Soka Gakkai International-USA

What Soka Gakkai International-USA does

Soka Gakkai International-USA (SGI-USA) is a religious non-profit organization recognized as a church under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code that practices Nichiren Buddhism in the United States. It is a constituent member of the global Soka Gakkai International (SGI) network and was formally chartered on October 24, 2009, by its Executive Council. SGI-USA serves individuals and families seeking spiritual practice, personal development, and community through the chanting of Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, study of Nichiren Buddhist scriptures, and engagement in local discussion meetings. Its member base is organized across four geographically defined territories (East, Central, West, and SoCal-Pacific) subdivided into zones, regions, chapters, and more than 300 local districts, supplemented by facilities such as the Florida Nature and Culture Center.

SGI-USA's "products" are non-commercial content and community platforms rather than proprietary technology. The product surface comprises a member portal (portal.sgi-usa.org), an online bookstore selling Buddhist publications, a weekly newspaper (World Tribune), a monthly study magazine (Living Buddhism), and two ongoing podcast series (Buddhability and Buddhist Solutions for Life's Problems). There are no proprietary AI systems, APIs, SDKs, or commercial software products; technology is used for content distribution and member communications rather than as a differentiating capability. The platform is framed around three practice areas: Buddhism for Daily Life, Buddhism for Human Dignity, and Buddhism for Global Citizenship.

The organization's business model is non-commercial. Funding derives from voluntary member contributions and donations rather than pricing or transactions, consistent with its IRS-recognized church status. Governance is exercised through a representative decision-making model led by a General Director (chief executive) and a 14–18-member Executive Council, with a 13-member Board of Directors overseeing corporate functions. The board includes executives drawn from major U.S. industries (real estate, finance, technology, healthcare, law, automotive services), bringing corporate expertise. Strategic changes since 2023 include a major territorial restructuring, the creation of a Standing Central Executive Committee, gender-classification modernization, and formalization of the misconduct investigation procedure in the SGI-USA Charter.

Name

Soka Gakkai International-USA

Legal name

Soka Gakkai International – USA

Website

https://sgi-usa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

SGI-USA is a non-profit religious organization recognized as a church under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code, practicing Nichiren Buddhism across four U.S. territories and more than 300 local districts, serving members through publications, podcasts, a member portal, and an online bookstore.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Organization

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Buddhist Broadcasting (MPABALAI)

Keywords

• Buddhist community services
• Nichiren buddhism practice
• Religious publications
• Spiritual community programs
• Buddhist study materials

Headquarters

HQ city

Santa Monica

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SGI-USA is a religious organization that practices Nichiren Buddhism and is recognized as a church under the Internal Revenue Code. It offers members a structured path of Buddhist practice centered on chanting Nam-myoho-renge-kyo, study of Buddhist scriptures, and community participation through local districts. The organization delivers value through local discussion meetings, published materials (World Tribune newspaper and Living Buddhism magazine), podcasts, an online member portal, an online bookstore for Buddhist publications, and retreat facilities at its Nature and Culture Centers.

Product overview

SGI-USA operates as a unified content and community platform consisting of a member portal for organizational access, an online bookstore for Buddhist publications, and multiple publication channels including the weekly World Tribune newspaper and monthly Living Buddhism magazine. The organization also offers two podcast series—the Buddhabivity Podcast and Buddhist Solutions for Life's Problems Podcast—that provide audio content about Buddhist practice and personal development. The platform is structured around three main practice areas: Buddhism for Daily Life, Buddhism for Human Dignity, and Buddhism for Global Citizenship.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SGI-USA Member Portal

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Soka Gakkai International: Global parent organization of SGI-USA and the broader SGI network. Operates the same Nichiren Buddhist practice, governance philosophy, and propagation mission across 192 countries and territories, directly comparable as the umbrella body of which SGI-USA is a constituent member.
• Buddhist Churches of America: One of the largest US-based Buddhist organizations, practicing Jodo Shinshu Buddhism with a network of temples, cultural centers, and affiliated programs. Comparable to SGI-USA as a major US Buddhist community organization with member-based structure and publication programs.
• Tzu Chi USA: US branch of the global Buddhist Tzu Chi Foundation focused on humanitarian work, community service, and Buddhist practice. Comparable to SGI-USA as an internationally-backed Buddhist lay organization with structured US operations, volunteer programs, and engaged Buddhism focus.
• Buddha's Light International Association (Fo Guang Shan): International Buddhist lay organization founded by Venerable Master Hsing Yun with significant US presence. Comparable as a large-scale Buddhist community organization with multi-generational programming, publications, retreats, and structured divisional organization.

Regional players

• San Francisco Zen Center: One of the largest and oldest Zen Buddhist organizations in the US with multiple practice centers and retreat facilities. Comparable to SGI-USA as a US Buddhist organization with multi-city center infrastructure, retreat facilities, publication programs, and structured membership.
• Insight Meditation Society: Major US-based Vipassana meditation center offering retreats, teacher training, and community programs. Comparable to SGI-USA in operating Buddhist education centers (similar in concept to FNCC), publishing Buddhist content, and serving seekers of lay Buddhist practice.

Emerging players

• Plum Village Foundation: International mindfulness community founded by Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh with practice centers and global lay community. Comparable to SGI-USA as a lay-oriented Buddhist community with media content, retreat centers, and multi-generational programming emphasis.
• Shambhala International: Buddhist-inspired organization offering meditation practice, teachings, and community programs with centers across North America. Comparable to SGI-USA as a lay-oriented Buddhist community organization with publications, centers, and practice-oriented programming, though smaller scale and narrower demographic.
• Dharma Drum Mountain: International Chan Buddhist organization with US presence, retreat centers, and lay practitioner programming. Comparable to SGI-USA as a global Buddhist community organization with structured US activities, publications, and educational programming.

Broad incumbents

• Soka University of America: Liberal arts university affiliated with the same SGI movement, with David Welch serving as VP/General Counsel on the SGI-USA board. Comparable as an SGI-affiliated US institution sharing mission, leadership overlap, and member pipeline with SGI-USA.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SGIUSA
• YouTubeyoutube.com/sgiUSA
• Facebookfacebook.com/sgiusa.info
• Instagraminstagram.com/sgi_usa

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Soka Gakkai International-USA