Tsadra Foundation
Tsadra Foundation is a privately funded nonprofit trust established in New York City in 2000 and based in New York, New York. Its filing type is a private foundation. The Foundation supports the combined study and practice of Tibetan Buddhism in the West, including contemplative training and the translation of Buddhist texts.
Tsadra Foundation at a glance
In short: Tsadra Foundation gave $1.4M across 65 grants in 2024 (avg $21K), top state New York. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,374,889
- -0.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 65
- -4.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $21,152
- +4.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $8,212
- Total assets
- $1,060,731
- +153.1% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- New York (13% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Tsadra Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for grants. It identifies grant candidates through referrals from an advisory panel. The website says it accepts scholarship requests as described in the relevant scholarship sections. For the Distinguished Research Grant, a proposal and letter of intent are required once a candidate is identified.
- Contact
Mailing address: 245 West 4Th Street, New York, NY 10014
Phone: (212) 989-5889
Website: https://tsadra.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Tsadra Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Wisdom Publications ($53K). Together the top 10 received $255K.
Organizations only. It also paid 53 grants to individuals ($1,117,461), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
348 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 313 grants of 348 (90%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s 2024 grant dollars included recipients in New York (13%), Massachusetts (6%), Colorado (5%), and New Jersey (5%). The filing also reports a 60% share for an unidentified state entry. The Foundation’s website describes its work as supporting Tibetan Buddhist study and practice in the West. It states that there are no location restrictions on where work supported by the Distinguished Research Grant may be conducted.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 65 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Tsadra Foundation gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−1%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $793K (2020) to $1.6M (2022). In 2024 it made 65 grants totaling $1.4M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 42 grants to individuals Recipients not named | — | $1,058,706 |
| Wisdom Publications Somerville, MA | Institutional Development | $53,271 |
| Paramita Charitable Trust | Publishing Tibetan texts | $52,335 |
| Christian Charrier | Translating Buddhist Texts | $50,025 |
| Utah State University Logan, UT | Institutional Development | $37,500 |
| Buddhist Digital Resource Center Cambridge, MA | Institutional Development | $19,975 |
| Karme Ling Retreat | Contemplative Scholarship recipient - retreat | $10,800 |
| Phunjo Lama | Publishing Tibetan texts | $10,464 |
| Benchen Monastery | Publishing Tibetan texts | $9,500 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,060,731 | $3,476,404 | $2,846,555 | $1,374,889 | 65 | $2,841,770 | $1,371 | $30,647 |
| 2023 | $419,075 | $2,800,695 | $3,045,269 | $1,383,121 | 68 | $3,041,084 | $1,369 | $27,004 |
| 2022 | $663,424 | $701,150 | $2,925,282 | $1,620,603 | 90 | $2,922,086 | $934 | $74,340 |
| 2021 | $2,904,698 | $4,450,596 | $2,571,760 | $1,390,925 | 72 | $2,568,913 | $320 | $54,268 |
| 2020 | $1,025,862 | $2,503,458 | $1,876,851 | $792,945 | 53 | — | $824 | $37,593 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Tsadra Foundation reported a distributable amount of $31K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated vision is a flourishing community of Western scholar-practitioners trained in Tibetan Buddhist traditions. Its website describes support for long-term contemplative training, advanced Buddhist study, and scholarly research, translation, and writing on Tibetan Buddhism. Its 2024 filing also describes direct charitable activities supporting solitary and group retreat training and the translation of important Buddhist texts and commentaries.
The Foundation gives grants to individuals and organizations and does not fund building or infrastructure projects. Its supported organizations include the Buddhist Digital Resource Center, which received $19,975 in 2024. The Center describes its own mission as preserving, organizing, and disseminating Buddhist literature so it remains available to future generations.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the Foundation reported 65 grants totaling $1,374,889. Grants ranged from $650 to $90,000, with a median of $8,212. In 2023, it reported 68 grants totaling $1,383,121; in 2022, it reported 90 grants totaling $1,620,603.
Among the 2024 grants, Wisdom Publications received $53,271 for institutional development, and Paramita Charitable Trust received $52,335 for publishing Tibetan texts. Individual recipients received grants for research and translation of Buddhist texts.
The Foundation’s website says its Distinguished Research Grant in Tibetan Buddhist Studies is awarded to selected scholars with a Ph.D. and a record of excellence. The work must include translating indigenous Tibetan Buddhist texts into English or French and identify a significant scholarly product. Applicants identified by the Foundation are reviewed by senior scholars; recipients submit progress reports every six months and a final report. Funding may run for no more than three years.
The Foundation also describes a dissertation fellowship offering one-year grants of $35,000 to graduate students at North American universities for dissertation research focused on Tibetan Buddhism. The research must include substantial work on Tibetan Buddhist primary sources and translation into English.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Eric Colombel as trustee.
Tsadra Foundation is led by Eric Colombel, Trustee on every filing since 2020 — the only officer listed, and uncompensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Eric Colombel
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Tsadra Foundation
How much does Tsadra Foundation give each year?
Tsadra Foundation gave $1.4M across 65 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.4M across 68 grants.
What is Tsadra Foundation's typical grant size?
Tsadra Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $8,212, and its average grant was $21,152, across 65 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Tsadra Foundation give grants?
Tsadra Foundation's top state is New York, with 13% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Massachusetts (6%) and Colorado (5%).
Does Tsadra Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 65 grants with a stated purpose on Tsadra Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Contemplative Scholarship recipient - retreat" (26 grants), "Translating Buddhist Texts" (17 grants) and "Advanced Studies Scholarship Recipient" (10 grants).
Who are Tsadra Foundation's largest grantees?
Tsadra Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Wisdom Publications ($53,271), Paramita Charitable Trust ($52,335) and Christian Charrier ($50,025), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 53 grants to individuals ($1,117,461), which are not listed by name. Together they received 11% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Tsadra Foundation?
Tsadra Foundation reported $1.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.8M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $31K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Tsadra Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s stated vision is a flourishing community of Western scholar-practitioners trained in Tibetan Buddhist traditions. Its website describes support for long-term contemplative training, advanced Buddhist study, and scholarly research, translation, and writing on Tibetan Buddhism. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Tsadra Foundation?
The Foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for grants. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Tsadra Foundation's EIN?
Tsadra Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 13-7224970. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Tsadra Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Tsadra Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 8, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/tsadra-foundation-morg_d0befc111d444195aab83acc16daacb3
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_137224970_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Tsadra Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/tsadra-foundation-morg_d0befc111d444195aab83acc16daacb3},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-08. 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 Tsadra 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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