Skip to the page content
Your donations
Passes our checks

Mind and Life Institute

EIN 77-0284767 · Charlottesvle, VA

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

LegitimacyPassesRegistration and standingFinancial healthStrong90 out of 100GovernanceStrong100 out of 100Impact evidenceDescribes programsHow well its results are evidenced

What it says it does

BRIDGING SCIENCE AND CONTEMPLATIVE WISDOM TO FOSTER INSIGHT AND INSPIRE ACTION TOWARD FLOURISHING.

Income
$3.5 million
Spending
$3.3 million
Spent on programs
72%
Reserves
15 months of spending
Largest source of income
donations and private grants, 79%
Employees
20
Volunteers
52
Highest pay
$265,650, 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

Strong: 90 out of 100. Higher than 78% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Reserves

    35 of 35

    Spendable reserves would cover 15.0 months of spending.

  • Debt

    20 of 20

    It owes 10% of what it owns.

  • Living within its means

    15 of 15

    Income exceeded spending by 6% of income.

  • Income trend

    5 of 15

    Income fell 11% on the year before.

  • Spending floor

    15 of 15

    72% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 11 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 65% of charities in its peer group (human services, $1m to $10m).

  • Independent board

    25 of 25

    10 of 10 voting board members are independent.

  • Conflict of interest policy

    15 of 15

    Has a written conflict of interest policy.

  • Whistleblower policy

    8 of 8

    Has a written whistleblower policy.

  • Record keeping policy

    7 of 7

    Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.

  • Board minutes

    5 of 5

    Keeps 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

    5 of 5

    Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.

  • Independent check of accounts

    15 of 15

    Its accounts were audited 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 (3)
  1. $474,860 spent. RESEARCH INSTITUTES: IN 2024, THE MIND & LIFE SUMMER RESEARCH INSTITUTE (SRI) RETURNED TO THE GARRISON INSTITUTE IN UPSTATE NEW YORK UNDER THE THEME "AWAKENING COMPASSION IN TIMES OF DIVISION." THE WEEKLONG PROGRAM EXPLORED HOW COMPASSION CAN BRIDGE DIVIDES AT PERSONAL, INTERPERSONAL, AND SOCIETAL LEVELS. OVER 140 PARTICIPANTS FROM 19 COUNTRIES INCLUDING SCHOLARS, SCIENTISTS, CONTEMPLATIVES, AND CHANGEMAKERS - GATHERED FOR DIALOGUE, CONTEMPLATIVE PRACTICE, AND COLLABORATIVE INQUIRY. THE EVENT FEATURED A DIVERSE FACULTY AND ENGAGED THE PARTICIPATION OF FIVE TIBETAN MONASTICS, DEEPENING INTERRELIGIOUS AND INTERCULTURAL PERSPECTIVES ON COMPASSION IN ACTION. MORE THAN HALF OF ATTENDEES IDENTIFIED AS BLACK, INDIGENOUS, OR PEOPLE OF COLOR, UNDERSCORING MIND & LIFE'S COMMITMENT TO INCLUSION AND ACCESSIBILITY. PARTICIPANT SURVEYS DESCRIBED SRI 2024 AS "TRANSFORMATIVE," HIGHLIGHTING ITS IMPACT ON BOTH PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND PERSONAL INSIGHT.
  2. $636,099 spent. GRANT PROGRAMS: IN 2024, MIND & LIFE OFFERED TWO MAJOR GRANT PROGRAMS - THE VARELA GRANTS AND PEACE GRANTS - CONTINUING TO SUPPORT PIONEERING CONTEMPLATIVE RESEARCH AROUND THE GLOBE. * THE FRANCISCO J. VARELA GRANTS CELEBRATED THEIR 20TH ANNIVERSARY, AWARDING 10 NEW GRANTS TOTALING $222,900 ACROSS 28 COUNTRIES. PROJECTS EXAMINED TOPICS SUCH AS RACIAL EMPATHY, COMPASSION-BASED THERAPY AMONG LATINE COMMUNITIES, AND INDIGENOUS CONTEMPLATIVE SCIENCE IN ECUADOR. * THE PEACE GRANTS SUPPORTED TWO RESEARCH PROJECTS FOCUSED ON COMPASSION FATIGUE MITIGATION IN CONFLICT ZONES AND MINDFULNESS-BASED LEADERSHIP INTERVENTIONS IN EDUCATION, ADVANCING SCIENTIFIC UNDERSTANDING OF PROSOCIALITY, EMPATHY, AND ETHICS.
  3. $527,003 spent. MIND & LIFE PODCAST:IN 2024, THE MIND & LIFE PODCAST, HOSTED BY SCIENCE DIRECTOR WENDY HASENKAMP, SURPASSED ONE MILLION LIFETIME DOWNLOADS AND RELEASED 12 NEW EPISODES. TOPICS RANGED FROM EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE AND CLIMATE TRAUMA TO ETHICAL LEADERSHIP, FURTHER BRIDGING CONTEMPLATIVE WISDOM AND MODERN SCIENCE. LISTENERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD CONTINUED TO DESCRIBE THE PODCAST AS A "SPACE OF REFUGE AND AN ESSENTIAL RESOURCE FOR UNDERSTANDING MINDFULNESS IN EVERYDAY LIFE.

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? 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.

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

    Recognized by the IRS since December 1992.

    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.