Northern California Vipassana Center

The information for Northern California Vipassana Center is as of the organization's most recent filing in December '21. This organization is located in Cobb, CA. It has been in existence for 22 years, following its founding in 1999.

Organization Classification

The IRS classifies organizations according to the National Taxonomy of Exempt Entities (NTEE) system. The NTEE system helps the IRS assign a 3-character code to each organization to describe the organization's activities.

The Northern California Vipassana Center's NTEE code is B80. The "B" tells us that the organization is classified under Education. The "80" tells us that the organization's major classification is Student Services. The NTEE describes organizations in this category as those that provide services, facilities, and programs that support student needs, foster student learning and personal development, create a healthy and diverse community, and enrich student life.

Every organization is also governed by a specific section of the Internal Revenue Code. This organization happens to fall under section 3 of the Internal Revenue Code, which is described as Religious, Educational, Charitable, Scientific, Literary, Testing for Public Safety, to Foster National or International Amateur Sports Competition, or Prevention of Cruelty to Children or Animals Organizations.

Perhaps the most accurate way to understand the organization's goals is by looking at its mission. The mission of the Northern California Vipassana Center is to teach Vipassana meditation as taught by SN Goenka.

Program Areas

The primary mission of the Northern California Vipassana Centers is to conduct Vipassana meditation courses. Within this program area, the center conducts 10-day courses several times a month, serving approximately 1000 students per year.

Organization Staffing

The Northern California Vipassana Center is led by Lee Altier, who serves as the President of the organization. The labor force of the organization consists of only 4 employees, none of whom are paid over $100k per year. Additionally, there are no volunteers supporting the organization's operations.

Board Governance

The Northern California Vipassana Center, based on the provided information, appears to have some areas of concern in terms of its governance. While it has a total of 10 voting members, the absence of independent members raises questions about the diversity and objectivity of decision-making within the organization. The lack of independent members could potentially lead to a lack of diverse perspectives and potential conflicts of interest going unchecked. Additionally, the organization does not have a conflict of interest policy, which further raises concerns about transparency and accountability. Without a policy in place, it may be difficult to identify and address any conflicts that may arise among board members or other individuals involved with the organization. Furthermore, the absence of documented committee meetings and the lack of a written whistleblower policy and document retention policy suggest a potential lack of transparency and accountability within the organization. These policies are important for ensuring that any potential misconduct or conflicts of interest are appropriately addressed and documented. Overall, while the Northern California Vipassana Center may have some areas of concern in terms of its governance, it is important to note that the provided information is limited. It is possible that the organization has implemented other governance practices not mentioned, which could positively impact its overall governance effectiveness.

Organization Growth

The Northern California Vipassana Center has experienced growth over the given time period. Contributions and grants received increased from $387.0K in 2015 to $406.0K in 2021. Investment income also increased from $-2799 in 2015 to $24 in 2021. The total revenue of the organization grew from $384.2K in 2015 to $406.0K in 2021. Additionally, employee salaries increased from $13.7K in 2015 to $65.7K in 2021. However, total expenses decreased from $379.2K in 2015 to $375.1K in 2021. Overall, the organization has seen growth in its financial aspects, except for a decrease in total expenses.