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TAI CHI FOUNDATION

NEW YORK, NY · EIN 133016452 · Form 990 · FY2024 · Small ($100K-$1M) · taichifoundation.org
revenue
$225K
expenses
$218K
net assets
$176K
employees
0
volunteers
10
program ratio
72%
mission · from form 990

PROVIDE TRAINING AND INSTRUCTION FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS AND TO SET UP AND MAINTAIN A PROGRAM FOR CERTIFICATION OF T'AI CHI INSTRUCTORS.

profile · synthesized from sources

The Tai Chi Foundation provides training and certification programs for tai chi students and instructors, emphasizing traditional principles and the five excellences of Professor Cheng Man-ch’ing. It offers monthly educational classes accessible to members and non-members, covering tai chi practice, philosophy, and related arts such as calligraphy, poetry, and traditional Chinese medicine. The organization operates primarily online, serving a global audience.

named programs · 3 · from sources

What they call their work

Five Excellences Program
Series exploring the five disciplines mastered by Professor Cheng Man-ch’ing: Tai Chi, medicine, calligraphy, painting, and poetry, integrating them into practice and understanding
Member Access to Recordings
TCF members can access a library of recordings from past Time in the Art classes, enabling ongoing learning and review
Time in the Art
Monthly online classes for all levels of Tai Chi students, covering tai chi principles, the five excellences of Professor Cheng Man-ch’ing, and related topics such as poetry, calligraphy, and traditional Chinese medicine
activities · 1 group

What they do

  • Tai Chi and Mind-Body Wellness Instruction 3 activities
    • Delivers tai chi and qigong instruction to students
      Provides in-person and online tai chi and qigong classes for students of all levels, including monthly classes, bi-monthly Open House events, seasonal Qigong Tunings, and virtual retreats focused on stress management and relaxation. Offers both free and paid live and on-demand courses through global affiliated schools and the Teachable platform.
    • Produces and distributes educational materials for tai chi and qigong
      Creates and distributes instructional videos, DVDs, and on-demand course series—including The Eight Ways of Tai Chi Chuan, Time in the Art Series, and Roots & Branches 5 Element Qigong—for student learning and practice. Materials are offered as free teaching aids or through paid platforms and include supplementary content such as rare archival footage.
    • Trains and develops tai chi instructors
      Operates a certification program and structured curriculum for training tai chi instructors, using a team-teaching method. Hosts regular Winter and Summer Trainings, international teacher training weeks twice per year, and specialized sessions for teachers to share teaching strategies and deepen practice knowledge.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$225K
Contributions & grants$65K29%
Program service revenue$133K59%
Investment income$130%
Other revenue$26K
expenses
Total expenses$218K
Program expenses72%
Admin / overhead26%
Fundraising1%
Salaries & benefits$33K
Grants paid out$4K
Largest expense lineProfessional Fees
balance sheet
Total assets$227K
Cash$179K
Investments$0
Liabilities$51K
Net assets$176K
Liquid reserves9.8 mo
5 years on record · 2020–2024 · YoY revenue +7.4%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 5
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
PENNY HARRISON FOUNDATION ADMINISTRATOR 20 $12K
STEVE SHULMAN TREASURER 4 $4K
ANNA TEEPLES DIRECTOR 4 $2K
MICHAEL TILLMAN VICE PRESIDENT 4 $2K
ANNE SMYERS SECRETARY 4 $1K
board members · 4
  • CHARLOTTE ZINSSER BOOTH — DIRECTOR
  • JESSE LEINFELDER — DIRECTOR
  • MIKE BARKHAM — PRESIDENT
  • OLIVER HERZFELD — DIRECTOR
relationships · 9

Who they work with

  • Cheng Man Ch’ing Partner — Teaches a tai chi lineage derived from Cheng Man Ch’ing, who studied under Yang Cheng Fu.
  • Legacy Advisory Committee Partner — Advises the Board on matters related to the teachings and legacy of the organization.
  • Linda Bisberg Partner — Apprentice instructor participating in workshop instruction
  • Margaret Matsumoto Partner — Legacy Holder leading workshop instruction
  • Patrick Watson Partner — School's founder featured in rare archival footage included in educational materials.
  • Peter Schwartz Partner — 8th Level instructor leading workshop instruction
  • Professor Cheng Man-ch'ing Network — Organization's programs are based on the teachings and five excellences of Professor Cheng Man-ch'ing.
  • Teachable Partner — Platform partner for hosting on-demand tai chi classes.
  • Teachable Partner — Platform used for delivering online tai chi courses.
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.

  • Dantian-Centered Movement for Foundational Practice
    methodology: dantian-centered_movement
    By teaching tai chi with emphasis on movement initiated from the dantian, the organization builds effective practice because this internal principle is believed to unify body and energy, forming the core of authentic tai chi expression.
  • Integrative Qigong as Holistic Mind-Body Practice
    methodology: integrative_qigong
    By integrating Yang Style Tai Chi with Classical 5 Element Chinese Medicine, the organization creates a holistic qigong practice that transforms body, mind, and spirit, because aligning movement with traditional medical theory enhances therapeutic and energetic effects.
  • Mind-Body Resilience Through Accessible Tai Chi Exercises
    methodology: mind-body_resilience_training
    By teaching simple, accessible tai chi and qigong exercises, the organization helps individuals build inner peace and personal stress management tools, because low-barrier practices increase adoption and sustain engagement in self-regulation and resilience.
  • Standardized Curriculum and Team Teaching for Instructional Consistency
    methodology: standardized-curriculum-and-team-teaching
    By using a standardized curriculum and team-teaching approach, the organization ensures consistent, high-quality instruction across locations and instructors, because shared pedagogy and collaborative teaching reinforce fidelity to the method and support deeper student learning.