Southern Dharma Retreat Center Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
The mission of Southern Dharma Retreat Center (SDRC) is to provide mediation retreats, provide dharma instruction, and support communites grounded in Buddhist practice traditions.
- Income
- $834,494
- Spending
- $747,911
- Spent on programs
- 86%
- Reserves
- 13.5 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 58%
- Employees
- 12
- Volunteers
- 18
- Highest pay
- $75,138, executive director
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
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 88% of charities in its peer group (religion, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 13.5 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 6% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 10% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 6% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1586% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 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
Good: 81 out of 100. Higher than 79% of charities in its peer group (religion, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
25 of 2512 of 12 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
0 of 10Did not give 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
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, 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 (2)
- $646,352 spent. Southern Dharma Retreat Center is a place of refuge offering education, meditation, contemplation and silence in a remote retreat setting, facilitated by teachers of varying traditions. During the 2024 calendar year, Southern Dharma Retreat Center hosted a total of 18 retreats ranging for 3-10 nights in length for a total of 87 retreat nights. Retreats were offered by 19 teachers and attended by 407 participants with subject offerings and teachers representing a variety of Buddhist traditions. SDRC awarded partial or full scholarships and fellowships to 61 retreat attendees, or approximately 15% of attendees. In addition to permanent staff, retreat operations were supported by 18 retreat volunteers for a total of 1,000 volunteer hours. Southern Dharma Retreat Center hosted far fewer retreats in 2024 due to the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene, which passed through Western North Carolina on September 26, 2024. In the aftermath of the hurricane, Southern Dharma was forced to cancel 7 retreats totaling 30 retreat nights and involving 128 registered participants.
- For over forty years, Southern Dharma Retreat Center has been offering meditation retreats and Dharma teachings in a variety of Buddhist traditions. However, in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which passed through Western North Carolina on September 26, 2024, the staff and leadership of Southern Dharma Retreat Center redirected their efforts to raise funds and provide direct support to people and communities that were impacted by the storm. Friends of Southern Dharma contributed over $180,000 to support Southern Dharmas hurricane relief efforts. Southern Dharma used these funds to create small-scale distribution centers to purchase and distribute food, water and other supplies to local communities and to provide direct financial support to local charities and mutual aid organizations.
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 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 November 6, 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 2024.
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 February 1993.
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 November 4, 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.