Louisiana Association for the Study of Buddhism

Overview

Mission

Offer a peaceful place for everyone who wants to enrich his/her spirtiual life. Tam Bao Temple is a spiritual center not only for Buddhist practitioners, but to all mindfulness practitioners as well as members of AA in Louisiana. Everyone may join all community activities.

What it reported doing in 2024

During 2023 The Association continued to improve the facilities to allow for a welcoming, safe and serene place for the continual accomplishment of the mission of the Association to a growing number of the local Buddhist community and all other welcome guests.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 90% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Direct operator. The filing allocates 100% of reported program-service expenses outside its grant, affiliate-payment, and member-benefit lines. This expense classification does not rule out separately announced grant awards.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
721135502
IRS 990 coverage
2010–2024
Forms available
Form 990 2024
Location
Baton Rouge, LA, USA
Phone
2252566505
Rating
53
Verdict
MIXED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Religion Related
Affiliation
Buddhism

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,027,147
Expenses
$179,865
Assets
$4,808,929
Liabilities
$4,980

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024. Amounts in USD.

The verdict

MIXED - The filed numbers largely add up and revenue comfortably covers expenses. A relatively small share of available resources goes toward mission work and a relatively small share of voting board members are independent.

Rating breakdown

  • Financial Efficiency: 38
  • Transparency & Controls: 92
  • Accountability: 12
  • Sustainability: 94
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 17.7%; rating input score 18
  • Program expense ratio: 53.1%; rating input score 53
  • Fundraising efficiency: $530.51 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 96; 96th 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

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 0%; rating input score 0; 5th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 2 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 29
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Fail
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Fail
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Pass
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 82.5%; rating input score 98; 98th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 26.74; rating input score 98; 98th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0; rating input score 79; 79th percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -6% per year; rating input score 0; 7th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 7.6% per year; rating input score 100; 57th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 7.6% per year; rating input score 100; 50th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 17.7% of revenue deployed · 53.1% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 0 of 4 board members independent · 2 of 7 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $96K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 4 people listed
  • Consistency: 18 of 18 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 5 filed schedules · includes major donors
  • Filing history: 14 annual filings from 2010 to 2024
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • 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.

Key Signals

Signals prioritize questions for review. They are not findings of misconduct.

  • High — Financial Efficiency: Mission deployment rate scored 18/100.
  • High — Accountability: Independent voting board scored 0/100.
  • Review — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 53/100.
  • High — Accountability: Governance controls: 5 of 7 not reported.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.

Leadership & pay

4 people listed

People named in this filing

  • Quyen Ho (President and Director)
  • Hang T Nguyen (Treasurer)
  • Van Dinh (Secretary)

Selected names, not a complete roster or a statement of current roles. Open leadership details for the complete filed list.

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2024.