Sati Center For Buddhist

What Sati Center For Buddhist does

Sati Center for Buddhist Studies is a non-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization founded in 1997 and based in Redwood City, California, where it is co-located with Insight Meditation Center (IMC). The organization offers Buddhist studies, chaplaincy training, and certificate programs to adult learners interested in Theravada Buddhist practice and its applied dimensions. Over its multi-decade history, it has produced an extensive content library including sutta translations and AudioDharma recordings, and has trained hundreds of students.

The center's core programs include a two-year Buddhist Chaplaincy Training program, an 18-month Buddhist Eco-Chaplaincy Training, and a forthcoming Peace and Conflict Chaplaincy (PACC) program scheduled to run from June 2026 through December 2027. It also operates the Anukampa Practice Program and offers courses eligible for academic credit through a partnership with the Institute of Buddhist Studies (IBS). Content is delivered primarily through live online sessions via Zoom, supplemented by in-person retreats at partner retreat centers including Insight Retreat Center and Big Springs Center.

The business model is structured around sliding-scale tuition (with individual programs generally priced in the low thousands of dollars), donations (Dāna), and foundation grants. Teaching faculty receive no salary and are supported through teacher dāna, which structurally caps direct labor costs but creates revenue unpredictability. Named partners include Insight Meditation Center, Insight Retreat Center, Big Springs Center, the Institute of Buddhist Studies, the Bess Family Foundation, and the European Buddhist Union Chaplaincy Network.

Name

Sati Center For Buddhist

Legal name

Sati Center for Buddhist Studies

Website

https://sati.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1997

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Sati Center for Buddhist Studies is a non-profit 501(c)(3) founded in 1997 in Redwood City, California, offering Theravada Buddhist chaplaincy training, certificate programs, and applied Buddhist education to adult learners online and at partner retreat centers.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious and Spiritual Education

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools (6113), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Buddhist Monastic Universities & Dharma Colleges (EDAHAKAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Ministerial Training Institutes (Clergy Formation) (EDAHAKAE), Guided Meditation Instruction (1:1 & Group) (HSADAJAA)

Keywords

• Buddhist studies education
• Chaplaincy training programs
• Theravada Buddhist certificates
• Meditation retreats
• Spiritual care training

Headquarters

HQ city

Redwood City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Tuition and Program Fees: Revenue from certificate programs, chaplaincy training, and practice programs with sliding scale pricing. Core programs include Buddhist Chaplaincy Training ($2,000-4,000), Anukampa Practice Program ($400-1,000), and certificate programs ($500-800 per unit).
2. Donations and Dāna: Voluntary donations following Buddhist tradition of generosity (dāna). Many programs offered free or donation-based. Donations are tax-deductible as the organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
3. Certificate Program Fees: Certificate in Theravada Buddhist Studies and Certificate in Buddhist Spiritual Care, each requiring 24 units of coursework. Administrative fees of $500-1,000 per year in addition to per-unit tuition.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Sati Center for Buddhist Studies offers structured Buddhist education programs, including two certificate programs (Theravada Buddhist Studies and Buddhist Spiritual Care) and four chaplaincy/practice training tracks (Introduction to Buddhist Chaplaincy Training, Buddhist Eco-Chaplaincy Training, Peace and Conflict Chaplaincy, and Anukampa Practice Program). Programs are delivered online via Zoom and in-person at the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, CA, supplemented by sutta translations, recorded classes on AudioDharma, and self-paced online courses. The offerings are targeted at individual practitioners seeking professional chaplaincy credentials, deepened practice, or scholarly understanding of Theravada Buddhism.

Product overview

The Sati Center for Buddhist Studies offers a portfolio of educational programs centered on Theravada Buddhist teachings and practice. The core offerings include two certificate programs: the Certificate in Theravada Buddhist Studies (3-year part-time) providing grounding in Buddhist teachings, practices, and texts; and the Certificate in Buddhist Spiritual Care (2-3 year part-time) preparing individuals for chaplaincy and spiritual caregiving. Specialized training programs include Introduction to Buddhist Chaplaincy Training (yearlong, available in-person and online), Buddhist Eco-Chaplaincy Training (18-month), and Peace and Conflict Chaplaincy (18-month). The Anukampa Practice Program is a 10-month container for personal practice development. Supporting resources include online self-paced courses at courses.sati.org, sutta translations, class recordings via AudioDharma, and a calendar of events and retreats. The organization operates primarily as a non-profit educational institution rather than a technology product company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Introduction to Buddhist Chaplaincy Training: Yearlong training program providing foundational skills in Buddhist chaplaincy and spiritual care.
• Buddhist Eco-Chaplaincy Training
• Peace and Conflict Chaplaincy (PACC)
• Anukampa Practice Program
• Certificate in Theravada Buddhist Studies
• Certificate in Buddhist Spiritual Care

Products and services

• Certificate in Theravada Buddhist Studies A three-year minimum part-time certificate program providing practical grounding in Buddhist teachings, practices, sacred texts (suttas), and history. Requires 24 units of coursework and two 7-day silent meditation retreats. Targets individual practitioners seeking deeper scholarly and practical understanding of Theravada Buddhism.
• Certificate in Buddhist Spiritual Care A two-to-three-year part-time certificate preparing individuals for professional, volunteer, and everyday forms of Buddhist spiritual care as chaplains, counselors, dharma teachers, and caregivers. Requires 24 units of coursework and a supervised practicum. Targets individuals pursuing chaplaincy or spiritual care roles.
• Introduction to Buddhist Chaplaincy Training A yearlong training program in Buddhist spiritual care offered in both in-person (at Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, CA) and online (via Zoom) formats. Includes monthly workshops, 100 hours of service work, reading, writing assignments, mentor interviews, and small group meetings. Targets aspiring Buddhist chaplains and spiritual caregivers.
• Buddhist Eco-Chaplaincy Training An 18-month specialized training program preparing participants to support individuals and communities in responding to ecological challenges through Buddhist teachings, nature connection, and spiritual care practices. Includes ten one or two-day online retreats and two seven-day residential retreats. Targets environmental and eco-spiritual practitioners.
• Peace and Conflict Chaplaincy (PACC) An 18-month program (June 2026 to December 2027) combining Buddhist practice, peace building, conflict transformation, and chaplaincy. Participants develop skills to foster peace, de-escalate conflict, build dialogue, and support those enmeshed in conflict with clarity, kindness, and impartiality. Targets individual practitioners and conflict-resolution professionals.
• Anukampa Practice Program A 10-month practice program (August to July) designed to establish, broaden, and deepen personal practice through spiritual themes. Centers on ten core human needs paired with Buddhist perfections (paramis), offering optional components including reading, writing assignments, small group meetings, and communication practices. Targets Buddhist practitioners seeking to deepen practice.
• Online Courses Self-paced online courses including the Middle Length Discourses course covering approximately 50 suttas organized thematically, with video introductions, study guides, audio lectures, Q&A sessions, and reflection questions. Targets individual learners worldwide.

Quantifiable outcome

• Hundreds of students trained as chaplains and Buddhist practitioners serving nationwide
• +1 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Insight Meditation Center (IMC)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-located at IMC's Redwood City facility. IMC courses and retreats count toward Sati Center certificate credits. Gil Fronsdal serves as co-guiding teacher at IMC. Programs cross-promoted and integrated curriculum.
• Insight Retreat CentercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRetreat center in Santa Cruz, CA used for certificate program practicum requirements and annual Buddhist Chaplaincy February retreat. Deepening Meditation Program offered through IRC.
• Institute of Buddhist Studies (IBS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic affiliation program. In-person BCT students can receive 3 units of academic credit from IBS as Special Students. Credits may apply toward IBS Master of Divinity or MA in Buddhist Studies degrees.
• Big Springs Retreat CentersupportingOthersLocated in Sierraville, CA. Used for Eco-Chaplaincy program's October 2026 in-person residential retreat (October 4-10, 2026).
• Buddhist Eco-Chaplaincy Support NetworksupportingOthersSupport network for Buddhist eco-chaplains. Associated with Buddhist Eco-Chaplaincy program. Multi-faith conference co-organized for eco-chaplains.
• European Buddhist Union Chaplaincy NetworksupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerVanessa Able participates in EBU Chaplaincy Network. Training recognized internationally through this connection.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• University of the West: A Buddhist-inspired university offering degree programs in Buddhist Studies and chaplaincy-related training. It competes for the same practitioner-scholar market as Sati Center with broader degree pathways.
• Insight Meditation Society (IMS): IMS is one of the oldest Theravada Vipassana meditation and study centers in the U.S., offering residential retreats and teacher training. It is highly comparable to Sati Center in tradition (Theravada/Insight), delivery (online + in-person), and target audience (practitioners seeking structured study).
• Spirit Rock Meditation Center: A Bay Area insight meditation center offering retreats, study programs, and teacher training. Spirit Rock overlaps directly with Sati Center's Insight Meditation lineage, Bay Area geographic base, and educational programming model.
• Maitripa College: Maitripa is a Buddhist graduate college in Portland offering MA degrees in Buddhist Studies and Applied Spirituality. It competes for students seeking academically rigorous Buddhist education in a small-college format comparable to Sati's certificate offerings.
• Naropa University: Naropa is a Buddhist-inspired accredited university offering contemplative education degrees. It competes for students seeking credentialed Buddhist education and shares the contemplative pedagogy model with Sati Center.
• Upaya Zen Center: Upaya offers a Zen-based chaplaincy training program and Buddhist educational offerings. It competes directly with Sati in the Buddhist chaplaincy training market, though from a Zen rather than Theravada perspective.
• New York Zen Center for Contemplative Care: Provides Buddhist chaplaincy training and spiritual care programs accredited by APC. It is a direct competitor to Sati's Buddhist Chaplaincy Training program in the professional chaplaincy education space.
• Barre Center for Buddhist Studies (BCBS): BCBS offers study programs and retreats grounded in the Theravada tradition, similar to Sati's curriculum. It targets the same practitioner-student audience seeking structured Buddhist education.
• Institute of Buddhist Studies (IBS): IBS is an accredited graduate school offering MA and MDiv programs in Buddhist Studies and is Sati Center's academic credit partner. It operates in the same market (Buddhist higher education) with overlapping faculty and student pools.

Others

• Association of Professional Chaplains (APC): APC is the accrediting body for professional chaplains and certifies chaplaincy training programs. Sati's programs align with APC standards, making APC an ecosystem/credentialing partner rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@TheSatiCenter
• Facebookfacebook.com/SatiCenter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

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 Sati Center For Buddhist