From the Fundraising Working Group

The Incense Offering has been chanted thousands of times by the Mountain Rain Zen Community and the Karuna Society preceding it for over 30 years. While we chanted, “may [the incense] be fragrant as earth herself, reflecting our careful effort, our wholehearted awareness and the fruit of understanding, slowly ripening”, Mountain Rain ‘ripened’ and matured as a sangha. In 2021, consultants hired to guide us through strategic planning assessed Mountain Rain to be a solid (albeit small), efficiently-run non-profit with excellent potential. Zoom technology has now expanded Mountain Rain’s reach well beyond Vancouver.

The transfer of the Vancouver Zen Centre property to Mountain Rain in 2022 stepped up the community’s ‘ripening’ and changed nearly everything. With this came the responsibility of managing an important financial asset, and financial resilience that had previously not been available. In response, our treasurer, finance committee and council have been working hard to ensure financial stability and prudent budgeting. Council formed a Fundraising Working Group for recommendations of new ways to support these efforts.

After diligent research, the creation of an Endowment Fund has emerged as the first recommendation of the working group. Members will be invited to a special general meeting on April 14 to learn more about and vote on the proposal. If you are not yet a member and would like to take part in shaping our financial future, sign up HERE by March 14.

An endowment fund is an investment portfolio held by a non-profit organization. Its purpose is to generate a permanent stream of income to support the organization’s work and financial needs over the long term. Endowment funds are funded by donations and provide unique tax benefits and legacy giving opportunities, including tax receipts for donations from outside Canada. Further details will be provided to members with the invitation to the special general meeting via email by March 14.