Tibet Fund
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Founded in 1981 under the patronage of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, The Tibet Fund is the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to safeguarding Tibet's cultural heritage and strengthening Tibetan communities, both in exile and inside Tibet.
- Income
- $17.5 million
- Spending
- $13.2 million
- Spent on programs
- 94%
- Reserves
- 5.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 54%
- Employees
- 6
- Volunteers
- 11
- Highest pay
- $185,918, president
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 85 out of 100. Higher than 72% of charities in its peer group (international, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 10% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 25% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 41% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1594% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (international, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2511 of 11 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (5)
- $3.7 million spent. SAFEGUARDING CULTURAL HERITAGE-- Tibetan cultural heritage and national identity are the fabric that binds the Tibetan people together and gives enduring momentum to their struggle for freedom and justice. The Tibet Fund works with multiple partners to sustain Tibetan traditions and strengthen cultural resilience. (Expenses $ 2,022,984 including grants of $ 1,988,441)(Revenue $ 0) HEALTH CARE - TIBET FUND WAS ABLE TO SUPPORT HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES WITHIN TIBETAN COMMUNITIES IN INDIA AND NEPAL WITH THE FUNDING RECEIVED FROM USAID AND THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE BUREAU OF POPULATION, REFUGEE, AND MIGRATION. THESE COMMUNITIES ARE CONFRONTED WITH SEVERAL DIVERSE AND UNIQUE CHALLENGES THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO FRAGMENT THE LONG-ESTABLISHED SETTLEMENT LIFE, THEREBY THREATENING THE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF THE TIBETAN CULTURE AND IDENTITY ITSELF. INCREASING DEMOGRAPHIC AND OVERSEAS MIGRATION TRENDS, SCATTERED COMMUNITIES, INADEQUATE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES LACK OF INCOME-GENERATING ACTIVITIES, AND LACK OF ALTERNATIVE SOURCE OF LIVELIHOOD IN THE SETTLEMENTS HAVE ALL GIVEN WAY TO A NEW SET OF CHALLENGING SCENARIOS IN THE EXILED TIBETAN COMMUNITY. THE TIBET FUND PRIORITIZES STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS THAT ARE AIMED AT REVITALIZING THE TIBETAN SETTLEMENTS AND EMPOWERING THE TIBETAN COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. IN ADDITION TO ALLEVIATING POVERTY AND DEPRIVATION THROUGH FUNDING AND PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORT FROM THE US GOVERNMENT AND OUR DONORS, WE WORK TO FACILITATE ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY THROUGH INITIATIVES THAT PROMOTE ENTREPRENEURSHIP SMALL ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT, EMPLOYMENT, AND JOB COMPETITIVENESS FOR UNEMPLOYED YOUTH. WE ALSO SUPPORT LOCAL GRASSROOTS TIBETAN NGO AND CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS TO ADDRESS LOCAL COMMUNITY PRIORITIES AND ALSO TO REINFORCE THEIR EFFECTIVENESS IN DELIVERING SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND WELFARE SERVICES. (Expenses $ 462,987 including grants of $ 440,381)(Revenue $ 0) LIVELIHOODS AND HUMANITARIAN AID
- $3.2 million spent. COMMUNITY EMPOWERMENT-- The Tibet Fund builds self-reliance by improving livelihoods to increase family incomes and employment. We support training and financing for microenterprises, vocational skills training for unemployed youth, and cash crop development for farmers, focusing on women and female-led households.
- $2.9 million spent. THE GIFT OF EDUCATION - FOR THE PAST 36 YEARS, WITH FUNDING FROM THE U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT FROM 1988, AS OF 2024, THE TIBET FUND'S TIBETAN SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM HAS ENABLED 496 TIBETAN REFUGEES TO EARN MASTERS DEGREES OR ONE-YEAR CERTIFICATES AT SOME OF THE COUNTRY'S FINEST ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS. THE TIBET FUND SUPPORTED 864 INDIVIDUALS ACROSS MORE THAN 80 PARTNER INSTITUTIONS, SPONSORSHIPS BENEFITED 182 MONKS, 137 NUNS, 420 SCHOOL CHILDREN, 52 CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES, 57 ELDERS, AND 16 PERFORMING ARTS STUDENTS. THE FUND ALSO SUPPORTED 68 PROFESSIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS AND GIRLS SCHOLARSHIP FOR TIBETANS IN INDIA AND NEPAL IN ADDITION, TIBET FUND WAS ABLE TO SUPPORT THE ACTIVITIES AND EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS WITH THE FUNDING RECEIVED FROM USAID AND U.S DEPARTMENT OF STATE BUREAU OF POPULATION, REFUGEE, AND MIGRATION. (Expenses $ 2,022,984 including grants of $ 1,988,441)(Revenue $ 0) HEALTH CARE - TIBET FUND WAS ABLE TO SUPPORT HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES WITHIN TIBETAN COMMUNITIES IN INDIA AND NEPAL WITH THE FUNDING RECEIVED FROM USAID AND THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE BUREAU OF POPULATION, REFUGEE, AND MIGRATION. THESE COMMUNITIES ARE CONFRONTED WITH SEVERAL DIVERSE AND UNIQUE CHALLENGES THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO FRAGMENT THE LONG-ESTABLISHED SETTLEMENT LIFE, THEREBY THREATENING THE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF THE TIBETAN CULTURE AND IDENTITY ITSELF. INCREASING DEMOGRAPHIC AND OVERSEAS MIGRATION TRENDS, SCATTERED COMMUNITIES, INADEQUATE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES LACK OF INCOME-GENERATING ACTIVITIES, AND LACK OF ALTERNATIVE SOURCE OF LIVELIHOOD IN THE SETTLEMENTS HAVE ALL GIVEN WAY TO A NEW SET OF CHALLENGING SCENARIOS IN THE EXILED TIBETAN COMMUNITY. THE TIBET FUND PRIORITIZES STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS THAT ARE AIMED AT REVITALIZING THE TIBETAN SETTLEMENTS AND EMPOWERING THE TIBETAN COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. IN ADDITION TO ALLEVIATING POVERTY AND DEPRIVATION THROUGH FUNDING AND PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORT FROM THE US GOVERNMENT AND OUR DONORS, WE WORK TO FACILITATE ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY THROUGH INITIATIVES THAT PROMOTE ENTREPRENEURSHIP SMALL ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT, EMPLOYMENT, AND JOB COMPETITIVENESS FOR UNEMPLOYED YOUTH. WE ALSO SUPPORT LOCAL GRASSROOTS TIBETAN NGO AND CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS TO ADDRESS LOCAL COMMUNITY PRIORITIES AND ALSO TO REINFORCE THEIR EFFECTIVENESS IN DELIVERING SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND WELFARE SERVICES. (Expenses $ 462,987 including grants of $ 440,381)(Revenue $ 0) LIVELIHOODS AND HUMANITARIAN AID
- $2.0 million spent. HEALTH CARE - TIBET FUND WAS ABLE TO SUPPORT HEALTH CARE PROGRAMS AND SERVICES WITHIN TIBETAN COMMUNITIES IN INDIA AND NEPAL WITH THE FUNDING RECEIVED FROM USAID AND THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE BUREAU OF POPULATION, REFUGEE, AND MIGRATION. THESE COMMUNITIES ARE CONFRONTED WITH SEVERAL DIVERSE AND UNIQUE CHALLENGES THAT HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO FRAGMENT THE LONG-ESTABLISHED SETTLEMENT LIFE, THEREBY THREATENING THE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF THE TIBETAN CULTURE AND IDENTITY ITSELF. INCREASING DEMOGRAPHIC AND OVERSEAS MIGRATION TRENDS, SCATTERED COMMUNITIES, INADEQUATE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES LACK OF INCOME-GENERATING ACTIVITIES, AND LACK OF ALTERNATIVE SOURCE OF LIVELIHOOD IN THE SETTLEMENTS HAVE ALL GIVEN WAY TO A NEW SET OF CHALLENGING SCENARIOS IN THE EXILED TIBETAN COMMUNITY. THE TIBET FUND PRIORITIZES STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS THAT ARE AIMED AT REVITALIZING THE TIBETAN SETTLEMENTS AND EMPOWERING THE TIBETAN COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE. IN ADDITION TO ALLEVIATING POVERTY AND DEPRIVATION THROUGH FUNDING AND PROGRAMMATIC SUPPORT FROM THE US GOVERNMENT AND OUR DONORS, WE WORK TO FACILITATE ECONOMIC SELF-SUFFICIENCY THROUGH INITIATIVES THAT PROMOTE ENTREPRENEURSHIP SMALL ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT, EMPLOYMENT, AND JOB COMPETITIVENESS FOR UNEMPLOYED YOUTH. WE ALSO SUPPORT LOCAL GRASSROOTS TIBETAN NGO AND CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATIONS TO ADDRESS LOCAL COMMUNITY PRIORITIES AND ALSO TO REINFORCE THEIR EFFECTIVENESS IN DELIVERING SOCIO-ECONOMIC AND WELFARE SERVICES.
- $462,987 spent. LIVELIHOODS AND HUMANITARIAN AID
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2024, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2024.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since July 1987.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
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