Kadampa Meditation Center New York City

What Kadampa Meditation Center New York City does

Kadampa Meditation Center New York City (KMC NYC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization founded in 1994 as Chakrasambara Center and currently operating from an owned facility at 127 West 24th Street in Chelsea, Manhattan. It is a member of the New Kadampa Tradition (NKT), a global network of more than 1,400 Kadampa Buddhist centers in over 36 countries founded by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso. KMC NYC delivers Modern Kadampa Buddhism, a presentation of the tradition's teachings and meditation practices packaged for contemporary urban practitioners, with classes led by Eastern US National Spiritual Director Kadam Morten Clausen alongside a network of branch teachers.

The core product is a portfolio of 30+ weekly drop-in General Program classes at the Chelsea main center, supplemented by eight neighborhood branch locations across Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, and Jersey City. Supporting offerings include structured Foundation and Teacher Training study programs, weekend courses, retreats, special events, age-specific Kids and Tweens classes, and a Kadampa App for digital content access. Teaching content is anchored to a library of 23+ books by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso published via Tharpa, with free e-courses and e-books used as lead generation. The digital surface is intentionally light: a WordPress website, a mobile app, and ticketing/live chat tooling, with no disclosed AI, API, or integration features.

The business model combines three revenue streams: per-class drop-in fees ($15 for most 90-minute General Program classes, $10 for 60-minute classes), a Supporting Membership at $85/month for unlimited classes, and tax-deductible donations from a 501(c)(3) donor base. The center is volunteer-led with 1-10 stated employees, and the organization emphasizes that anyone can participate regardless of ability to pay. The go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, relying on a drop-in class format, membership conversion, and word-of-mouth referrals within the NYC meditation and Buddhist community, with no disclosed institutional investor or external funding.

Name

Kadampa Meditation Center New York City

Legal name

Kadampa Meditation Center New York City

Website

https://meditationinnewyork.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kadampa Meditation Center New York City is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit Buddhist meditation center in Chelsea offering 30+ weekly drop-in classes, eight neighborhood branches across NYC and New Jersey, and structured study programs for the general public, families, and students.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Meditation and Buddhist Education Services

NAICS

Exam Preparation and Tutoring (611691)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYHSADAJAA

Guided Meditation Instruction (1:1 & Group)

Home & Personal Services/Fitness, Wellness & Personal Training/Meditation, Mindfulness & Breathwork

SECONDARYHSADAJAH

Meditation Apps, Digital Courses & Online Communities

Home & Personal Services/Fitness, Wellness & Personal Training/Meditation, Mindfulness & Breathwork

SECONDARYHSADAJAF

Meditation Retreats, Workshops & Immersive Programs

Home & Personal Services/Fitness, Wellness & Personal Training/Meditation, Mindfulness & Breathwork

SECONDARYTHAJAHAA

Yoga & Meditation Experiences (Studio Classes, Guided Meditation, Mindfulness)

Travel & Hospitality/Tours, Attractions & Experiences/Wellness & Spa Experiences (Retreats, Thermal Baths, Yoga)

Keywords

• Buddhist meditation classes
• Meditation center services
• Buddhist study programs
• Guided meditation teachings
• Spiritual retreats

Headquarters

HQ city

New York

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices9 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Class fees: Fees charged for drop-in General Program meditation and Buddhist classes. Revenue from individual class attendance.
2. Supporting Membership: Monthly membership at $85/month for unlimited classes, providing recurring revenue while supporting the center and branch operations
3. Donations: As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization, donations are accepted and tax-deductible. Donate page available on website.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Kadampa Meditation Center New York City operates a Buddhist meditation center offering 30+ weekly drop-in meditation classes and Buddhist teachings at its Chelsea main center and eight neighborhood branch locations across NYC and New Jersey. It also runs structured Foundation and Teacher Training study programs, weekend courses and retreats, age-specific Kids and Tweens classes, and provides the Kadampa mobile app for digital access to teachings. Classes are priced at $15 per session with a $85/month Supporting Membership option for unlimited access.

Product overview

Kadampa Meditation Center New York City is a nonprofit Buddhist meditation center offering a portfolio of in-person and online programs. The core offering consists of 30+ weekly drop-in meditation classes (General Program) held at its Chelsea main center and eight neighborhood branch locations across NYC and New Jersey. Supporting offerings include structured Study Programs (Foundation Program and Teacher Training Program), weekend courses and retreats, age-specific Kids and Tweens Classes, and the Kadampa App for digital access to teachings. The center also sells books by founder Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso through its website. Classes are priced at $15 per session ($10 for 60-minute classes) with a monthly Supporting Membership option at $85 for unlimited access.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Drop-in Meditation Classes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Manjushri Kadampa Meditation CenterminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Located in Ulverston, UK - hosts the annual Summer Festival. KMC NYC promotes and facilitates attendance at this international gathering of Kadampa practitioners from around the world.
• New Kadampa Tradition (NKT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1994KMC NYC is part of the New Kadampa Tradition, a worldwide network of over 1,400 Kadampa Buddhist centers. The NKT was founded by Venerable Geshe Kelsang Gyatso and preserves Buddha's teachings through an unbroken lineage of realized Teachers. KMC NYC follows NKT's modern presentation of Buddha's teachings suitable for the modern world.
• LiveChatminorOthersChat and ticketing system used on the website for visitor inquiries and support
• HelpDeskminorOthersHelpDesk ticketing system used on the website for visitor inquiries and support

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Calm: Largest subscription-based meditation, sleep, and wellness app with broad consumer reach. Competes for the same customer time and discretionary spend on meditation, though delivery is digital rather than in-person and not tradition-specific.
• Headspace: Mass-market digital meditation and mindfulness platform with subscription-based app offering guided meditations, courses, and sleep content. Comparable end-user outcome (meditation practice) at significantly different scale and price point.

Emerging players

• MNDFL: NYC secular meditation studio offering drop-in guided meditation classes and memberships. Comparable urban drop-in class model and membership pricing, but positioned as secular rather than Buddhist.
• Inscape: NYC meditation and wellness studio offering guided meditation classes, mindfulness programming, and memberships. Comparable urban drop-in meditation class format and membership pricing tier.

Direct peers

• Shambhala Meditation Center of New York: NYC Shambhala/Tibetan Buddhist meditation center offering weekly drop-in classes, workshops, and community programs. Comparable Tibetan-tradition lineage, urban drop-in teaching model, and Sangha-building approach.
• Insight Meditation Society: Long-established Insight/Vipassana meditation retreat and teaching center. Comparable in offering structured courses, retreats, and a multi-decade institutional lineage, though predominantly retreat-based rather than weekly drop-in urban classes.
• Tibet House US: NYC cultural and educational institution affiliated with Tibetan Buddhism, offering meditation programs, classes, and community events. Comparable NYC-based Tibetan Buddhist programming and nonprofit educational mission.
• The Zen Center of New York City: Fire Lotus Temple: NYC Zen Buddhist center offering drop-in meditation classes, retreats, and study programs. Comparable urban Buddhist instruction model with multi-tier engagement (drop-in through intensive practice) and nonprofit structure.
• New York Insight Meditation Center: NYC-based Buddhist meditation center offering drop-in classes, courses, and retreats in the Insight (Vipassana) tradition. Directly comparable in-city, drop-in class model and lay-friendly Buddhist teaching structure.
• New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care: NYC Zen-affiliated center offering meditation classes, study programs, and chaplaincy training. Comparable urban Zen Buddhist teaching model with a member-supported nonprofit structure.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/results?search_query=kadampa+meditation+new+york
• Xx.com/kadampanyc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kadampa Meditation Center New York City