HOW TO COMPLETE AND SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION

We are mindful that some grant applicants have limited access to the Internet, so we have created two ways for you to complete and submit your application:

1. Press here to complete and submit online by using our Google Form application.

2. Press here to download a PDF copy of the application, which you can then print, complete, and submit via email or mail. You may email your application to grants@afot.org, or mail it to:

Arizona Friends of Tibet, Inc.
P.O. Box 1116
Sahuarita, AZ 85629
USA

If you have any questions about the grant application process, please email grants@afot.org or call (01) 520-477-6943.

TWO WAYS TO COMPLETE YOUR APPLICATION

Complete the Online Form

Print and Send PDF the Application

100% OF EVERY DOLLAR YOU DONATE GOES DIRECTLY TO OUR CAREFULLY-VETTED GRANTEE ORGANIZATIONS

Like many of us, you may receive appeals from various Tibetan Buddhist groups. We make it easy for you to choose, because when you donate to Arizona Friends of Tibet you can be assured that we thoroughly vet each grant request. In most cases, at least one member of the Board of Directors has a personal connection with the head teacher and/or group. Most of our grantees are located in Nepal, India and Bhutan, where even a small donation can have a major impact due to cost of living.

This section now features recipients of our grants in 2025 and shows some of the ways we might put your generous donations to work as we look ahead to 2026.

Note: At the bottom of the page, you’ll find archival content that shows special grants we made in 2022 and 2023 in response to humanitarian crises that occurred or were brought to our attention after our initial set of grants had been issued. Your donations in the first half of 2026 might facilitate something similar.

Bon Future Fund on Behalf of Redna Menling Nunnery, Dolanji, India

The Bon Future Fund supports some of the last remaining Bon monks and anis (nuns) in the world and helps in the preservation of the ancient Bon tradition. Our grants the past few years have been directed to the Redna Menling nunnery, which is in the foothills of the Himalayas in Dolanji, India. This year’s grant was used primarily for technological improvements to the anis’ classroom so that they may offer online instruction. The remaining funds will be directed to publication, in English, of a book written by Geshe-Ma Sherab Palzin, who is the head of the nunnery. Our contact at the Fund says, “This is a historic moment for Bon, as this is the first publication ever by a Geshe-Ma in Bon history!”

Dalai Lama Institute for Higher Education

The best description of our grant to the library comes from DLIHE principal Tenzin Pasang: “We recently launched a Research Center for Tibetan Studies at our institute, which has been officially recognized as a center under the university. Our institution proudly celebrated the graduation of our first batch of PhD scholars last year, marking a significant milestone in our commitment to advancing Tibetan Studies…. To support the growing needs of our researchers, we require the installation of a local server to share online resources effectively.” The 2025 grant from AFOT is being applied directly to their dedicated server room, helping with the purchase of the necessary computer hardware and a much-needed air conditioner to ensure the long life of the server.

https://www.dalailamainstitute.edu.in

Jampa Choling Nunnery, Kinnaur, India

Traditionally, a community builds a monastery, but the villagers in Kinnaur, India, chose to build and support a nunnery, and AFOT has been glad to help with that support for the past several years. During Covid, the nuns were able to pay back this generosity by supporting the villagers, who were facing serious economic stress during the pandemic due to lack of employment. Jampa Choling provided food, supplies, protective gear, and Covid safety classes.
Our subsequent grants, including the one in 2025, have helped the nuns offer regular Buddhist classes to the villagers, and provided the nuns with basic support for utilities, warm blankets, and clothing, as well as the opportunity to attend and participate in the annual Jang Gonchoe debates.

See more about these debates in the description below of our grant to Printworks for their upcoming documentary.

(The nunnery also shared photos from their study periods and classrooms, outdoor meditation session (when weather permits), shared meals, instruction to villagers, and the clothes AFOT helped them purchase. But we’re all about mandalas right now and couldn’t resist sharing this one with you.

Jangchub Choeling Nunnery

Construction of the Jangchub Choeling Centre for Buddhist Philosophy and Science is underway. This new academic wing will provide the 316 nuns with updated facilities for advanced science studies and is intended to complement their traditional Buddhist philosophy studies. The Centre’s goal is to position their nuns as global ambassadors and educators of Buddhist wisdom, and we are delighted to help. In 2025, the nuns directed part of our grant to the installation of security screens on the Centre’s windows and part to purchases of books, with the remaining funds being held in reserve for future purchase of furnishings for the classrooms and library.

Khawe Chenor – Library of Tibetan Works and Archive

Khawe Chenor, or Tibet’s Treasure, is the traditional performance group of the Library of Tibetan Works and Archives, which was founded by His Holiness the Dalai Lama in 1970 to protect, preserve and promote Tibetan culture. Our grant this year helped fund some key performances and activities, including an eight-episode lecture series on various subjects related to Tibetan studies, the video recording of this series, ritual services and readings on “any one auspicious day of every month” in honor of His Holiness’s 90th birthday this year, a quiz competition with cash prizes for Tibetan students, and a calligraphy class and competition.

At their events, the group may offer performances of Tibetan dance, and they certainly provide refreshments to attendees, such as the traditional Tibetan favorite, Po Cha, or butter tea.

Khenpo Dundup Sonam Rinpoche

AFOT joined with private donors and volunteers to bring Khenpo to Tucson for a four-month visit, a mutual exchange of learning, and some enriching shared experiences. For more than 20 years, Khenpo was khenpo (abbot) of the Rinchen Palri Monastery in Kathmandu, Nepal, and we were delighted to have such a revered teacher here. Our grant provided visa and transportation costs, food and other costs of his stay, plus some sightseeing around the area.

During his time here, Khenpo studied English with Literacy Connects, where his English improved by leaps and bounds, was a delightful houseguest of AFOT members and other Buddhists in the area, and offered several teachings in Tucson and Green Valley. Today, he is continuing his English instruction online, with a subscription purchased for him by AFOT, as he continues to spread the Dharma wherever he goes. He is currently in Vietnam, where his new English skills have provided a middle ground for communication and connection.

Khenpo hopes to return to Tucson for a teaching residency in 2027. We at AFOT look forward to seeing him again.

Lama Karma Retreat Place

This retreat center is under construction in Bhutan, with a central teaching space already complete, thanks in part to our grant in 2024. The center is already accepting visitors and Lama offers regular teachings there. Our grant this year was used for much-needed improvements to the road, providing drainage and filling some very large potholes. These improvements will allow travel this winter and spring by not only the center’s visitors but people in the village.

Note: Some funds from our 2025 grant are being carried forward into 2026 to continue these road improvements as the weather improves.

Ocean of Wisdom Charter School, Minneapolis

The Ocean of Wisdom School is the first in the United States to fully implement the compassion-based holistic education curriculum, SEE Learning, developed by Emory University under the vision of His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama. “SEE” stands for social, emotional and ethical learning. The school aims to foster the development of the whole child – academically, emotionally and socially – and AFOT is excited to be a small part of its development.

Our grant this year funded development of the school’s new website, which will explain the philosophical and practical aspects of the school as well as allow students to apply online. The Ocean of Wisdom board extended gratitude to our donors for “helping us better serve our community and reach families seeking quality education that integrates compassion.” While the new site is not live yet, the board graciously offered us a sneak peek, and it is beautiful and informative. For more information, you can visit the current version of the website.

For more about the gestures used in Tibetan Buddhist debate, try this article from the Tibetan Nuns Project, which is also involved in the Printworks documentary about the debates.

Printworks documentary

Documentary filmmaker Kim Eldon will follow student nuns in India as they prepare for and participate in the Jang Gonchoe debates in Bodh Gaya that are now a requirement for their graduation. Our grant provides travel and filming expenses to make this very important documentary possible. We hope the film will generate additional funds for Tibetan nuns worldwide who need our continuing support and protection.

Note: Due to visa issues, this grant has been deferred to 2026, with a revised filming schedule in place for spring. The first part of the project will allow Kim to develop a film trailer, which can in turn be used to generate support for the film, so she can return to film the debates next winter.

The Pureland Project

The Pureland Project is a nonprofit based in the U.S. and dedicated to supporting Tibetans with medical care, education, and cultural enhancement. Our 2025 grant to Pureland goes directly toward supporting His Eminence Garchen Rinpoche as he continues helping people in remote villages.

Sonam Wangchuk, director of Rig Gns Kundus, flips through a copy of one of the beautiful translations produced and distributed this year.

Rig Gns Kundus translation

Rig Gns Kundus is a nonprofit initiative dedicated to translating important international books into Tibetan, and then making them accessible to Tibetan readers. They commission translations of the year’s selected works and then distribute published copies to Tibetan communities.

Yeshede Buddhist Cultural Institute, Virginia

This small institute in Virginia does some big work in support of Tibetan people with their efforts to preserve Tibetan history, lineages, and teachings, and make sure Tibetan people have access to same. Our grant this year was used to type, record, and print the Buddha’s teaching Dispelling the Darkness of the Ten Directions. The books and booklets the institute produces are distributed for free to sanghas in Tibetan communities.

Garchen Ratnashri
Kiev, Ukraine

When the Russian war on Ukraine started, Garchen Ratnashri Sangha immediately organized financial, logistical and medical help for those most affected. The Ukrainian-Canadian Lama Crane DaZang, a trained nurse, was able to procure much-need medications from drug companies that sangha members then delivered to the front lines all over Ukraine. Sangha members continue to provide food and shelter for refugees from all over Ukraine. Website: https://ratnashri.org.ua/en/

Tara Mandala Poland Sangha
Warsaw, Poland

In addition to sangha members opening their homes to Ukrainian families including children and pets, the sangha contributed food, medicine and supplies to refugee centers in Warsaw and Krakow and assisted in transforming a guesthouse into a shelter for Ukrainian mothers and their special needs children. A full report of their many activities can be found at: https://www.taramandala.org/blog/ukraine-poland

If you know of a project that helps Tibetans directly, please contact us with the details at grants@afot.org.

Arizona Friends of Tibet is affiliated with Tibet House US.