Donations and Membership
We Depend on Donations from Members and Friends Like You!
Your contributions help support our programming, such as teachings by accredited teachers in the Gelugpa Tibetan Buddhist lineage, retreats, and meditation lessons.
You can securely make a donation online by clicking the "Donate" button below. Although we use secure PayPal processing, you do not need a PayPal account to donate online; just click the "Donate with a Debit or Credit Card" button on the PayPal donation page.
The South Carolina Dharma Group is a federally-recognized 501(c)3 non-profit organization, and contributions are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.
You may also donate by mailing us a check (SCDG, PO Box 50357, Columbia, SC 29250) or by leaving cash or a check at the Dharma Center.
How to Become a Member
Everyone is welcome to attend meditation and teachings at the South Carolina Dharma Group's Center. If you want to help us continue to present teachings and meditation, consider becoming a member.
Becoming a member of SCDG is not the same as committing to become a Buddhist, which is a process called "taking refuge." Members of SCDG make donations on a regular basis, which are used for rent for the center, funds for visiting teachers, ritual items for the shrine room, and outreach programs. We use the dues to give dana to Geshe Topgyal for online teachings during the pandemic and possibly continuing, and also to pay for travel, lodging, and dana for teachers visiting from India and from distant locations in the US. Members are encouraged to attend the Annual Meeting and other board meetings where they may vote on decisions for the future of SCDG.
To help us make the study and practice of Tibetan Buddhism available in the midlands of South Carolina, consider becoming a member! Just contact us at scdharma@gmail.com or talk with us at the center. To become a member, email us at scdharma@gmail.com for our membership brochure or contact a member of the Board. We welcome other donations for those who are not interested in full membership. Any amount helps to support our programs.
Dues and other donations may be made online by clicking the "Donate" button above, or by personal check by mail, or cash and check in the donation basket in the shrine room.
You can become a "Friend of SCDG" for a donation of $50 to $100 per year, which does not include voting rights at member meetings.
If you are a member or are interested in becoming one, we have suggested dues based on income listed below. These monthly dues reflect approximately 1.5% of annual income, a percentage which you can calculate yourself based on your own income. Please contact us if you have more questions about becoming a member.
Annual Income Monthly Dues
$15,000 $18
$30,000 $36
$45,000 $56
$60,000 $75
$75,000 $92
$90,000 $112
$115,000 and up $142+