Sakya Buddha University
Legal name: Bodhi Buddharealm Society
Overview
Mission
Sakya Buddha University (SBU) is a distinctive institution where the enduring principles of Buddhist philosophy converge with the rigor of modern academic inquiry, rooted in the time-honored traditions of Buddhist education and integrating contemplative practices with a comprehensive educational curriculum to foster intellectual and spiritual growth.
What it reported doing in 2024
Discover, teach, learn and practice the buddhas teachings
Operating model
- Revenue model
- Donor-supported. 100% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
- Distribution model
- Direct operator. The nonprofit carried out 100% of its reported program work directly.
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 465053109
- IRS 990 coverage
- 2020–2024
- Website reviewed
- Sep 2026
- Forms available
- Form 990 2024, Form 990-T 2024
- Headquarters
- Santa Ana, CA, United States
- Rating
- 59
- Verdict
- MIXED
- Rating confidence
- Moderate
- Sector
- Buddhism
- Affiliation
- Buddhism
The verdict
MIXED - The filed numbers largely add up and most voting board members are independent. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and a relatively small share of total spending goes to programs.
Rating breakdown
- Financial Efficiency: 30
- Transparency & Controls: 75
- Accountability: 84
- Sustainability: 88
- Growth: 60
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 9.3%; rating input score 9
- Program expense ratio: 46.3%; rating input score 46
- Fundraising efficiency: $115.1 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 88; 88th percentile among comparable filings
Transparency & Controls
- Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
- Pay-setting controls: Limited
- Foreign activity oversight: Limited
- Grant itemization coverage: Limited
- Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
- Related-party transparency: Limited
- Public monitoring controls: 0 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 0
- Public policy transparency: 0 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 0
- Public financial transparency: 0 of 5 controls in place; rating input score 0
- Impact reporting controls: 0 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 0
- Public relationship transparency: Yes; rating input score 100
Accountability
- Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 64th percentile among comparable filings
- Governance controls: 4 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 57
- Public governance controls: 4 of 4 controls in place; rating input score 100
- Zakat policy transparency: Limited
Sustainability
- Operating margin: 80%; rating input score 98; 98th percentile among comparable filings
- Operating reserve ratio: 23.28; rating input score 97; 97th percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.45; rating input score 24; 24th percentile among comparable filings
- Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 91; 91st percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: -18.3% per year; rating input score 0; 1st percentile among comparable filings
- Revenue growth: 41.2% per year; rating input score 100; 97th percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: 41.3% per year; rating input score 100; 96th percentile among comparable filings
Details
- What they do: 2 programs and campaigns described on the official site · 1 operating location identified
- Where the money goes: 9.3% of revenue deployed · 46.3% of spending went to programs
- Governance: 3 of 3 board members independent · 4 of 7 filing controls reported
- Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $324K in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 3 people listed
- Consistency: 21 of 21 current checks pass
- Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
- Filing history: 5 annual filings from 2020 to 2024
- Contacts: How to reach this organization
- Money network: 18 filed money-flow records
- Grant readiness: Federal tax and exclusion status, award history, and grant-maker relationships.
- People: Everyone the filings name, and which of them the filings identify by more than a name.