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Houston Zen Community

EIN 76-0522757 · Houston, TX

Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthFair63 out of 100GovernanceFair51 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

Houston Zen CommunityStatement of FaithHouston Zen Community (HZC) exists to support and enhance the teachings of compassion and wisdom that were articulated by the Buddha 2,500 years ago. Buddha awoke to the true nature of life and to the true nature of interconnectedness. For Buddhists, no individual can achieve separate freedom from delusion, or salvation, unless everyone achieves freedom, or salvation. Therefore, Buddhists understand that our efforts must be aimed toward freeing all beings from suffering. There can be no separate, isolated, freedom, because we are connected; we are all blessed with Buddha Nature.The primary hindrance to compassion is delusion, that is, the inability to see or understand our total interconnectedness. Therefore, meditation and compassionate action aim to relieve beings from fear and delusion, allowing them to experience the sacredness of their own lives. On this basis, Buddhists become more skillful at seeing the sacredness of everyone's life; we bec

Income
$396,258
Spending
$517,802
Spent on programs
95%
Reserves
11.5 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 80%
Employees
4
Highest pay
$60,485, head priest

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

Fair: 63 out of 100. Higher than 32% of charities in its peer group (religion, $250k to $1m).

  • Reserves

    28 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 11.5 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 0% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    0 of 15

    Spending exceeded income by 31% of income.

  • Income trend

    0 of 15

    Income fell 31% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    95% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 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

Fair: 51 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (religion, $250k to $1m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    4 of 5 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    0 of 15

    Reports no written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    0 of 8

    Reports no written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    0 of 7

    Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    0 of 5

    Reports that it does not keep minutes of board meetings.

  • Board sees the tax return

    10 of 10

    Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.

  • Pay set independently

    0 of 5

    Reports no independent review process for its chief executive's pay.

  • Independent check of accounts

    6 of 15

    Its accounts were not audited or reviewed by an independent accountant.

  • No reported misuse

    10 of 10

    Reports 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 (1)
  1. $491,913 spent. The programs and services of the Houston Zen Community were detailed at length in a separately filed Schedule A, Form 1023 through which the community's status as a church was established with the Internal Revenue Service.

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

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Worth knowing.

    The IRS does not require this organization to file annual returns.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  5. How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.

    Recognized by the IRS since January 2001.

    Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.

  6. 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.