Dhammachai Foundation
Dhammachai Foundation is a public charity based in Chicago, Illinois. Formed in 2021, it supports the dissemination of Buddhism and Dhammakaya meditation, manages assets of member organizations in the United States, and supports religious and charitable organizations.
Dhammachai Foundation at a glance
In short: Dhammachai Foundation gave $128K across 11 grants in 2025 (avg $12K), top state California. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $127,887
- +59.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 11
- +1000.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $11,626
- -85.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $9,473
- Total assets
- $1,234,409
- +471.3% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- California (33% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Dhammachai Foundation
- Contact
Mailing address: 5849 N Nina Avenue, Chicago, IL 60631
Phone: (773) 433-6100
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Dhammachai Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Dhammakaya Meditation Center San Diego ($33K). Together the top 10 received $118K.
Grant Size Distribution
12 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 11 grants of 12 (92%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in Chicago, Illinois. Its 2025 grants went to organizations in California, Florida, Minnesota, Georgia, Illinois, Oregon, Kansas, New Jersey, and Texas. California accounted for 33% of grant dollars, Florida 15%, and Minnesota, Georgia, and Illinois 7% each.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2023 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $80K (2024) to $486K (2023). In 2025 it made 11 grants totaling $128K.
Hatched bars: grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Dhammakaya Meditation Center San Diego San Diego, CA | To set up a new center. Funds to support conducting meditation and buddhist study classes, retreat programs, and youth summer camp. | $33,157 |
| Minnesota Meditation Center Osseo, MN | Funds to support conducting meditation and buddhist study classes, retreat programs, and youth summer camp. | $9,473 |
| Florida Meditation Center Plant City, FL | Funds to support conducting meditation and buddhist study classes, retreat programs, and youth summer camp. | $9,473 |
| Dhammakaya Meditation Center Silicon Valley Morgan Hill, CA | Funds to support conducting meditation and buddhist study classes, retreat programs, and youth summer camp. | $9,473 |
| Georgia Meditation Center Atlanta, GA | Funds to support conducting meditation and buddhist study classes, retreat programs, and youth summer camp. | $9,473 |
| Meditation Center of Chicago Chicago, IL | Funds to support conducting meditation and buddhist study classes, retreat programs, and youth summer camp. | $9,473 |
| Oregon Meditation Center Portland, OR | Funds to support conducting meditation and buddhist study classes, retreat programs, and youth summer camp. | $9,473 |
| Dhammakaya Meditation Center Kansas Wichita, KS | Funds to support conducting meditation and buddhist study classes, retreat programs, and youth summer camp. | $9,473 |
| Dhammakaya Int'l Meditation Ctr New Jersey Fanwood, NJ | Funds to support conducting meditation and buddhist study classes, retreat programs, and youth summer camp. | $9,473 |
| Meditation Center of Texas Arlington, TX | Funds to support conducting meditation and buddhist study classes, retreat programs, and youth summer camp. | $9,473 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,234,409 | $1,980,868 | $958,013 | $127,887 | 11 | $83 |
| 2024 | $216,054 | $601,814 | $857,734 | $80,000 | 1 | $1,595 |
| 2023 | $471,974 | $545,742 | $586,876 | $485,547 | Total only | $45 |
| 2022 | $513,108 | $514,112 | $7,939 | — | — | $4 |
"Total only": grants paid as reported on the IRS filing, which lists no individual grants for that year.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is “to support and direct dissemination of Buddhism and Dhammakaya meditation, to manage assets of member organizations in the United States and to support religious organizations and charitable organizations as deemed appropriate.”
Its 2025 filing describes support for necessities for Buddhist temples and monastic communities, meditation and educational activities, Buddhist ordination, and programs involving Buddhist ethics, meditation, and community participation. Its TSB program provides financial support to 13 religious nonprofit organizations under section 501(c)(3) that share a meditation-based approach. Activities described include meditation sessions and classes, Buddhist education, youth summer camps, and retreats.
Among the 2025 grantees, Oregon Meditation Center describes its mission as operating and maintaining a temple to provide Buddhist practices, charitable contributions, and services. Meditation Center of Texas describes its mission as worshipping and praising Buddha, counseling and intangible spiritual benefits, meditation for world peace, and community services.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 11 grants totaling $127,887. Grant amounts ranged from $9,473 to $33,157, with a median of $9,473. The largest listed grant was $33,157 to Dhammakaya Meditation Center San Diego to set up a new center and support meditation and Buddhist study classes, retreats, and a youth summer camp.
Other listed 2025 grants of $9,473 each went to Minnesota Meditation Center, Florida Meditation Center, Dhammakaya Meditation Center Silicon Valley, Georgia Meditation Center, Meditation Center of Chicago, Oregon Meditation Center, Dhammakaya Meditation Center Kansas, Dhammakaya International Meditation Center New Jersey, Meditation Center of Texas, and Dhammakaya Meditation Center of Palm Beach. The stated purposes for these grants included supporting meditation and Buddhist study classes, retreat programs, and youth summer camps.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Phramaha Somboon Jongpatra as president; Wuttipong Sawetchai as treasurer; Phrahanchai Laepong as secretary; and Phrabhandit Sudhipan, Tawalsak Boonsiriwatanakul, and Phrasivet Kijkanjanapaiboon as directors.
Dhammachai Foundation is led by Phramaha Somboon Jongpatra, President on every filing since 2022; 1 of 6 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Phramaha Somboon Jongpatra
President
On filings since 2022
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Phrabhandit Sudhipan
Director
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Phrasivet Kijkanjanapaiboon
Director
On filings since 2022
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tawalsak Boonsiriwatanakul
Director
New on the 2025 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Wuttipong Sawetchai
Treasurer
On filings since 2022
10 hrs/week
$17K (2023) → $17K (2025)
Phrahanchai Laepong
Secretary
On filings since 2022
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Phrawitsanu Samuhawinyu (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Phra Tawalsak Boonsiriwattanakul (2024) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2022–2025. "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
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $17K, to Wuttipong Sawetchai (Treasurer).
Frequently asked questions about Dhammachai Foundation
How much does Dhammachai Foundation give each year?
Dhammachai Foundation gave $128K across 11 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $80K across 1 grant.
What is Dhammachai Foundation's typical grant size?
Dhammachai Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $9,473, and its average grant was $11,626, across 11 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Dhammachai Foundation give grants?
Dhammachai Foundation's top state is California, with 33% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Florida (15%) and Minnesota (7%).
Does Dhammachai Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on Dhammachai Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are Dhammachai Foundation's largest grantees?
Dhammachai Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Dhammakaya Meditation Center San Diego ($33,157), Minnesota Meditation Center ($9,473) and Florida Meditation Center ($9,473), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 41% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Dhammachai Foundation?
Dhammachai Foundation reported $1.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $2.0M.
What does Dhammachai Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is “to support and direct dissemination of Buddhism and Dhammakaya meditation, to manage assets of member organizations in the United States and to support religious organizations and charitable organizations as deemed appropriate.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Dhammachai Foundation?
Dhammachai Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Dhammachai Foundation's EIN?
Dhammachai Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 87-4002425. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2022–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(4)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS September 11, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 26, 2026)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 31, 2024)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2022–2024
Live grants for the work Dhammachai Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Dhammachai Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/dhammachai-foundation-morg_5b8973cda39748db8729c051198e1a7c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_874002425_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Dhammachai Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/dhammachai-foundation-morg_5b8973cda39748db8729c051198e1a7c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Dhammachai Foundation'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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