David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE DAVID LYNCH FOUNDATION FOR CONSCIOUSNESS-BASED EDUCATION AND WORLD PEACE (THE "FOUNDATION OR "DLF") IS A NONPROFIT 501(C)(3) ORGANIZATION FOUNDED IN 2005. THE FOUNDATION HELPS TO PREVENT AND ERADICATE THE EPIDEMIC OF TRAUMA AND TOXIC STRESS AMONG AT-RISK POPULATIONS THROUGH WIDESPREAD IMPLEMENTATION OF THE EVIDENCE-BASED TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION (TM) PROGRAM. THE FOUNDATION WORKS TO ESTABLISH MAINSTREAM UNDERSTANDING OF THE EFFECTS OF TM AMONG GOVERNMENT, HEALTH, MEDIA, AND BUSINESS LEADERS, AS WELL AS THE GENERAL PUBLIC; RAISE FUNDS TO IMPLEMENT TM PROGRAMS IN INSTITUTIONS THAT SERVE AT-RISK POPULATIONS; AND SUPPORT AND FACILITATE INDEPENDENT RESEARCH ON THE IMPORTANT HEALTH BENEFITS OF THE TM PROGRAM.
- Income
- $7.3 million
- Spending
- $7.7 million
- Spent on programs
- 73%
- Reserves
- -0.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 98%
- Employees
- 39
- Volunteers
- 16
- Highest pay
- $433,510, executive officer & direct
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Weak: 34 out of 100. Higher than 3% of charities in its peer group (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
0 of 35Spendable reserves are negative: it owes or has committed more than it holds.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 44% of what it owns.
Living within its means
4 of 15Spending exceeded income by 5% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 18% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1573% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 13 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, 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 (philanthropy, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2515 of 16 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 June 30, 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 (4)
- $1.0 million spent. RESILIENT RESPONDERS (LAW ENFORCEMENT & FIREFIGHTERS):THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES TM TRAINING TO LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS, FIREFIGHTERS AND EMERGENCY MEDICAL TECHNICIANS WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED PTSD AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER. PROGRAM PARTNERS INCLUDE THE NEW YORK CITY FIRE DEPARTMENT, FIRST RESPONDER WELLNESS IN NEWPORT BEACH (CA), FRONT RANGE FIRE DEPARTMENT (CO), BRIGHTON FIRE DEPARTMENT (CO), SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT, VENTURA COUNTY FIRST RESPONDERS, FIRST RESPONDER RECOVERY - MALIBU, THE NEW YORK CITY POLICE DEPARTMENT, US CAPITOL POLICE (DC), LOS ANGELES COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT, LA COUNTY FIRE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION, METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT (DC), HERNDON (VA) POLICE DEPARTMENT AND THE WASHINGTON DC FIRE DEPARTMENT & ACADEMIES (DC).
- $991,411 spent. HEAL THE HEALERS NOW (HEALTHCARE):IN THE EARLY DAYS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, THE FOUNDATION RECOGNIZED THAT HEALTHCARE WORKERS WERE DEALING WITH CRUSHING LEVELS OF STRESS AND ANXIETY; MAKING RAPID, LIFE-OR-DEATH DECISIONS, ALL WHILE PUTTING THEIR OWN HEALTH AT RISK. DLF QUICKLY MOBILIZED TO RESPOND TO THE NEEDS OF HEALTHCARE WORKERS. NOW ALMOST 6 YEARS LATER, THE PROGRAM IS NEEDED MORE THAN EVER WITH POST-PANDEMIC PTSD SYMPTOMS, BURNOUT AND STAFF LEAVING THE PROFESSION DUE TO ANXIETY AND STRESS. THE RESPONSE FROM HEALTHCARE WORKERS, HOSPITALS, RESEARCH CENTERS, AND DONORS CONTINUES TO RISE. TM INSTRUCTION HAS TAKEN PLACE IN 100 HOSPITALS AND MEDICAL CENTERS AROUND THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING RESEARCH FOCUSED ON TM AND HEALTHCARE PROVIDER WELLNESS AT MAJOR RESEARCH AND TEACHING CENTERS. THROUGH THIS NATIONWIDE INITIATIVE, MORE HEALTHCARE WORKERS WILL GAIN ACCESS TO THIS POWERFUL, NON-PHARMACEUTICAL TOOL. IN ADDITION, HOSPITALS, POLICY MAKERS, AND THOSE CONCERNED WITH THE WELLBEING OF OUR NATION'S HEALTH CARE INDUSTRY AND ITS MEDICAL PROVIDERS WILL HAVE ADDITIONAL EVIDENCE OF TM'S EFFECTIVENESS; WHICH HELPS TO SECURE AND ALLOCATE FUNDING FOR FURTHER TM INSTRUCTION.
- $893,080 spent. VETERANS (RESILIENT WARRIOR PROGRAM):THIS PROGRAM PROVIDES TM TRAINING TO VETERANS, ACTIVE-DUTY PERSONNEL AND MILITARY FAMILIES. TM HAS BEEN SHOWN TO RELIEVE SYMPTOMS OF POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) AND MAJOR DEPRESSION AMONG VETERANS. THE RESILIENT WARRIOR PROGRAM PARTNERS WITH MAJOR VETERAN SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS INCLUDING THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE, THE TRAUMATIC BRAIN INJURY CLINIC AT FT. GORDON, EOD WARRIOR FOUNDATION, SAMARITAN DAYTOP VILLAGE, COURAGE TO CALL AND THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK OFFICE OF VETERANS SERVICES. DLF ALSO TEACHES INDIVIDUAL VETERANS THROUGH ITS OFFICES IN LOS ANGELES, WASHINGTON, DC, AND NEW YORK CITY, AS WELL AS THROUGHOUT THE U.S. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE NATIONAL TM ORGANIZATION.
- $2.7 million spent. WOMEN'S HEALTH INITIATIVE:THE WOMEN'S HEALTH INITIATIVE PROVIDES TM TRAINING FOR SURVIVORS OF ANY GENDER OR AGENDER WHO HAVE EXPERIENCED DOMESTIC OR GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE OR SEXUAL ASSAULT. IN NEW YORK CITY, DLF OFFERS SERVICES TO SURVIVORS AT THE MANHATTAN FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER, AN INITIATIVE OF THE NEW YORK CITY MAYOR'S OFFICE TO END DOMESTIC AND GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE THAT PROVIDES A HOLISTIC ARRAY OF SERVICES TO SURVIVORS AT ONE LOCATION. DLF HAS CONSISTENTLY TAUGHT WITHIN THE WOMEN'S HEALTH INITIATIVE AND IS EXPANDING ITS EFFORTS BY PARTNERING DIRECTLY WITH ORGANIZATIONS THAT SUPPORT SURVIVORS OF INTIMATE PARTNER AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE. DLF ALSO TEACHES TM TO SURVIVORS AT ITS REGIONAL OFFICES IN LOS ANGELES AND WASHINGTON, DC.HEALTHY FAMILIES HEALTHY COMMUNITIES:THE FOUNDATION'S OUTREACH PROGRAM FOCUSED ON SERVING COMMUNITIES AND POPULATIONS THAT EXPERIENCE TRAUMA AND TOXIC STRESS IN THE NEW YORK CITY AREA. THE POPULATIONS SERVED WITHIN HEALTHY FAMILIES HEALTHY COMMUNITIES (HFHC) INCLUDE COMMUNITY GROUPS, LATINO AND BLACK COMMUNITY MEMBERS. INSTRUCTIONS TAKE PLACE AT COMMUNITY CENTERS, OFFICES OF NONPROFITS, LOCAL BUSINESSES, AND THE DLF OFFICE IN MIDTOWN MANHATTAN. THROUGH THIS CITYWIDE INITIATIVE, DLF IS WORKING TOWARDS ADDRESSING HEALTH INEQUITIES IN NEW YORK CITY, AS WELL AS INCREASING THE WELLNESS AND WELLBEING OF NYC GOVERNMENT WORKERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS. IN PARTNERING WITH NYC GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, DLF CONTINUES THE FOCUSED EFFORT OF DEMONSTRATING THE EFFECTIVENESS OF TM AND THE IMPORTANCE OF GETTING INSTRUCTIONS COVERED BY HEALTH INSURANCE.LOS ANGELES:THE FOUNDATION BEGAN SERVING THE LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY IN 2010. IN 2019 THE HEALTHY FAMILIES HEALTHY COMMUNITIES PROGRAM WAS CREATED TO EXPAND THE MISSION TO SUPPORT VULNERABLE FAMILIES IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA. UCLA LUSKIN INSTITUTE WAS INTERESTED IN CONDUCTING RESEARCH ON THE BENEFITS OF THE PRACTICE OF THE TM TECHNIQUE FOR PARENTS, AND FOUND THAT 92% OF PARENTS IN THE STUDY FELT LESS STRESSED AND 82% EXPERIENCED GREATER PATIENCE AS A RESULT OF TM. ADDITIONALLY, SURVEYS FOUND STATISTICALLY SIGNIFICANT INCREASES IN THEIR HOPEFULNESS (THEIR PERCEIVED ABILITY TO SET AND ACHIEVE GOALS). BECAUSE OF THESE POSITIVE RESULTS, THE RESEARCHERS CONCLUDED THAT "TM IS A PROMISING INTERVENTION FOR CAREGIVER WELL-BEING, PROMOTING RESILIENCE AND IMPROVING FAMILY DYNAMICS. ITS SCALABILITY AND LOW-COST IMPLEMENTATION MAKE IT A PRACTICAL TOOL FOR COMMUNITY HEALTH AND FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAMS."THE FOUNDATION ALSO PROVIDES PROGRAMS FOR COMMUNITY CENTERS SERVING YOUTH THAT HAVE BEEN INCARCERATED, VETERANS WHO SUFFER FROM SYMPTOMS OF PTSD, WOMEN SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, INDIVIDUALS IN RECOVERY FROM SUBSTANCE ABUSE DISORDERS, AND FRONTLINE MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS. IN 2023, DLF BEGAN A NEW INITIATIVE TO TEACH FIRST RESPONDERS (FIREFIGHTERS, POLICE, EMT'S, ETC) THE TM TECHNIQUE, PARTNERING WITH FIRST RESPONDER WELLNESS, MALIBU FIRST RESPONDER RECOVERY, LOS ANGELES COUNTY FIRE DEPARTMENT, LA COUNTY FIRE CHIEFS ASSOCIATION AND VENTURA COUNTY FIRST RESPONDER WELLNESS TO TEACH HUNDREDS OF FIRST RESPONDERS WITH VERY POSITIVE OUTCOMES. DLF ALSO HAS A PARTNERSHIP WITH UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SCHOOL OF SOCIAL WORK TO TRAIN THEIR FACULTY AND STUDENTS IN TM AS WELL AS WITH THE SCHOOL'S TRAUMA RECOVERY CENTER, WHICH PROVIDES FREE MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES TO THE LOS ANGELES COMMUNITY. AND HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE IN LA WHO WERE TRAUMATIZED BY LOSING THEIR HOMES IN THE 2025 LA FIRES HAVE BEEN TAUGHT TM IN PARTNERSHIP WITH REVOLVE IMPACT AT THE DENA HEALS COMMUNITY CENTER LOCATION IN ALTADENA. THE FOUNDATION HAS A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SANTA BARBARA FOUNDATION TO TRAIN THEIR STAFF IN TM AND CONNECT DLF TO TEACH MENTAL HEALTH STAFF AT THE SANTA BARBARA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT. THE FOUNDATION ALSO TEACHES TM TO FIRST RESPONDERS IN SANTA BARBARA IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SANTA BARBARA POLICE FOUNDATION.FOR DECADES, TM HAS BEEN USED AS AN ADJUNCT TO HIV/AIDS TREATMENT BY INDIVIDUALS WHO MUST CONFRONT SERIOUS MENTAL/EMOTIONAL CHALLENGES DUE TO A COMPROMISED IMMUNE SYSTEM. DLF WORKS IN THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA TO PROMOTE THE POWER OF TM TO PROFOUNDLY HEAL AND RESTORE THE LIVES OF INDIVIDUALS WHO LIVE WITH HIV/AIDS. DLF ALSO TEACHES TM TO PEOPLE WITH HIV THROUGH THE DESERT AIDS PROJECT IN PALM SPRINGS, CA.WASHINGTON, DC:THE MEDITATION CENTER (TMC) AT THEARC (TOWN HALL EDUCATION ARTS RECREATION CAMPUS) IS A DIVISION OF THE FOUNDATION'S CENTER FOR RESILIENCE. SINCE 2018, DLF HAS CONTINUED TO WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH 13 NATIONALLY ACCLAIMED ORGANIZATIONS BASED AT THEARC, AND WITH SEVERAL LONGSTANDING COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO PROVIDE TM COURSES AND ONGOING SUPPORT TO RESIDENTS WHO ARE VIOLENCE SURVIVORS IN ONE OF DC'S MOST UNDER-RESOURCED COMMUNITIES. COLLABORATIONS HAVE BEEN FOSTERED AND EXPANDED WITH ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS: CHILDREN'S NATIONAL HEALTH SYSTEM, COMMUNITY OF HOPE, DC CENTRAL KITCHEN AND OTHERS. DLF ALSO TEACHES TM TO FIRST RESPONDERS AND VETERANS IN WASHINGTON, DC.MEDITATE NEW YORK: MEDITATE NEW YORK IS A PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP WITH NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS SKILLED IN TEACHING DIFFERENT SCIENTIFICALLY-PROVEN MEDITATION TECHNIQUES TO NEW YORKERS IN NEED. DLF HAS RECEIVED GRANTS FROM THE NYPD, FDNY AND NYC MAJORS OFFICE DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS. AWARENESS:THE FOUNDATION'S AWARENESS PROGRAM PRODUCES EVENTS TO INCREASE AWARENESS OF DLF AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC ABOUT THE IMPACT AND BENEFITS OF TM. THE WORLD'S PREMIERE ARTISTS, DESIGNERS, AND MUSICIANS PARTICIPATE IN DLF'S GALAS, SPECIAL EVENTS, AND AUCTIONS. AUCTIONS OFFER ONE-OF-A-KIND NEW WORKS AND EXTRAORDINARY EXPERIENCES. FUNDS BENEFIT THE DLF'S PROGRAMS TO REDUCE TOXIC STRESS AND TRAUMA, AND IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR UNDER-RESOURCED POPULATIONS. THE MEDITATION CENTER:THE MEDITATION CENTER (FORMERLY CALLED THE CENTER FOR HEALTH AND WELLNESS OR CENTER FOR LEADERSHIP AND PERFORMANCE), PROVIDES TM COURSES FOR NEW YORK CITY AND LOS ANGELES AREA BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS. THIS PROFESSIONAL DEVEL
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 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 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 June 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 December 2015.
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.
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