Against The Stream
Overview
Mission
Guided by the teachings of the Buddha; offers transformative, counter-instinctual practice to help people find freedom and happiness. (Exact mission statement text not found in newly crawled pages.). In 2007 he founded the Against the Stream Buddhist Meditation Society. In 2008 he developed and implemented a Buddhist based addiction treatment program called Refuge Recovery, which is now flourishing around the world. These days Noah is primarily engaged in teaching Dharma in classes, workshops and retreats, training new Dharma teachers and spending time with his two young children. BlackBackground_xl.jpg. BlackBackground_xl.jpg Against The Stream.
What it reported doing in 2020
The nonprofit opened a meditation center in venice, ca and led community members in meditation and guidance in buddhism.
Operating model
- Revenue model
- Mixed. Its operating money came from several sources; no one source provided a clear majority.
- Distribution model
- Direct operator. The nonprofit carried out 100% of its reported program work directly.
Nonprofit profile at a glance
- EIN
- 834171718
- IRS 990 coverage
- 2019–2020
- Website reviewed
- Jun 2026
- Forms available
- Form 990 2020
- Headquarters
- Venice, CA, United States
- Rating
- 69
- Verdict
- SUPPORTED
- Rating confidence
- Moderate
- Sector
- Buddhism
- Affiliation
- Buddhism
The verdict
SUPPORTED - 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 the website gives limited detail about leaders and governance practices.
Rating breakdown
- Financial Efficiency: 54
- Transparency & Controls: 75
- Accountability: 78
- Sustainability: 77
- Growth: 100
Detailed rating inputs
Financial Efficiency
- Mission deployment rate: 27.5%; rating input score 27
- Program expense ratio: 100%; rating input score 100
- Fundraising efficiency: Limited
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; 63rd percentile among comparable filings
- Governance controls: 5 of 7 controls in place; rating input score 71
- Public governance controls: 0 of 4 controls in place; rating input score 0
- Zakat policy transparency: Limited
Sustainability
- Operating margin: 73.5%; rating input score 96; 96th percentile among comparable filings
- Operating reserve ratio: 3.82; rating input score 69; 69th percentile among comparable filings
- Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.25; rating input score 23; 23rd percentile among comparable filings
- Officer compensation ratio: 0%; rating input score 72; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
Growth
- Program expense growth: 173.5% per year; rating input score 100; 100th percentile among comparable filings
- Revenue growth: 182.5% per year; rating input score 100; 100th percentile among comparable filings
- Asset growth: 191.6% per year; rating input score 100; 100th percentile among comparable filings
Details
- What they do: 1 operating location identified
- Where the money goes: 27.5% of revenue deployed · 100% of spending went to programs
- Governance: 3 of 3 board members independent · 5 of 7 filing controls reported
- Programs: 1 filed program accomplishment · $38K in reported program spending
- Leadership: top reported pay $0 · 3 people listed
- Consistency: 17 of 17 current checks pass
- Schedules: 4 filed schedules · includes major donors
- Filing history: 2 annual filings from 2019 to 2020
- 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.