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Genuine Expressions Scholarship Fund
The GES Fund is a new tool which enables the Shambhala Meditation Center of Boston to continue to offer programs on a pay-what-you-can basis and greatly contributes to increased participation from people with financial constraints.
To contribute to the GES Fund please mail checks made out to "Shambhala Center" with a memo noting "GES Fund" to:
Shambhala Meditation Center
Attn: GES Fund
646 Brookline Ave
Brookline MA 02445
Note: we are investigating an online payment option at this time!
Update on the GES Fund - January 2008
We have just completed a campaign amongst our membership which has raised $4980 a year in recurring donations, just the right amount to make our GES Fund fully sustainable from now on! Incoming donations can now fuel scholarships for our students to attend major programs at Shambhala land centers such as dathun, seminary, and Warrior Assembly.
A Letter from our Director on the GES Fund - early 2006
Dear friends,
I became involved in Shambhala and meditation at the age of 17 when I attended a month-long retreat on scholarship. A year later I took out a loan of some two thousand dollars in order to attend the follow up intensive - seminary - and bridge the gap between what I received as a scholarship and what was in my bank account. There is no question that Shambhala is a rich path of practice and study, but some question as to whether you have to be rich to traverse it.
When I became the director of the Boston Shambhala Center I made it a top priority to make the programs we offer financially accessible to anyone that might want to take them. As a result, in February 2005, we instituted a “pay-what-you-can” policy wherein anyone can attend our meditation workshops for whatever amount they deem they can afford. A year and a half later I am proud to say that our standard class and program size has nearly doubled, with an average of 1/3 of program participants taking advantage of our pay-what-you-can policy.
As many of you know, at the same time this policy was instituted we faced the sudden realization that we were operating at a $16,000 - $20,000 annual deficit. The community jumped into action, hosting more Tibetan teachers (programs that bring in large amounts of money), bringing in 26 new dues-paying members, and asking current members to up their dues. At the end of 2005 we were pleased to break even.
For large programs, the increase in participation has mostly offset the decreased fees that result from pay-what-you-can. However, for smaller programs, for instance the intermediate classes that are the backbone of the Buddhist and Shambhala paths, the effect has been a reduction in income. Combined with a slowdown in the pace of large programs (teacher acceptances rise and fall), pay-what-you-can has created a potential operating deficit of approximately $5000 a year.
Our membership coordinator, Dan Danielsen, has been diligent in meeting with, calling, and writing to all potential members, including our recent Level V and Shambhala School of Buddhist Studies graduates. However, the same people that have taken advantage of our pay-what-you-can rates, though more than happy to join the community as members, are also challenged to contribute the requested $60 a month. Many pay $10 - $15 a month, though we are still happy to have them as members. Other pre-existent members have had to cut off dues entirely as a result of moving to another state or finding themselves facing financial challenges, leaving 155 members to date. At this time we don't see the potential for too much more growth in this realm, although we hope over time that the increased number of participants will further grow our membership.
To be wondering if the Shambhala Center is going to go into debt on an annual basis is not the ideal situation. With 1/3 of program participants paying less than the expected amount and an estimated annual loss of somewhere around $5000 we currently view this policy as a trade off; on one hand we have boosted the number of people able to access these precious teachings and also the socio-economic diversity of the community, on the other we are unable to invest any money in our future.
We have successfully raised what we needed for 2006 but are looking ahead towards 2007. Please help me in funding the future of practitioners in the Shambhala community by contributing to the GES Fund. Details are above as to how to contribute. Any amount helps, and is deeply inspiring to our contemplation of community.
Yours in the GES,
Lodro Rinzler
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Director
Shambhala Meditation Center of Boston
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