Vietnam Buddhist Center Inc

Overview

Mission

To preserve the Buddhist faith, develop the teachings of Buddha, nurture the traditional Vietnamese culture for the Vietnamese youth, and facilitate communication and understanding between the Vietnamese Buddhist and other communities through support of social and charitable activities.

What it reported doing in 2015

Providing charitable assistance and rescue support to Vietnam & domestic causes, e.g., flooding rescue, providing education scholarship for poor children, housing for the homeless, drilling water wells for clean water, constructing bridge and schools, etc.

Operating model

Revenue model
Donor-supported. 77% of the money available for current operations came from contributions and gifts.
Distribution model
Grant intermediary. The nonprofit sent 69% of its reported program spending out as grants.

Nonprofit profile at a glance

EIN
760342787
IRS 990 coverage
2014–2015
Official website data refreshed
Jun 2026
Forms available
Form 990 2015
Location
Sugar Land, TX, USA
Phone
2815750910
Rating
42
Verdict
MIXED
Rating confidence
Moderate
Sector
Buddhism
Affiliation
Buddhism

Official website

Reported finances

Revenue
$1,772,604
Expenses
$403,908
Assets
$7,043,362
Liabilities
$46,039

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2015. 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: 18
  • Transparency & Controls: 79
  • Accountability: 16
  • Sustainability: 89
  • Growth: 60

Detailed rating inputs

Financial Efficiency

  • Mission deployment rate: 8.7%; rating input score 9
  • Program expense ratio: 38.2%; rating input score 38
  • Fundraising efficiency: Limited

Transparency & Controls

  • Consistency checks: 100%; rating input score 100; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
  • Pay-setting controls: Limited
  • Foreign activity oversight: 0 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 0
    • Claims monitoring procedures: Fail
    • Requires narrative reports: Fail
    • Conducts field audits: Fail
    • May suspend future funding: Fail
    • Requires financial reports: Fail
    • Conducts site visits: Fail
    • Requires grant agreements: Fail
    • May require repayment: Fail
  • Grant itemization coverage: 99.1%; rating input score 99; 44th percentile among comparable filings
  • Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
  • Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

  • Independent voting board: 0%; rating input score 0; 4th percentile among comparable filings
  • Governance controls: 3 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 38
    • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
    • Whistleblower policy: Fail
    • Document-retention policy: Fail
    • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
    • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
    • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
    • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
    • Audit committee oversight: Missing
    • Independent financial-statement audit: Fail

Sustainability

  • Operating margin: 77.2%; rating input score 98; 98th percentile among comparable filings
  • Total-asset coverage ratio: 17.44; rating input score 96; 96th percentile among comparable filings
  • Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.01; rating input score 81; 81st percentile among comparable filings
  • Officer compensation ratio: 7.9%; rating input score 44; 44th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

  • Program expense growth: -27.8% per year; rating input score 0; 4th percentile among comparable filings
  • Revenue growth: 11.1% per year; rating input score 100; 74th percentile among comparable filings
  • Asset growth: 21.5% per year; rating input score 100; 85th percentile among comparable filings

Details

  • Where the money goes: 8.7% of revenue deployed · 38.2% of spending went to programs
  • Governance: 0 of 7 board members independent · 3 of 8 filing controls reported
  • Programs: 3 filed program accomplishments · $154K in reported program spending
  • Leadership: top reported pay $6K · 22 people listed
  • Consistency: 22 of 22 current checks pass
  • Schedules: 6 filed schedules · includes major donors, foreign activity, and grants
  • Filing history: 2 annual filings from 2014 to 2015
  • Contacts: How to reach this organization
  • Money network: 9 filed money-flow records
  • Related organizations: Filed and resolved organization relationships.
  • 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 9/100.
  • High — Accountability: Independent voting board scored 0/100.
  • Moderate — Financial Efficiency: Program expense ratio scored 38/100.
  • High — Transparency & Controls: Foreign activity oversight: 8 of 8 not reported.
  • Moderate — Accountability: Governance controls: 4 of 7 not reported.
  • High — Growth: Program expense growth scored 0/100.
  • Moderate — Sustainability: Officer compensation ratio scored 44/100.

Leadership & pay

22 people listed

Highest reported compensation

  • DAT N TRAN (Foundation Mgr.): $6,000 total reported compensation
  • THUY THI LE TN Quang Ngoc (Youth Coordinator): $3,900 total reported compensation
  • THUYEN T LY TN Tam Thao (Senior Coordinator): $3,900 total reported compensation

Source: IRS Form 990. Selected filing: tax year 2015.