Mustang Bon Foundation
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
POINTING OUT THE GREAT WAY FOUNDATION(POGWF) BRINGS INDO-TIBETAN MEDITATION AND TEACHINGS TO WESTERN STUDENTS AND NURTURES AND SUPPORTS THE COMMUNITY OF PRACTITIONERS. IN TURN, POGWF PROVIDES SUPPORT TO THE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES AND LINEAGE TEACHERS TO HELP THEM TO PRESERVE AND RESTORE THEIR CULTURE AND TRADITIONS.HISTORICALLY, POGWF GENERALLY HAS NOT PROVIDED PROGRAMMING TO ACHIEVE ITS MISSION. THE MAJORITY OF OUR OBJECTIVES INVOLVE DIRECTING DONOR FUNDS TO OTHER ORGANIZATIONS, BOTH IN THE US AND ABROAD, WHO IMPLEMENT THE STATED PROJECTS. OUT TRANSLATION PROJETS ARE A NOTABLE EXCEPTION.POGWF IS AN ALL-VOLUNTEER ORGANIZATION.
- Income
- $669,558
- Spending
- $526,613
- Spent on programs
- 97%
- Reserves
- 8.9 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 100%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 0
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Strong: 93 out of 100. Higher than 78% of charities in its peer group (religion, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 8.9 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 0% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 21% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 75% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1597% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 1 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Weak: 43 out of 100. Higher than 24% of charities in its peer group (religion, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
5 of 250 of 3 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
0 of 8Reports no written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
0 of 10Did not give the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Independent check of accounts
6 of 15Its accounts were not audited or reviewed 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, 2025, 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 (2)
- $508,434 spent. THE MUSTANG CULTURE AND EDUCATION CENTRE(MCEC), BASED IN JOMSOM, MUSTANG NEPAL, IS A REGISTERED SOCIAL ORGANIZATION AIMED AT SUPPORTING THE EDUCATION OF LOCAL CHILDREN, BETTERING LIVING CONDITIONS OF THE VILLAGE POPULATION, AND PRESERVING ITS UNIQUE CULTURE AND TRADITIONS.MCEC HAS IDENTIFIED AS AN ONGOING IMPERATIVE THE NEED TO RESTORE THE CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS FOR THE INDIGENOUS TIBETAN POPULATION LIVING IN THIS AREA OF NEPAL. THE BON, THE INDIGENOUS AND OLDEST RELIGION OF TIBET, HAS STRONG ROOTS IN MUSTANG. THE RELIGIOUS PRACTICES OF BON, CENTERED AROUND LOCAL MONASTERIES, HAVE TRADITIONALLY BEEN THE HEART OF CULTURE AND RELIGIOUS LIFE FOR THE INDIGENOUS POPULATION IN THIS REGION. HOWEVER, CURRENTLY NO BON PO MONASTERY EXISTS IN THE AREA TO SUPPORT THESE PRACTICES FOR THE LOCAL POPULATION. MCEC'S OBJECTIVE IS TO CONSTRUCT, ON LAND DONATED BY THE COMMUNITY, AN INDIGENOUS SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL CAMPUS IN JOMSOM, THE ADMINISTRATIVE CENTER OF MUSTANG.MCEC'S VISION FOR THE CAMPUS INCLUDES:*A MAIN BON TEMPLE AND LIVING SPACE FOR 100 MONKS;*A YOUTH HOSTEL FOR 100 CHILDREN-ALL LEARING THEIR INDIGENOUS TIBETAN LANGUAGE AND SPIRITUAL PRACTICES; AND*A 50-ROOM GUEST HOUSE FOR ADVANCED WESTERN STUDENTS. THE MONASTERY WILL SERVE AS A HUB FOR REVITALIZING LOCAL INDIGENOUS RELIGIOUS PRACTICES. LAMAS AND MONKS WILL BE AVAILABLE TO THE LOCAL POPULATION TO OFFER THE RANGE OF PRAYERS AND RITUALS THAT ONCE WERE A VITAL PART OF EVERY ASPECT OF LOCAL LIFE IN MUSTANG. THESE PRACTICES INCLUDE RELIGIOUS PRACTICES FOR BIRTH, DEATH, PROTECTION, DISEASE-PREVENTION, FARMING, AND PROTECTING THE HARVEST. THE MONASTERY WILL BE A PLACE FOR THE DESPOSITORY AND PRESERVATION OF OLD MANUSCRIPTS, THE REPRINTS OF WIDELY USED SPIRITUAL TEXTS, AND FOR TRADITIONAL ARTS AND PAINTINGS. IT ALSO WILL BE A PLACE TO PASS ON PRACTICES FOR MAKING AND MAINTAINING TRADITIONAL STUPAS. BUILDING A MONASTERY WILL ENSURE A POPULATION OF LAMAS AND MONKS TO SERVE THE LOCAL POPULATION FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.THE INTEGRATION OF THE YOUTH HOSTEL INTO THE CAMPUS WILL MEAN RELOCATING THE CHILDREN FROM THE EXISTING RENTED FACILITY IN THE TOWN. THE EXISTING FACILITY IS ALREADY AT MAXIMUM CAPACITY WITH THE 38 STUDENTS IT CURRENTLY HOUSES. THE NEW FACILITY WILL ALLOW MCEC TO EXPAND, THROUGH TIME, TO 100 STUDENTS. IT ALSO WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT IMPROVEMENT IN LIVING CONDITIONS FOR THE CHILDREN AND WILL LOCATE THEM NEARER TO THE NEPALESE SCHOOL THAT THEY ATTEND. MOST IMPORTANTLY, INTRGRATING THEM INTO THE CAMPUS WILL PLACE THEM NEARER THE MONKS, WHO WILL PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE IN EDUCATING THESE STUDENTS IN THEIR CULTURAL AND SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS, INCLUDING THEIR TIBETAN LANGUAGE. FOR MORE ON THE CHILDREN, SEE OUR DESCRIPTIONS OF THE MCEC CHILDREN'S HOME BELOW.THE PLAN FOR THE SPIRITUAL CAMPUS ALSO INCLUDES A GUESTHOUSE TO ACCOMMODATE VISTING STUDENTS FROM THE WEST. THE HOPE IS THAT THE GUESTHOUSE WILL CREATE A DEMAND FOR ADVANCED TEACHINGS FROM THE CULTURE OF THE CAVE AND HERMITAGE YOGIS IN A WAY THAT WILL REVITALIZE THE CAVE AND HERMITAGE YOGI CULTURE. THE ABILITY TO RECEIVE THESE ADVANCED TEACHINGS AND PRATICES IN THIS SETTING WILL BE A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY FOR QUALIFIED WESTERN STUUDENTS FROM THE POGWF NETWORK.SUPPORTING THE MCEC INDIGENOUS TIBETAN SPIRITUAL AND CULUTRAL CAMPUS PROJECT IS A TOP PRIORITY FOR POGWF. THE GREAT HOPE OF THIS PROJECT IS THAT IT WILL HELP TO RESTORE AND REVITALIZE THESE PRECIOUS TEACHINGS IN THEIR INDIGENOUS SETTING. WITHOUT SOME INTERVENTION, THE RISK IS GREAT THAT THESE PRACTICES WILL DIE OUT IN THE REGION IN THIS GENERATION. WE SEE OUR SUPPORT OF THIS PROJECT AS PARAMOUNT TO FULFILLING OUR MISSION TO SUPPORT THE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES AND LINEAGE TEACHERS IN PRESERVING THEIR CULTURE AND TRADITIONS. HELPING TO BRING THIS CAMPUS TO FRUITION WILL BE AN EXPRESSION OF GRATITUDE TO THESE INDIGENOUS CULTURES FOR SHARING THEIR MOST PRECIOUS TEACHINGS AND PRACTICES WITH OUR SPIRITUAL COMMUNITY IN THE WEST.POGWF HAS IDENTIFIED NUMEROUS OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP SUPPORT MCEC'S VISION:* MOBILIZE PROFESSIONAL SERVICES TO HELP WITH THE PROJECT DESIGN, ANALYSIS, DUE DILIGENCE, AND MANAGEMENT* CREATE MESSAGING ABOUT THE PROJECT TO BRING AWARENESS OF IT TO THE WESTERN PRACTICE COMMUNITY* ACTIVELY RAISE FUNDS ON BEHALF OF MCEC AND THE PROJECTIN 2025 WE RECEIVED DONATIONS OF $222,570 TO SUPPORT MCEC'S PROJECT TO BUILD AN INDIGENOUS SPIRITUAL AND CULTURAL CAMPUS IN NEPAL. THE FUNDRAISING FOR THIS PROJECT WILL OCCUR OVER A MULTIPLE-YEAR PERIOD. THE FUNDS THAT WE RAISE WILL BE TRANSERRED TO MCEC WHEN NEEEDED AND/OR WILL BE USED TO PAY FOR THE VARIOUS SERVICES THAT WE SECURE ON BEHALF OF THE PROJECT. THE CURRENT ESTIMATED BUDGET FOR THE PROJECT IS $10 MILLION.THE CHILDREN'S HOME IS AN ONGOING PROJECT OF THE MUSTANG CULTURE AND EDUCATION CENTRE(MCEC). ONE GOAL OF THE PROJECT IS TO HELP DISADVANTAGED CHILDREN IN MUSTANG TO RECEIVE A QUALITY EDUCATION NEAR TO THEIR FAMILIES. IN ADDITION, THE PROJECT SPECIFICALLY ADDRESSES THE NEEDS OF THE CHILDREN OF THE INDIGENOUS COMMUNITY IN THE AREA BY EDUCATING THE CHILDREN ABOUT THEIR CULTURAL HERITAGE.THE CHILDREN'S HOME, A BORADING HOME FOUNDED IN 2012 BY GESHE SONAM GURUNG, CREATED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR EDUCATING THE CHILDREN IN THE RURAL VILLAGES WHO OTHERWISE LIKELY COULD NOT HAVE ATTENDED SCHOOL. THE VILLAGES DO NOT HAVE SCHOOLS, AND THE GOVERNMENT-SPONSORED SCHOOL IN JOMSOM CAN BE AS MUCH AS A FOUR-HOUR WALK AWAY. IN ORDER TO ATTEND, THESE STUDENTS NEED TO BE ABLE TO LIVE NEARER THE SCHOOL. THESE RURAL FAMILIES COULD NOT AFFORD THE ANNUAL TUITION AT THE NEPALESE SCHOOL, LET ALONE ADDITIONAL BOARDING FEES. AS A RESULT, MANY OF THESE CHILDREN WOULD LIKELY HAVE STAYED AND WORKED ON THE FARMS. THE MCEC CHILDREN'S HOME IS LOCATED IN THE TOWN OF JOMSOM, JUST A SHORT WALK FROM THE NEPALESE SCHOOL, WHERE THE CHILDREN RECEIVE THEIR CORE CURRICULUM, AND NEAR ENOUGH TO THE VILLAGES THAT FAMILIES CAN MAINTAIN GOOD CONTACT WITH THEIR CHILDREN. MCEC PROVIDES SCHOLARSHIPS FOR THE CHILDREN LIVING IN THE CHILDREN'S
- $2,768 spent. OUR TRANSLATION PROJECTS CURRENTLY ARE THE PRIMARY FOCUS FOR FULFILLING OUR MISSION TO BRING INDO-TIBETAN MEDITATION AND TEACHINGS TO WESTERN STUDENTS. IN 2025, POGWF CONTINUED ITS FUNDING OF THE TRANSLATION OF BON AND BUDDHIST MEDITATION TEXTS. THE OBJECTIVE IS TO BRING THE PRECIOUS LINEAGE TEACHINGS OF THESE INDO-TIBETAN MEDITATION PRACTICES TO THE WEST, TRANSLATED IN A FORM OF MEDITATION THAT IS READILY UNDERSTANDABLE BY WESTERNERS AND YET PRESERVE THE HEART OF THESE TEACHINHGS IN THEIR ORIGINAL FORM. OUR FOUNDATION WILL HOLD THE COPYRIGHT TO THESE PUBLISHED WORKS AND PROVIDE STEWARDSHIP OF THE PUBLICATIONS INTO THE FUTURE.TRANSLATION OF THIS MATERIAL REQUIRES SPECIALIZED KNOWLEDGE, INCLUDING DEEP EXPERIENCE WITH INDO-TIBETAN MEDITATION PRACTICES AND KNOWLEDGE OF THE TIBETAN LANGUAGE. THE TRANSLATORS ARE DANIEL BROWN, PH.D. AND GESHE SONAM GURUNG. THEY TRANSLATE THESE PRECIOUS TEXTS WITH PERMISSION BY AND UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF HIS HOLINESS MENRI TRIZIN, THE SPIRITUAL LEADER AND LINEAGE HOLDER OF THE BON PO AND HEAD ABBOTT OF MENRI MONASTERY, DOLANJI, INDIA. DR. BROWN IS DIRECTOR, THE CENTER FOR INTEGRATIVE PSYCHOTHERAPY IN NEWTON, MA AND ASSOCIATE CLINICAL PROFESSOR OF PSYCHOLOGY AT HARVARD MEDICAL SCHOOL. HE HAS STUDIED, TAUGHT, AND WORKED TO BRING THE WISDOM OF THE GREAT INDO-TIBETAN SPIRITUAL TRADITIONS TO THE WEST FOR OVER 47 YEARS. GESHE SONAM, A NEPALESE SCHOLAR AND TIBETAN MONK, HOLDS THE DISTINGUISHED GESHE DEGREE-THE EQUIVALENT OF A DOCTORAL DEGREE IN DHARMA STUDIES-AND PREVIOUSLY SERVED AS PERSONAL ASSISTANT TO HH MENRI TRIZIN, 33RD ABBOT OF MENRI MONASTERY.IN 2025, WE CONTINUED OUR TRANSLATION PROJECTS INCLUDEDING FUNDING FOR THE SHAR RDZA RINPOCHE TRANSLATION OF MAIN TECHNIQUES OF CLEAR RAINBOW BODY. THE TRANSLATION OF THE BIOGRAPHY OF SHAR RDZA RINPOCHE MAIN STUDENT, ZA BA BRAG PA, INCLUDING HIS EXPERIENCE OF RAINBOW BODY.IN 2025 WE CONTINUED TO SUPPORT THE PROJECT: DR BROWN'S IN-DEPTH RESEARCH ON TRAINING ATTENTION IN CHILDREN IN PREPARATION FOR ADAPTING THE ELEPHANT PATH MEDITATION PRACTICES INTO A TEXT FOR TEACHING THESE PRACTICES TO CHILDREN.FINALLY IN 2025, WE CONTINUED WITH THE SUPPORT OF DR BROWN'S AND GESHE SONAM'S TRANSLATION OF SHAR RDZA RINPOCHE TRANSLATION OF THE "THE PRECIOUS TREASURY OF THE EXPANSE AND THE LIVELINESS OF AWAKENED AWARENESS THROUGH FUNDING TRAVEL COSTS FOR GESHE SONAM TO TRANSLATE WITH DR DANIEL BROWN IN THE UNITED STATES.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 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 October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since August 2012.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 21, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.