David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness -Based Education and World Peace logo

David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness -Based Education and World Peace

Public charity · Grantmaker New York, NY EIN: 83-0436453 Website

The david lynch foundation for consciousness-based education and world peace (the "foundation or "dlf") is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization founded in 2005. The foundation helps to prevent and eradicate the epidemic of trauma and toxic stress among at-risk populations through widespread implementation of the evidence-based transcendental meditation (TM) program. The foundation works to establish mainstream understanding of the effects of TM among government, health, media, and business leaders, as well as the general public; raise funds to implement TM programs in institutions that serve at-risk populations; and support and facilitate independent research on the important health benefits of the TM program.

David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness -Based Education and World Peace at a glance

In short: David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness -Based Education and World Peace gave $196K across 2 grants in 2025 (avg $98K), mostly in Iowa. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.

Annual giving (2025)
$196,499
+241.0% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
2
+100.0% vs 2024
Average grant
$98,250
+70.5% vs 2024
Median grant
$98,250
Total assets
$13,264,043
+51.5% vs 2024
Primary geography
Iowa (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.

Who David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness -Based Education and World Peace funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 2 recipients in 2025

Maharishi Foundation USA Inc: $162KMaharishi Foundation USA Inc$162KGlobal Mother Divine Organization USA: $34KGlobal Mother DivineOrganization USA$34K

The largest 2025 recipient was Maharishi Foundation USA Inc ($162K). Together the top 2 received $196K.

Grant Size Distribution

16 grants across all recorded years

9<$50K5$50–100K2$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 9 grants of 16 (56%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

6states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 2 itemized grants.

Cities

FairfieldBostonNorth PotomacSan FranciscoSt. LouisTucson

How David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness -Based Education and World Peace gives

  • Giving fell 30% from 2022 to 2025. Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$250K$500K$750K$1M3 grants2019 3 grants2020 5 grants2021 5 grants2022 3 grants2023 1 grant2024 2 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $48K (2023) to $820K (2019). In 2025 it made 2 grants totaling $196K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Maharishi Foundation USA Inc Fairfield, IAConsciousness-Based Education$162,499
Global Mother Divine Organization USA Fairfield, IAConsciousness-Based Education$34,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsNet Investment Income
2025$13,264,043$7,268,023$7,666,089$196,4992$53,813
2024$8,753,831$8,875,141$9,054,680$57,6311$121,808
2023$10,269,967$9,331,816$9,313,384$47,9513$54,764
2022$9,280,358$8,736,448$8,598,088$280,4325$825
2021$9,454,852$7,009,779$6,540,872$158,5495$7,632
2020$9,611,116$7,902,186$8,193,820$242,6523$28,596
2019$9,146,964$12,419,511$12,528,655$820,0003$10,529

About David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness -Based Education and World Peace

Based on IRS filings

David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness -Based Education and World Peace is a public charity, based in New York, NY. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $13.3M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 2 grants totaling $196K. Net investment income was $54K.

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness -Based Education and World Peace is led by David Lynch, Chairman on every filing since 2019; 8 of 24 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • David Lynch

    Chairman

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Steven Chanin

    Executive Chairman

    Director → Executive Chairman, 2024

    On filings since 2019

    8 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Robert Roth Chief

    Executive Officer & Director

    On filings since 2023

    41 hrs/week

    $332K (2023) → $416K (2025)

  • Lynn Kaplan

    Regional Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    40 hrs/week

    $152K (2025)

  • Arthur Liebler

    Director

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Joanna Plafsky

    Director

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Mark Axelowitz

    Director

    Treasurer & Executive Chair → Treasurer, 2024

    Treasurer → Director, 2025

    On filings since 2019

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Orin Snyder

    Director

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Robert C. Jones

    Director

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Hassan Tetteh

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Nigol Koulajian

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Yolanda Lewis-Ragland

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Larry Comp

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Mark S. Nestor

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Mike Forman

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Sunali Sharma

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Fredda Plesser

    Executive Vice President

    On filings since 2019

    40 hrs/week

    $219K (2019) → $340K (2025)

  • Adam Friedman

    Vice President, Programs & Partnerships

    Senior Director & Programs → Vice President, Programs & Partnerships, 2024

    On filings since 2020

    40 hrs/week

    $108K (2020) → $157K (2025)

  • William Goldstein Secretary

    General Counsel - See Sch O

    On filings since 2022

    6 hrs/week

    $38K (2022) → $66K (2025)

  • Hayley Hanna

    Vice President, Programs & Partnerships

    On filings since 2023

    40 hrs/week

    $145K (2023) → $170K (2025)

  • Velky Marte

    Senior Vice President & Finance

    On filings since 2023

    32 hrs/week

    $142K (2023) → $162K (2025)

  • Vincent Decrescenzo

    Vice President, First Responder & Veterans Programs

    New on the 2025 filing

    40 hrs/week

    $155K (2025)

  • Nancy Chemtob

    Secretary

    Director → Secretary, 2025

    On filings since 2019

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Pegah Easton

    Treasurer

    Director → Treasurer, 2025

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (35)
  • Former: Jessica Harris (2019–2024) — Vice President
  • Former: Jill Black (2019–2024) — Director
  • Former: John Gardner (2020–2024) — Director
  • Former: David Goodman (2021–2024) — Director
  • Former: Jack Rovner (2021–2024) — Director
  • Former: Peter Dodge (2021–2024) — Director
  • Former: Natalie Ferrone Vp (2024) — Partnerships & Corporate Development
  • Former: Chris Joseph (2019–2023) — Director
  • Former: Iliane Ogilvie Thompson (2019–2023) — Director
  • Former: Jane Ottenberg (2019–2023) — Director
  • Former: Shruti Joshi (2019–2023) — Director
  • Former: Steve Abrams (2019–2023) — Director
  • Former: Ethelynn Kaplan (2020–2023) — Regional Director
  • Former: Steve Israel (2020–2023) — Director
  • Former: Susan Molinari (2020–2023) — Director
  • Former: Darcy Valenti Senior (2023) — Director & Strategic Initiatives
  • Former: Jonathan Haseltine Chief (2023) — Operating Officer
  • Former: Bruce Wilpon (2019–2022) — Director
  • Former: Jonathan Haseltine (2019–2022) — Chief Operating Officer
  • Former: Robert Roth (2019–2022) — President & CEO
  • Former: Velky Marte-Valentin (2020–2022) — Vice President & Finance
  • Former: Rebecca Fleming (2021–2022) — Associate Director of Finance
  • Former: David Ford (2019–2021) — Director
  • Former: William Goldstein (2019–2021) — Secretary
  • Former: Christina Schwefel (2019–2020) — Director
  • Former: Jennifer Leahy (2019–2020) — Director
  • Former: Nigon Koulejian (2019–2020) — Director
  • Former: Karin Buchholz (2020) — Chief Development Officer
  • Former: Aprajita Kalra (2019) — Former CFO
  • Former: Aryn L. Grossman (2019) — Vice Chair
  • Former: Barry Scherr (2019) — Director
  • Former: Ina Clark (2019) — Chief Philanthropy Officer
  • Former: Joseph Orsatti (2019) — Exe. Director, Center for Health & Wellness
  • Former: Patti Donatella (2019) — Director, Hr & People Development
  • Former: Salma Chodhury-Muro (2019) — Chief Program Officer

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Compensation Overview

From 2025 IRS filing

Robert Roth Chief — Executive Officer & Direct: $416KRobert Roth ChiefExecutive Officer & Direct$416KFredda Plesser — Executive VP: $340KFredda PlesserExecutive VP$340KHayley Hanna — VP, Programs & Partnerships: $170KHayley HannaVP, Programs & Partnerships$170KVelky Marte — SVP, Finance: $162KVelky MarteSVP, Finance$162KAdam Friedman — VP, Programs & Partnerships: $157KAdam FriedmanVP, Programs & Partnerships$157KVincent Decrescenzo — VP, First Responder/Veterans Programs: $155KVincent DecrescenzoVP, First Responder/Veterans…$155KLynn Kaplan — Regional Director, LA: $152KLynn KaplanRegional Director, LA$152KWilliam Goldstein Secretary — And General Counsel - See Sch O: $66KWilliam Goldstein…And General Counsel - See Sch O$66K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $416K, to Robert Roth Chief (Executive Officer & Direct). 8 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Frequently asked questions about David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness -Based Education and World Peace

How much does David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness -Based Education and World Peace give each year?

David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness -Based Education and World Peace gave $196K across 2 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $58K across 1 grant.

How large is David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness -Based Education and World Peace?

David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness -Based Education and World Peace reported $13.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $7.3M.

Where does David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness -Based Education and World Peace operate?

David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness -Based Education and World Peace has awarded grants in Arizona, California, Iowa, Massachusetts, Maryland, Missouri.

What is David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness -Based Education and World Peace's EIN?

David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness -Based Education and World Peace's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 83-0436453. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.

Data update history

(8)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS April 8, 2020)
  2. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 16, 2021)
  3. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 7, 2022)
  4. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 3, 2023)
  5. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 24, 2024)
  6. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 3, 2025)
  7. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 18, 2026)
  8. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness -Based Education and World Peace's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.

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