The Ramakrishna Foundation is recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as a tax-exempt public charity under Section 501(c)(3) of the IRS Code.

Donation checks must be made payable to THE RAMAKRISHNA FOUNDATION.

Please send your donation check to the following address:

Ramakrishna Foundation
PO Box 931480
Los Angeles, CA 90093

INFORMATION FOR DONORS

Ramakrishna Foundation accepts both designated and undesignated donations. Designated donations are funds which are designated by the donor to be given to a particular, approved non-profit institution. Undesignated donations are not designated by the donor for a particular purpose, and may be used by the Ramakrishna Foundation at the discretion of its officers and board of directors for any charitable purpose in accordance with its aims and objectives.

After we receive your donation check, it will take two to four weeks to process and transfer your donation to the designated recipient. We will send you a confirmation when the donation is transferred.

Please wait at least two weeks after sending us your donation before making any inquiries, to allow us time to receive the check, deposit it, and wait for the funds to clear. You may reach us at at support@ramakrishnafoundation.org for inquiries.

Designated donations

Before making a designated donation, donors must ensure that their intended recipient institution is approved by the Ramakrishna Foundation to receive funds.

If the designated recipient insitution is in India, donors must verify that the recipient has clearance from the Government of India to receive foreign donations. This is known as FCRA approval. In the case of centers of the Ramakrishna Mission, each individual branch of the Mission needs its own FCRA approval.

All donation checks must be accompanied by a letter specifying:

  1. Name of donor sending funds

  2. The purpose of the funds

  3. The organization/recipient's name and address

  4. If the recipient institution is located in India, its FCRA approval number.

About our Fees

The Ramakrishna Foundation is an all-volunteer organization. None of the directors receives any payment for services rendered. However, administrative costs have gone up, as the Foundation has been required since 2017 to undergo an external audit. With the increase in accounting expenses, we have reluctantly been forced to raise the fees for processing donations. We trust that our donors will understand. Any fees received in excess of the need will be spent only for charitable purposes in accordance with our mission.

Processing fees for transferring funds to recipients are as follows, and will be deducted from the amount transferred to the recipient. Donations can be transferred by wire transfer (preferred) or by check.

Fee for Wire Transfers:

  • The greater of $60 or 0.6% of the amount of each individual wire transfer issued

  • Maximum fee not to exceed $600 per wire transfer

Fee for Checks:

  • $35 for one check issued by the Ramakrishna Foundation

  • $25 for each check issued, if two or more checks are issued

  • $20 for each check issued, if sent to an institution located in the USA

Examples:

  1. A donation of $1,000 is to be transferred by wire transfer to an approved institution in India. The fee will be $60, and $940 will be transferred to the institution.

  2. A donation of $60,000 is to be transferred by wire transfer to three approved institutions, in the amounts of $30,000, $20,000, and $10,000. The fees will be $180 + $120 + $60 = $360

  3. A donation of $250,000 is to be transferred by wire transfer to two approved institutions, in the amounts of $200,000 and $50,000. The fees will be $600 + $300 = $900.

  4. A donation of $1,000 is to be transferred by check to an approved institution in India. The fee will be $35, and $965 will be transferred to the institution.

  5. A donation of $1,000 is to be transferred by three separate checks to three approved institutions in India. The fees will be $25 × 3 = $75, and a total of $925 will be transferred.

Undesignated Donations

There are no fees connected with undesignated donations.

The Ramakrishna Foundation regularly receives requests for funds from approved institutions. Undesignated donations enables the Foundation to fulfil some of these requests.