Week 4/6 of the Sustaining Supporter Drive!
Sustaining Supporters allow people to discover the Dharma!
The ever-evolving KCC community aspires to welcome everyone searching for a Dharma home. At the recent 50th Anniversary Sunday celebration, Diane Young, a newer sangha member, shared her experience of discovering KCC:
“I came to KCC in April of ‘24, and the minute I walked in, I felt at home, like this is what I’ve been looking for. I really love being with people who love the Dharma and who live it from their heart – the earnestness and humor and kindness here is just extraordinary, and the skill and depth of teaching is absolutely wonderful. And there are really good potlucks!”
Heading into week 4 of the Sustaining Supporter drive, we are asking every member of our sangha to look deeply at their own financial situation and consider becoming a sustaining contributor—or increase your current monthly gift. What would be a meaningful contribution for you to make to KCC?
If KCC were funded *solely* by sustaining contributions, our active sangha of about 200 people would each need to contribute $200 per month to keep our staff paid and facilities maintained based on the 2026 approved budget of $460,000.
About half of our budget ($230,000) goes directly toward salary and benefits for our 4 full-time and 2 part-time employees. These dedicated staff members are the engine of KCC, handling the day-to-day operations, maintaining our facilities, and creating the conditions for our practice to thrive. The remainder of the budget covers the essential costs of keeping our buildings and grounds in good condition.
An Important Note on Unbudgeted Expenses
It is important to note that our $460,000 budget is quite lean. It did *not* include the cost of installing Air Conditioning (paid for out of our reserve funds) and it did not anticipate the need for a new vehicle for SCOL. To cover these unexpected but necessary expenses, we need our sustaining foundation to be as strong as possible.
Together We Sustain KCC’s Heart and Work
Over the past five years, our staff has made significant efforts to diversify KCC’s revenue through programs, events, and other initiatives. Thanks to their hard work – programming income has increased. Sustaining contributions are projected to cover 25% of 2026 expenses or about $115,000.
For the 2026 Sustaining Supporter Campaign, the goal is to reach $125,000 in annual Sustaining Supporter giving. Monthly contributions provide the predictable, reliable cash flow we need to provide cost-of-living raises for our dedicated staff and plan for the future.
The board approved the 2026 budget and extra expenditures this year with confidence precisely because we know we have the support of this community.
- Can you give $200/month? If so, you are essentially covering your individual “share” of keeping KCC fully staffed and resourced.
- Can you give $50 or $100/month? Every single recurring gift adds stability to our foundation.
- Can you give $20/month? Consistent, smaller gifts collectively make a massive impact.
Whatever you can offer, please know that it makes a real difference in the lives of our staff, the upkeep of our facilities, and the future of our Dharma center. Your presence, practice, and shared commitment are the true heart of KCC.
KCC is committed to freely offering the Dharma to all.
To make this possible, we practice a model of mutual support: we invite those with greater financial capacity to give a higher percentage of their income, balancing the contributions of those who can give less.
Here are a few examples of how you might structure your pledge:
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Sustaining support is tax deductible as KCC is a U.S. tax-exempt 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. If you would like to customize your giving plan, or have questions about donating, please contact Cynthia at .
If you want to share the transformative benefit of what KCC offers, we invite you to:
Become a Sustaining Supporter
-or-
Increase your current monthly contribution.
As we celebrate KCC’s 50th anniversary, we honor the generosity of those who sustained this center before us. Extending our generosity today helps KCC continue to freely offer the Dharma, care for the community and facilities that support our practice, and pass this gift on to future practitioners.
Other Ways to Support KCC
Beyond recurring pledges, you can deeply impact KCC through:
- Volunteering: Offering your time, skills, and energy. To learn more about volunteering at our dharma center and retreat land, click here.
- Legacy & Planned Giving: Remembering KCC in your estate planning. For more information, click here.
- IRA Distributions: Directing Qualified Charitable Distributions (QCDs) to KCC. For more information, click here.
KCC’s Benevolence Fund: Interconnected Care
Generosity flows in many directions. If offering financial support is not possible for you in your current season of life, please remember that KCC is also here to support you.
You can request basic life support through a one-time grant from KCC’s Benevolence Fund. Our Sangha contributes to this fund because we know that we are all interconnected and are unaffected when a member of our community is struggling. To learn more, contact .
For non-financial assistance, such as help with meals and rides to and from medical appointments, please contact KCC’s Needs & Care Group.
