Harvest of Peace Fundraiser 2023
Our goal this year is to raise $17,500!
So far we have raised $11,060!
The most reliable and important source of financial stability for us is membership contributions.
Learn more about Membership here
Balancing home, work, social and spiritual lives can be demanding. Our annual Harvest of Peace celebration, held September 23 this year, is an opportunity to take some time to examine and re-seed our relationship with generosity and abundance which strengthen and sustain us throughout the year.
Part of the Harvest of Peace every year is a fundraiser to support the ongoing health of our community. As a non-profit organization money is necessary, but not our measure of success. Our purpose is to awaken and cultivate the inherent qualities of human goodness, and to continually create a culture based on those qualities. The real wealth of our community is measured in the depth of our practice, the strength of our kindness, and our ability to connect with the ordinary magic and richness of the phenomenal world. Yet we don’t ignore the financial resources needed to do this work.
We are asking for your contributions to support the continued health of the community.
Why do we fundraise?
Our center operates with three primary sources of revenue: membership, programs, and fundraising. Membership makes up about 40% of our annual revenue, programs makes up about 30% and fundraising makes up about 10%-15%. Other sources include space rentals, book sales, and miscellaneous donations.
Fundraising is a key part of our budget, and also helps us cover large or unexpected expenses.
There are three main pillars to our operational budget:
- Membership Contributions: ~40%
- Program Income: ~ 30%
- Fundraising: ~12%
What are we fundraising for?
During the Harvest of Peace, we are raising non-restricted funds. These are funds that can be used for all of our operational needs. We are still in the process of finishing some important building maintenance – we fixed some leaks in our roof earlier this year, and still need to complete the internal repairs and repainting. We also found out earlier this month that our insurance costs doubled compared with last year!
How is the center doing financially?
Our revenue is seasonal, usually higher in fall and winter and lower in the spring and summer. We historically run at a deficit during the summer and come back to break even ( plus-or-minus a bit each year) by the end of the year.
This year has been challenging for a number of reasons. Program participation still not back to pre-pandemic levels – many people are tired of online programs, and at the same time many people are hesitant to join in-person programs again. We also expect building expenses and business expenses (see the note above about insurance costs!) to be higher this year.
That said, we are in an incredibly fortunate position to own our building and we continue to have a strong community supporting us. Many meditation groups and centers in Boston have closed in the last few years, and many other Shambhala Centers have not been able to keep their spaces.
See below for a basic break-down of our finances for this year:
2023 Financial Breakdown Year-to-Date
Income through August 2023 totaled $73,533, averaging just over $9500 per month – up 3% from the same period last year.
- Membership revenue is $38,418 or approximately 51% of our overall revenue
- Program revenue is $21,202 or 28%
- Rental revenue is $13,173 or 17%
- Our income for the year is up 4% from last year
Expenses have totaled $79,329 – down 6% from the same period last year.
- Staff costs are $42,201 or 53% of our overall expenses
- Building expenses are $19,943 or 25%
- Program expenses are $6,741 or 8%
- Business expenses are $10,444 or 13%
- …we’ve paid $1,423 in credit card processing fees so far this year
Is it tax-deductible?
Yes, everyone who donates money through the fundraiser or membership contributions will receive a letter from us in January with a summary of their donations for the previous year and all the information required to file with your taxes.
How can I help?
1. Membership Contributions:
Increased membership contributions: This can go a long way towards our fundraising goal and provide income that we can predict and rely on throughout the year. To inquire about increasing your regular member contributions, please email Max at [email protected].
Become a member! Learn more about Becoming a Member – We would love to answer your questions about providing ongoing financial stability to the Boston center by phone 617-734-1498 or you can email the Executive Director at [email protected].
2. One-Time Unrestricted Gifts:
Please fill out the form below if you plan to make a donation. The “Submit” button records your information for us and will then take you to a Paypal page to make a donation via Paypal.
Important note: you do not need a PayPal account to donate, and don’t need to donate via Paypal. If you would like to donate by check (or other means) please note that in the comments section. If you would like to donate with a debit or credit card (rather than a Paypal account), choose “Donate with a Debit or Credit Card”.
