Shinnyo-En Foundation

Shinnyo-En Foundation

Shinnyo-En Foundation was established in 1994 by Nobuko Adachi as an independent, secular grantmaking entity funded by Shinnyo-en USA. It operates from San Bruno, California, with a narrow mandate: nurturing future generations through service. Program Director Ineko Tsuchida executes the vision, guided by the Buddhist order's head priest, Her Holiness Shinso Ito. The Foundation runs a pure grantmaking strategy concentrated entirely on community-based organizations and educational institutions that engage youth in service. Its giving operates across the United States, with a collaborative model that includes co-investor relationships such as its partnership with the Hawaii Community Foundation on the Agenda for Building Community Fund. The Stanford Ho Center for Buddhist Studies is an academic partner, hosting the Shinnyo-en Visiting Professor Lectures. The Foundation maintains ties to the United Religions Initiative as a professional network and holds associated NGO status with the United Nations Department of Global Communications. Beyond its direct operations, it sits alongside the ITO Foundation and Izumi Foundation as related philanthropic entities within the broader Shinnyo-en ecosystem. A commercial office at 851 Traeger Avenue anchors its operational footprint. Unlike most family foundations, Shinnyo-En Foundation draws its capital from a spiritual organization rather than a private operating business or financial fortune. Its governance ties directly to the Shinnyo-en Buddhist Order's leadership through Her Holiness Shinso Ito, creating a secular giving vehicle governed by religious succession rather than family wealth transfer.