Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation is a grant-making public charity founded in 2008 and based in Redmond, Washington. The foundation is supported by the worldwide True Buddha School community and operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Although guided by Buddhist principles and the teachings of H.H. Living Buddha Lian Sheng, the foundation's mission and reach encompass people of all faiths and backgrounds.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$10.9M
-5.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.1M
+23.4% YoY
Grant Count
67
+31.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$32K
-6.1% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation strives to combine compassion and philanthropy with strategic grant-making to advance and promote quality health and education for all.
The foundation's core belief system includes:
- Immigration is a source of strength and vitality for the United States
- Education and healthcare are basic human rights and should be accessible to all
- Solutions to systemic inequities must be rooted in the affected communities
- The foundation proudly supports immigrant and BIPOC leadership and invests in community-based systems change efforts
- Accountability and transparency are fundamental to operations
- Connectedness, compassion through acts of charity, and combined human goodwill are cornerstones to effecting positive change
Primary funding areas include:
- Health & Education Access
- Immigrant Justice
- Lotus Scholarship
- Empowering Communities
The foundation also supports grants for public health, mental health, nonprofit human services, poverty alleviation, and reproductive health.
Grantmaking
Grant Range
s:** Typical awards range from $500 to $250,000.
Invitation Only
** The foundation accepts applications by invitation only. Prospective applicants are encouraged to network with past grantees to gain an introduction.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation primarily focuses on serving low-income immigrant and refugee communities in Washington's King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties. The foundation also funds efforts in California and the District of Columbia.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets: $10.9 million to $11.5 million (as of 2023)
Annual Revenue: $2.04 million (2023)
Annual Expenses: $2.32 million (2023)
Total Giving: $2.26 million
Liabilities: $5,000 (2023)
Staff: 4 employees
Tax-Exempt Status: Tax-exempt since May 2009; EIN: 26-3276872
Rating: The foundation holds a Three-Star rating with a score of 78%, indicating a "Good" overall rating based on accountability and finance metrics.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $10,879,677 | $11,502,957 | $10,801,811 |
| Revenue | $1,796,335 | $2,043,207 | $1,887,190 |
| Expenses | $2,601,527 | $2,322,846 | $2,598,773 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $1,192,454 | $660,292 | $120,036 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
2 open opportunities from Sheng-yen Lu Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Byrd Barr Place ($125,000), Healthpoint ($90,000), Asian Counseling and Referral Service ($43,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 1ST TONGAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY OF WASHINGTON BURIEN, WA | COMMUNITY LED GRANTMAKING, EMERGENT NEEDS | $10,000 |
| AFGHAN HEALTH INITIATIVE AUBURN, WA | HEALTH AND EDUCATION ACCESS | $28,000 |
| AFRICAN COMMUNITY HOUSING & DEVELOPMENT SEATAC, WA | SPONSORSHIP, JUSTICE FUND | $33,000 |
| AFRICAN YOUNG DREAMERS EMPOWERMENT PROGRAM INTL FEDERAL WAY, WA | COMMUNITY LED GRANTMAKING, EMERGENT NEEDS | $10,000 |
| AFRICANS ON THE EASTSIDE BELLEVUE, WA | COMMUNITY LED GRANTMAKING, EMERGENT NEEDS | $10,000 |
| ALIMENTANDO AL PUEBLO BURIEN, WA | COMMUNITY LED GRANTMAKING, EMERGENT NEEDS | $10,000 |
| API CHAYA SEATTLE, WA | SPONSORSHIP, HEALTH AND EDUCATION ACCESS | $35,000 |
| ASIAN AMERICAN JOURNALISTS ASSOCIATION WASHINGTON, DC | JUSTICE FUND | $30,000 |
| ASIAN COUNSELING AND REFERRAL SERVICE SEATTLE, WA | SPONSORSHIP, HEALTH AND EDUCATION ACCESS | $43,000 |
| BYRD BARR PLACE SEATTLE, WA | SABBATICAL PROGRAM SUPPORT | $125,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation was founded by H.H. Living Buddha Lian Sheng in 2008. Living Buddha Lian Sheng is the founder of the True Buddha School, which has over five million disciples around the world. He teaches at the Ling Shen Ching Tze Temple in Redmond, Washington.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| FO-CHING LU | PRESIDENT | 20 | — |
| SUSAN YANG | SECRETARY | 1 | — |
| ANDREW ROBERTS | TREASURER | 20 | — |
| HEATHER EDLUND | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DEXTER KUAH | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| TERESA PIERSA | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| HUMA ZARIF | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| RACHEL ALLEN | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 30 | $99,366 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation has announced multiple grant cycles awarding funds to nonprofit organizations focused on health and education in the Seattle area. The foundation is a founding member of the Washington Immigrant and Refugee Funder Collaborative.
Press Release \u2013 SYL Foundation Awards $227,500 in Health & Education\The foundation maintains a commitment to racial equity, recognizing that institutional and systemic racism causes disproportionate inequities for Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) communities, as well as for immigrants and refugees facing language barriers and other systemic challenges.
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Sheng-yen Lu Foundation fund?
The foundation strives to combine compassion and philanthropy with strategic grant-making to advance and promote quality health and education for all. The foundation's core belief system includes: • Immigration is a source of strength and vitality for the United States • Education and healthcare are basic human rights and should be accessible to all • Solutions to systemic inequities must be rooted in the affected communities • The foundation proudly supports immigrant and BIPOC leadership and …
How do I apply for a grant from Sheng-yen Lu Foundation?
**Grant Sizes:** Typical awards range from $500 to $250,000. **Recent Activity:** The foundation awarded $227,500 in health and education grants to nonprofits in one funding cycle and $240,000 in another cycle. In 2015, the foundation awarded over $316,000 in grants to Seattle-area nonprofit organizations, Lotus Scholars, and Nepal Earthquake Recovery efforts. **Application Process:** The foundation accepts applications by invitation only. Prospective applicants are encouraged to network with p…
Where does Sheng-yen Lu Foundation make grants?
Sheng-Yen Lu Foundation primarily focuses on serving low-income immigrant and refugee communities in Washington's King, Pierce, and Snohomish counties. The foundation also funds efforts in California and the District of Columbia.
What size grants does Sheng-yen Lu Foundation award?
In 2024, Sheng-yen Lu Foundation awarded 67 grants totaling $2.1M — an average of about $32K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Sheng-yen Lu Foundation's EIN?
Sheng-yen Lu Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-3276872. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Sheng-yen Lu Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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