Lenz Foundation Gives Grants To 100 Organizations

LOS ANGELES, June 20, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The Frederick P. Lenz Foundation for American Buddhism today announced it has given grants totaling close to $7 million to 100 unique American organizations.  Since 2002, The Lenz Foundation's grant-making has focused on nonprofit organizations that reflect the universal Buddhist values of wisdom, compassion, mindfulness, and meditation. 

Says Norman Oberstein, Lenz Foundation CEO, "We are proud to have worked with 100 groups to date.  Our founder, Rama – Dr. Frederick Lenz, envisioned a foundation that would be impartial, providing assistance to many forms of American Buddhism. In addition to providing grants, we also offer training to help our grantees become successful at what they do."

Grant categories include meditation and mindfulness in schools, prisons, at risk communities, and law schools; Buddhist programs at universities; women in Buddhism; assistance for the dying; programs for minorities and people of color; support for military veterans with PTSD; and Buddhist art and culture.

Training has included nonprofit financial success from Lynne Twist's Soul of Money, collaboration skills from The Presencing Institute, and teaching mindfulness in business.  The Lenz Foundation also maintains oversight and the availability of Dr. Lenz's materials including books, audio talks, music, and videos.

According to Fleet Maul, President of Prison Mindfulness Institute, "The Lenz Foundation has been a consistent supporter of our work bringing meditation and mindfulness to correctional institutions all over the country.  After their release from prison, individuals have the means to sustain and increase their ability to succeed in society."

"The Lenz Foundation has supported our efforts to innovate within our tradition," says Jeremy Levie, Secretary of San Francisco Zen Center.  "This makes Zen practice accessible and relevant to a wide audience of practitioners."

The Lenz Foundation is a perpetual private foundation.  Says Oberstein, "I am always inspired by the variety and commitment of engaged, socially helpful work being done by Buddhist organizations all over the USA."

For a complete list of grant recipients, see Grant Activity.

About the Lenz Foundation
The mission of the Frederick P. Lenz Foundation for American Buddhism is to foster the growth and development of an authentic American Buddhism that takes its inspiration from the wisdom traditions of the East but adopts new forms, approaches, and applications that are uniquely suited to contemporary American society and culture.  The Lenz Foundation is based in Los Angeles, California.

SOURCE Frederick P. Lenz Foundation for American Buddhism