
Investments—
Liabilities—
Net assets$-146K
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue -70.3%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024
Who runs it
board members · 3
- BARTON DAO BON LEE — DIRECTOR
- DAVID TSANG — DIRECTOR
- PHURPA T ATI — DIRECTOR
relationships · 13
Who they work with
- 17th Karmapa Ogyen Trinley Dorje Partner — Conducted retreats together in France under the leadership of Khenchen Rinpoche.
- Dharmagaya Center Partner — Current primary center where Khenchen Rinpoche guides retreats and ritual practices in upstate New York.
- Dharmakaya Center for Wellbeing Network — Part of the broader Dharmakaya network offering meditation and wellness programs in the United States.
- Dharmakaya Center for Wellbeing Partner — Hosts UTBF's Dharma exploration course in the United States.
- Dharmodaya Sabha Government — National Buddhist Association of Nepal where Rinpoche served as president and currently advises
- Nalanda Buddhist Institute Partner — Sends lamas for advanced study at this institution in Varanasi, India.
- Trungram Global Foundation Partner — Collaborates on the operation of Insight Vision Academy (IVA), including student scholarships, staff selection, and performance reporting.
- Trungram Gyalwa Rinpoche Government — Founded and initiated UTBF as a spiritual leader guiding the organization's teachings and mission.
- Trungram International Academy Partner — Collaborates with TIA to involve students in service activities such as annual medical camps.
- Zhongnang Chokyi Rinpoche Partner — Longstanding spiritual teacher-student relationship; Khenchen Rinpoche served as personal instructor and continues to work closely with him.
- 十六世大寶法王 Partner — Provided recognition and transmitted teachings including empowerments and transmissions such as the Amitayus practice to the Third Trungram Gyaltrul Rinpoche.
- 台灣UTBF的環台八大佛塔籌建委員 Partner — Manages the Eight Stupas Around Taiwan construction project on behalf of UTBF.
- 噶瑪巴讓雍多傑 Partner — Authored Chos drug qser zhun ma (The Six Dharma Points Like Gold), which serves as the basis for the lineage chart presented on the website.
strategies · 4
How they approach the work
Named approaches extracted from this org’s sources. Where others share an approach, follow it to see the full set of orgs running it.
- Compassion-Centered Education and Servicemethodology: compassion_based_serviceBy using education and humanitarian service as primary vehicles for cultivating compassion, inclusivity, and global citizenship, we generate social contribution and inner transformation because compassionate action is viewed as both an expression of awakening and a means to deepen it, especially when directed toward marginalized communities.
- Integrated Practice Model for Modern Lay Practitionersmethodology: integrated_lay_practiceBy adapting traditional Buddhist practices—through structured lay curricula, retreats, mindfulness, yoga, and holistic well-being activities—into accessible formats integrable into daily life, we make spiritual development sustainable for modern practitioners because rigid monastic models alone cannot meet contemporary needs or maximize societal benefit.
- Lineage-Based Spiritual Transmissionmethodology: lineage_based_transmissionBy preserving and transmitting Buddhist teachings through authentic spiritual lineages—such as that of Milarepa and the Kagyu oral tradition—we enable personal transformation and ensure the continuity of rare, unbroken wisdom because direct transmission from qualified teachers is believed to carry transformative power essential for genuine awakening.
- Teacher-Centered Path to Liberationmethodology: teacher_centered_pathBy following authorized spiritual mentors and lamas, practitioners access the true meaning of Buddhist teachings and achieve self-liberation and lasting happiness because guidance from realized teachers is seen as the most reliable and effective path to realizing the nature of mind and integrating practice into life.