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DHARMA GATES INC
COLD SPRING, NY · EIN 844831330 · Form 990 · FY2024 · NTEE B99 · Education · Small ($100K-$1M) · dharma-gates.org
revenue
$663K
expenses
$332K
net assets
$397K
employees
0
program ratio
56%
mission · from form 990

TO OPEN PATHWAYS INTO DEEP MEDITATION PRACTICE FOR YOUNG ADULTS.

profile · synthesized from sources

DHARMA GATES INC is a nonprofit organization based in Cold Spring, NY, dedicated to making deep meditation practice accessible to young adults. The organization offers online events, podcasts, and retreats featuring teachers from diverse Buddhist traditions. It emphasizes accessibility, community, and transformative practice experiences, particularly for those who might not otherwise afford such opportunities.

irs program accomplishments · form 990 part iii · fy2024

What they reported doing

  1. #1 primary $0
    NEWSLETTER. WE OFFER A MONTHLY NEWSLETTER AND MEMBERSHIP VIA EMAIL,PHONE, ZOOM COLLATING AND OFFERINGS AND OTHER PRACTICE RESOURCES FOR OUR AUDIENCE. TOTAL ESTIMATED COST: $2,400 TOTAL PEOPLE IMPACTED 9600
  2. #2 $0
    ONLINE EVENTS. WE OFFER ZOOM EVENTS WITH TEACHERS FROM A VARIETY OF BACKGROUNDS. TOTAL ESTIMATED COST IN STAFF TIME $6,500.TOTAL PARTICIPANTS IMPACTED 115
named programs · 4 · from sources

What they call their work

Dharma Gates Podcast
Monthly podcast featuring dialogues with Buddhist teachers from various traditions, exploring meditation, ordination, and the integration of dharma into modern life.
Newsletter and Membership
Monthly newsletter and email-based membership providing curated practice resources, event announcements, and community updates to approximately 9,600 people.
Online Events
Live Zoom events with teachers from diverse Buddhist lineages, offering teachings and practice guidance. Reached 115 participants in 2024.
Retreats
Weeklong silent meditation retreats for young adults, offered at low or no cost to ensure accessibility. Designed to provide immersive practice experiences in supportive community settings.
activities · 5 groups

What they do

  • Spiritual Development & Meditation Programs 4 activities
    • Delivering meditation programs for young adults
      Provides immersive meditation experiences tailored for young adults through in-person and online events, including college campus programs. Focuses on reducing conceptual, logistical, and financial barriers to access. Has created meditation opportunities for over 1,500 young adults.
    • Hosting meditation retreats and events
      Organizes and hosts in-person and online meditation retreats, workshops, and events across multiple Buddhist traditions, including multi-day retreats and introductory experiences. These are offered on a donation basis with no required fees, and the organization covers all associated costs such as housing, meals, teacher fees, and venue rentals. Specific events include the Luminous Bones Retreat in 2023 and themed gatherings like "Dharma Art" and "Energetic Zen."
    • Hosting online meditation events and community gatherings
      Conducts regular online meditation events and community gatherings via Zoom, including monthly sessions with group meditation and open Q&A on Dharma topics. Also hosts special events featuring teachers from diverse Buddhist backgrounds, reaching audiences such as 115 participants in reported events.
    • Providing meditation advising and guidance
      Offers one-on-one advising services to individuals seeking to deepen their meditation practice or explore residential monastic training. Services include personalized sessions to understand aspirations, connect individuals with appropriate resources, recommend compatible practice centers, and facilitate phone calls with current or former monastery residents. The organization has provided guidance to over 125 individuals.
  • Interfaith and Spiritual Dialogue Programs 1 activity
    • Distributing meditation resources through newsletters and digital media
      Produces and distributes a monthly newsletter and meditation practice resources to a community of 9,600 people via email, phone, and Zoom. Also creates a podcast series that shares teachings from various Buddhist traditions.
  • Vegan Advocacy & Community Engagement 1 activity
    • Ensuring ethical and inclusive program operations
      Operates programs with a commitment to participant safety, integrity, and respect for autonomy. Serves vegan meals at events and ensures all non-food purchases (e.g., meditation cushions, cleaning supplies) are vegan and not animal-tested. Collects and securely stores limited health information only for retreat safety and screening purposes.
  • Transportation Access Support 1 activity
    • Providing financial and logistical support for retreat access
      Offers limited financial assistance for transportation to in-person retreats, including help with gas costs or bus tickets, and coordinates ride-sharing. Ensures retreats are accessible by removing financial barriers through donation-based participation and full cost coverage.
  • Nonprofit Capacity Building Services 1 activity
    • Supporting donation-based models in other organizations
      Provides capacity-building support to other organizations and individuals transitioning to donation-based models for offering meditation teachings or spiritual services.
financials · form 990 · fy2024
revenue
Total revenue$663K
Contributions & grants$663K100%
Program service revenue$00%
Investment income$00%
Other revenue$0
expenses
Total expenses$332K
Program expenses56%
Admin / overhead40%
Fundraising5%
Salaries & benefits$207K
Grants paid out$0
Largest expense lineCompensation
balance sheet
Total assets$399K
Cash$399K
Investments$0
Liabilities$2K
Net assets$397K
Liquid reserves14.4 mo
3 years on record · 2022–2024 · YoY revenue +250.5%
leadership · form 990 part vii · fy2024

Who runs it

paid leadership · 2
NameTitleHours/wkCompensation
AARON STRYKER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR 21 $27K
NICHOLAS ANTONELLIS SECRETARY TREASURER 15 $20K
relationships · 20

Who they work with

  • BESS Funder — Funder that awarded a grant in 2024 to support evidence-based mindfulness and meditation programs addressing climate change and biodiversity loss.
  • Berkeley Buddhist Monastery Partner — Notes that Bhikshu Jin Chuan frequented Berkeley Buddhist Monastery during his studies.
  • Buddhist teachers Partner — Collaborates with Buddhist teachers to deliver meditation retreats and programming for young adults.
  • City of Ten Thousand Buddhas Partner — References Bhikshu Jin Chuan's residency and training at the City of Ten Thousand Buddhas as part of his monastic path.
  • Clear Sky Retreat Centre Partner — Features Catherine Pawasarat Sensei from Clear Sky Retreat Centre in a podcast episode discussing meditation practice and lineage.
  • Great Vow Zen Monastery Partner — Features Patrick Kennyo Dunn, an ordained Soto Zen Priest at Great Vow Zen Monastery, in a podcast episode.
  • Hemera Foundation Funder — Funder that awarded grants to DHARMA GATES INC in 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025 to support contemplative practices and dharma programs.
  • Korinji Partner — Features Meido Moore Roshi, abbot of Korinji monastery in Wisconsin, in multiple podcast episodes about Rinzai Zen practice.
  • Lama Tsultrim Allione Partner — Guest speaker and contributor to Dharma Art programming.
  • Lenz Foundation Funder — Funder that awarded grants in 2019 and 2022 to support the development of an American society grounded in Buddhist values.
  • Nalanda Institute for Contemplative Science Partner — Features Joe Loizzo, founder of the Nalanda Institute for Contemplative Science, in a discussion on Buddhism, neuroscience, and psychotherapy.
  • Redwood Vihara Partner — Features Bhikshu Jin Chuan discussing his efforts at founding and developing Redwood Vihara.
  • Tara Mandala Partner — Co-hosted registration and ticketing for the Dharma Art event.
  • Tibet House Partner — Host venue for the Dharma Art event.
  • Wesleyan University Funder — Funder that awarded a grant in 2019 through its Entrepreneurship Foundation to support impactful student ventures, including DHARMA GATES INC.
  • Zen Mountain Monastery Partner — Features Roshi Geoffrey Shugen Arnold, abbot of Zen Mountain Monastery, in a podcast episode discussing monastic training.
  • practice centers Partner — Partners with meditation practice centers across the United States and abroad to offer retreats and training opportunities.
  • team@dharma-gates.org Government — Contact email for providing support to organizations and individuals transitioning to donation-based models.
  • team@dharma-gates.org Government — Designated contact point for questions about data protection, ethics, and safety commitments.
  • team@dharma-gates.org Partner — Primary contact point for community feedback on inclusivity and accessibility improvements.
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.

  • Barrier-Free Accessibility Model
    methodology: barrier_free_access
    By eliminating financial barriers such as fixed fees, sliding scales, and scholarship applications, we increase access to meditation for young adults and marginalized groups, because structural simplicity and economic inclusivity produce higher engagement and reduce stigma around participation.
  • Community-Integrated Spiritual Practice
    methodology: community_based_practice
    By combining meditation with community connection, relational practices like circling, rotating teachers, and peer support, we enhance the sustainability and depth of practice among young adults, because relational accountability and diverse perspectives foster resilience and belonging that solitary practice does not.
  • Dharma Integration Through Accessible Dialogue and Art
    methodology: dialogue_art_integration
    By using dialogue-based formats like podcasts and integrating artistic expression with Vajrayana practice, we make Buddhist teachings more accessible and personally resonant, because conversational and creative modalities engage identity, emotion, and imagination in ways that traditional instruction alone cannot.
  • Transformative Retreat Environment Theory
    methodology: transformative_retreat_experience
    By providing high-quality meditation retreats in supportive, nature-conducive environments, we enable deep personal transformation, because immersive, safe, and well-designed conditions allow psychological and spiritual breakthroughs that ripple into broader societal impact.