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Karuna-Shechen USA

Karuna-shechen initiates and oversees projects that provide health care, education, and social services for the under-served populations of india, nepal, and tibet.

Advocacy & Civil Rights New York, NY EIN: 273857947 (IRS) Sign up to see website
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73
Integrity Assessment
Strong transparency
73/100 · methodology

About Karuna-Shechen USA

With the goal of helping under-served communities in India, Nepal, and Tibet receive the vital services they need, Karuna-Shechen was founded in 2000 by Matthieu Ricard (www.matthieur­icard.org), renown TED speaker, author, and humanitarian. We strive to reduce inequalities and work toward a fairer and more compassionate world. We trust that communities can be lifted out of poverty, that change is possible, and that the well-being of every individual, regardless of race, gender, class, or caste, is essential. We believe that building on local strengths and knowledge is the most efficient way to respond to the specific needs and aspirations of our beneficiaries. Rooted in the ideal of "compassion in action", we serve others with joy and determination by cultivating altruism …

Founded
Headquarters
New York, NY
Foundation type
Publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2))
NTEE code
T20
IRS subsection
501(c)(03)
Ruling date
Size
small
Operating in
2 countries

Verified certifications

Confirmed against the issuing authority - not self-reported.

IRS Tax-Deductible since 2012

Mission

Karuna-shechen initiates and oversees projects that provide health care, education, and social services for the under-served populations of india, nepal, and tibet.

Focus areas & reach

· What they work on and where
Cause tags
SDG alignment The 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the global agenda for ending poverty, protecting the planet, and ensuring prosperity by 2030. We tag each charity to the goals its work advances.
Operating countries (2)
India Nepal

How it stacks up against peers

· vs. 8 similar advocacy & civil rights in United States
Program spending This charity: 91%
Peer average: 80%
Integrity Assessment This charity: 73
Peer average: 90

Concerns

· None found
No red flags found
Screened for IRS revocation history, Open investigations, Governance scandals, Related-party deals, Excessive exec comp.

Where every $1 goes

· FY2024 · IRS 990 (FY2024)
$0.92
Program$0.92
91% to programs beats the peer average (80%) and beats the Charity Navigator "highly efficient" threshold (75%).

GiveRadar Analysis

Original analysis from GiveRadar's dataset of comparable organizations

Based on the records currently verified by GiveRadar, Karuna-Shechen USA has a complete profile, cross-referenced across 4 independent sources including the IRS.

  • GiveRadar has cross-referenced this organization across 4 independent sources, led by the IRS - among the most thoroughly sourced profiles in its cohort. See the sources
  • It has more complete governance disclosure than nearly all similar organizations, because GiveRadar has verified leadership, executive compensation, a mission statement and a founding date. See national comparisons
  • Its integrity score of 73 places it in the top 25% of the 128,026 advocacy & civil rights charities in the United States GiveRadar tracks, because GiveRadar has verified its financial disclosures and its registration. View this cohort
GiveRadar has verified
  • government registration
  • financial records (5 filed years)
  • disclosed leadership
  • a website
  • a donation page
  • third-party accreditation
Not yet verified by GiveRadar
  • a contact email
  • an owner-submitted profile claim

Analysis based on GiveRadar's benchmark dataset of 2026-07-03. It describes what GiveRadar has verified, not a judgment of the organization itself.

Common questions

· Auto-generated from filings + methodology

Karuna-Shechen USA is a registered advocacy & civil rights nonprofit based in New York, NY, United States. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It was founded in 2010 and has been operating for 16 years. Its EIN is 273857947. According to GiveRadar's records, it holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. GiveRadar's Integrity Assessment for the organization is 73/100, which reflects how much public information is available, not whether the charity is legitimate. The organization reports $415K in annual revenue. 26 officers and directors are publicly disclosed. No red flags have been detected.

Karuna-Shechen USA's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 273857947. This is the organization's IRS tax identification number; you can use it to verify tax-exempt status and to look up its Form 990 filings with the IRS.

Karuna-Shechen USA has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 73/100. This score combines five components: Registration (20 pts), Financial Transparency (30 pts), Governance (20 pts), Contact Availability (10 pts), and Data Recency (20 pts), with negative adjustments for any red flags. A score of 73 ('Strong transparency') reflects well-documented governance, recent financials, named leadership, and working contact details. The charity allocates 91% of expenses to programs, which contributes positively to its score. For comparison, the average integrity assessment for advocacy & civil rights charities in United States is 90/100.

Karuna-Shechen USA is located in New York, NY, United States. The organization was established in 2010 and has been active for 16 years.

Based on official tax filings, Karuna-Shechen USA has $415K in annual revenue. It allocates 91% of expenses to programs and services. This is above the average of 80% for advocacy & civil rights charities in United States. Its revenue is below the peer average of $4M. Create a free GiveRadar account to view the complete financial breakdown with year-over-year trends.

Karuna-Shechen USA is classified as an Advocacy & Civil Rights organization, registered in United States. It operates as a Publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)). By size, it is categorized as a small organization. It has $415K in annual revenue. The organization has 26 disclosed officers and directors.

No red flags have been detected for Karuna-Shechen USA. GiveRadar automatically screens charities for concerning patterns including high executive compensation, low program spending, and missing financial filings. Based on available official data, no issues have been identified.

According to GiveRadar's records, Karuna-Shechen USA holds active tax-deductible status on the IRS Publication 78 list, which means donations are tax-deductible and the organization is in good standing with the IRS. It is registered with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). It reports that 91% of expenses go to programs (the peer average is 80%). You can donate directly through their official donation page linked on their GiveRadar profile. GiveRadar provides data for research and does not endorse any organization. A GiveRadar Integrity Assessment reflects how much public data is available, not whether an organization is safe to donate to, so it is always smart to do your own research before giving.

With the goal of helping under-served communities in India, Nepal, and Tibet receive the vital services they need, Karuna-Shechen was founded in 2000 by Matthieu Ricard (www.matthieuricard.org), renown TED speaker, author, and humanitarian. We strive to reduce inequalities and work toward a fairer and more compassionate world. We trust that communities can be lifted out of poverty, that change is possible, and that the well-being of every individual, regardless of race, gender, class, or caste, is essential. We believe that building on local strengths and knowledge is the most efficient way to respond to the specific needs and aspirations of our beneficiaries. Rooted in the ideal of "compassion in action"... Karuna-Shechen USA is classified as an advocacy & civil rights organization registered in United States. The organization was founded in 2010.

Among advocacy & civil rights charities registered in United States: It allocates 91% of expenses to programs, above the peer average of 80%. Its annual revenue of $415K is below the peer average of $4M.

Yes, donations to Karuna-Shechen USA are generally tax-deductible in the United States. Karuna-Shechen USA is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Its EIN is 273857947, which you can use for tax filing purposes. Donors can typically deduct contributions on their federal income tax return if they itemize deductions. Consult a tax professional for guidance specific to your situation.

Annual revenue
$100K-$1M
91% to programs
Source: IRS 990 (FY2024) why this matters
Unlock exact figures

Filing history

5 years on file from IRS 990 (FY2024): revenue, expenses, program spending, assets, and liabilities by fiscal year.

Years on record: FY2024, FY2023, FY2022, FY2021, FY2020.
Financial details are free - with a GiveRadar account

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Taxes

Tax-deductibility for donors

Donations may be tax-deductible for residents of United States under local rules. Confirm with the charity directly.

Always confirm tax treatment with the charity directly or your tax advisor before donating.

Leadership

From FY2024 filing

WE
Wendy W••••••
President

Officers & trustees (9)

Source: Public filings

See full names, roles, and stories

9 officers and trustees on file - free with a GiveRadar account.

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Latest news

From global news sources

No recent news coverage found

News coverage will appear here when articles mention this organization.

Activity timeline

Filings and press mentions, merged

Form filed
$0.4M revenue
FY2024
IRS 990
Form filed
$0.5M revenue
FY2023
IRS 990
Form filed
$0.5M revenue
FY2022
IRS 990
Form filed
$0.7M revenue
FY2021
IRS 990
Form filed
$0.6M revenue
FY2020
IRS 990

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Cause areas in United States

How many charities work in each area, with this charity's area highlighted.

Human Services 322,679
Education 195,586
Arts & Culture 133,128
Advocacy & Civil Rights this charity 128,026
Religion 114,636
Health 98,862
Community Development 56,086
Youth Development 53,450
See all cause areas in United States

Most common causes in United States

Causes charities work on most.

Community Development 235,146
Education 159,016
Religion 103,741
Arts & Culture 101,203
Human Rights 76,926
Health 65,250
Youth Development 47,775
Animal Welfare 32,425

Sources and verification

Registration and legal identity
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search
Financial filings
IRS Form 990 filings - Fiscal year 2024 most recent on file.
Officers and trustees
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) - Tax Exempt Organization Search - 26 disclosed in the public registry.
Supplementary verification
GlobalGiving partner directory
Supplementary verification
Charity Navigator

Data freshness

Last updated
Jun 12, 2026
Registry checked
Jun 6, 2026
Profile completeness
75%

What we know and don't know

Exactly which public data we hold on this charity. Our score reflects transparency, not impact.

On record · 9
  • Financial data · FY2024 on record
  • Named leadership · 26 officers on file
  • Government registration · Registered with an official registry
  • Mission statement · Published
  • Official website · On record
  • Headquarters address · On file
  • Direct contact · Email or phone published
  • Tax-deductibility · Verified
  • Founding date · 2010
Not available · 2
  • Executive pay
    Top-officer pay not disclosed
  • Programs & activities
    No named programs listed by the charity

Methodology

GiveRadar builds each profile primarily from official government charity registries, supplemented where available by third-party nonprofit databases and news archives, and combines it into a single 0-100 integrity assessment. The exact sources for this charity are listed above. We don't take a cut of any donation, ever.

Read full methodology

Are you the owner or a board member?

If you represent this organization and want to correct or update its data, you can claim this listing to edit details yourself, or email [email protected] with the correct information. We review every request and respond within 30 days.

Quick facts about Karuna-Shechen USA

What is Karuna-Shechen USA?
Karuna-Shechen USA is a advocacy & civil rights publicly-supported charity (509(a)(2)) based in New York, United States. With the goal of helping under-served communities in India, Nepal, and Tibet receive the vital services they need, Karuna-Shechen was founded in 2000 by Matthieu Ricard (www.matthieuricard.org), renown TED speaker, author, and humanitarian. We strive to reduce inequalities and work toward a fairer and more compassionate world. We trust that communities can be lifted out of poverty, that change is possible, and that the well-being of every individual, regardless of race, gender, class, or caste, is essential. We believe that building on local strengths and knowledge is the most efficient way to respond to the specific needs and aspirations of our beneficiaries. Rooted in the ideal of "compassion in action", we serve others with joy and determination by cultivating altruism in our hearts and actions. We provide vulnerable and disadvantaged populations access to health care, education and vocational training, clean water, solar electricity, and other sustainable solutions that offer options to find a livelihood and a better life. We work with a grassroots network of local partners, and give special attention to the education and empowerment of girls and women. Karuna-Shechen's name expresses its mission while paying homage to its roots: Karuna means "compassion" in Sanskrit, and Shechen is the name of a major monastery in Tibet.
When was Karuna-Shechen USA founded?
Karuna-Shechen USA was founded in 2010.
Who leads Karuna-Shechen USA?
Wendy Wornham serves as President.
Where is Karuna-Shechen USA located?
Headquartered in New York, NY, United States. The charity operates in 2 countries.
What is Karuna-Shechen USA's annual budget?
Annual revenue for fiscal year 2024 is approximately $100K-$1M. 91% of expenses go to program services.
Is Karuna-Shechen USA trustworthy?
Karuna-Shechen USA has a GiveRadar Integrity Assessment of 73 out of 100 (Strong transparency). The score reflects public-data transparency: registration, financial disclosure, governance, contact details, and how recently data was refreshed. It does not measure program impact.
What is Karuna-Shechen USA's registration number?
IRS EIN: 273857947.
What is Karuna-Shechen USA's website?
http://karuna-shechen.org