Buddhist Global Relief (BGR)

Background

Buddhist Global Relief was founded in 2008 by Bhikkhu Bodhi, a Theravada Buddhist monk and scholar from the United States. The organization began with approximately $20,000 in funding to operate three projects in Southeast Asia, while expanding into the United States as of 2026. ⁴ BGR operates primarily as a grantmaking organization that funds third-party nonprofits working in hunger relief, agricultural development, and women’s education. The organization states that it uses an invitation-only funding model and does not accept unsolicited grant applications. ⁵ In addition to charitable programming, BGR claims hunger is interconnected with climate change and economic inequality. ⁶

Leadership

As of 2026, BGR was led by president and Chairperson Bhikkhu Bodhi, a Theravada Buddhist monk and scholar from the United States. Ordained in Sri Lanka in the early 1970s, he previously served as president of the Buddhist Publication Society and at the time was also president of the Buddhist Association of the United States, a position he had held since 2013. ⁷ He is known for translating and publishing early Buddhist scriptures and for promoting “engaged Buddhism,” a movement encouraging social activism grounded in Buddhist ethics. ⁸

Bhikkhu Bodhi has written and spoken publicly on poverty, climate change, and economic systems. In published commentary, he has argued that religious communities should move beyond political neutrality and support structural reforms addressing inequality and environmental degradation. His writings frame hunger and poverty as consequences of broader political and economic systems rather than solely humanitarian crises. ⁹

As of 2026, Kim Behan was the executive director of BGR. Behan, a founding member of the organization, began working as executive director in 2019 after having held leadership positions within BGR beginning in 2009. ¹⁰

Deputy director Patricia Price, previously worked in fundraising roles including 11 years with CARE International, a global humanitarian nonprofit engaged in poverty alleviation and women’s empowerment initiatives. ¹⁰

Vice president W. David Braughton has held executive leadership roles in behavioral health and crisis intervention organizations and holds a master’s degree in social work from the University of Chicago. ⁸

According to BGR’s 2024 tax return, additional directors included Daniel Blake, George Clapp, Charles Elliott, Sylvie Sun, Ayya Dhammadipa, Jin Chuan, Pat Tallman, and Shae Davidson. ¹⁰

Programs and Grantmaking

Buddhist Global Relief operates primarily as a grantmaking organization that funds a mix of direct-relief charities and international nonprofits that combine humanitarian programming with liberal policy advocacy. It does not directly administer large-scale food distribution programs; instead, it channels funds to established domestic and international nonprofits engaged in hunger relief, agricultural development, and women-focused economic initiatives. The organization describes women’s education and livelihood support as central to its anti-poverty strategy, citing research linking female education to reductions in hunger and poverty. ^{6  3}

In 2024, BGR awarded more than $900,000 in grants. A portion of its funding supported U.S.-based food assistance organizations such as Feeding America, a nationwide network of food banks, and international humanitarian organizations such as Action Against Hunger and Helen Keller International. ²

The organization has also funded large international advocacy-oriented nonprofits. These include CARE, which promotes gender equity and poverty alleviation initiatives; Oxfam America, the U.S. affiliate of the Oxfam confederation, which combines humanitarian relief with policy advocacy on global inequality and climate policy; and World Food Program USA, which supports the United Nations World Food Programme and received $175,000 from BGR in 2024, the largest single grant reported that year. ²

BGR has also provided funding to UNICEF USA and UNRWA USA, which support United Nations humanitarian agencies operating internationally. ²

Opposition to Nuclear Energy

Buddhist Global Relief was a cosigner on an April 2021 letter to President Joe Biden that called on the Biden Administration to promote weather-dependent wind and solar power systems and “end the fossil fuel era.” The letter also advised the president to “Phase out nuclear energy as an inherently dirty, dangerous and costly energy source.” ¹

Financials

According to its 2024 tax return, BGR reported total revenue of $1,896,521 and expenses of $1,891,927, with assets totaling $2,656,449 at year’s end. ¹¹ The organization reported $1,672,506 in gifts and grants and $105,530 from fundraising events in 2024. ¹² From 2020 through 2024, BGR reported receiving $7,916,513 in public support. ¹³

Funding

In 2023, significant contributions included $233,558 from Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund and $57,162 from PayPal Giving Fund. These entities are donor-advised fund sponsors that facilitate charitable giving by individual donors. ^{14  15}