David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace
Change Begins Within
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Education
The Foundation’s educational outreach, the Quiet Time program, is focused primarily on students in low income urban schools. Quiet Time (QT) is a practical evidence-based approach that reduces stress while improving focus, academic performance, student wellness, and the general school environment. QT provides students with two 15-minute periods of TM each day to help balance their lives and improve their readiness to learn. This schoolwide program complements existing educational strategies by improving the physiological underpinnings of learning and behavior. QT has proven to have significant impact by reducing student absenteeism, infractions, and suspension rates. Research also suggests that teachers and administrators who practice TM experience reduced stress and burnout. DLF-funded programs include public and public charter schools in New York, Los Angeles, and Washington, D.C.
Women's Health Initiative
The Women's Health Initiative provides TM training for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. TM is an evidence-based, alternative therapy shown to contribute to healing and empowerment. Program partners include the Manhattan Family Justice Center (an initiative of the New York City Mayor's office to end domestic and gender-based violence), Crime Victim Treatment Center (the largest hospital-based victim assistance program in New York), and other domestic violence and sexual assault service providers. d their families.
Veterans Program
This program provides TM training to veterans, active-duty personnel, and military families. This simple, easy-to-learn, evidence-based technique has been shown to relieve symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and major depression. The Resilient Warrior Program works with major veteran service organizations including Veterans Administration (VA) medical centers, Fort Gordon Traumatic Brain Injury Clinic, and the Boulder Crest Retreat. The Foundation is working closely with top administrative and research leadership at the VA to design the largest study ever on meditation and PTSD. The study will take place at 9 VA medical centers and research universities across the U.S. with approximately 450-500 subjects. In addition to PTSD clinical outcomes, the study will examine depression, suicidal ideation, substance craving/usage and sleep - and include a neuroimaging and biological component.
Heal The Healers Program
"Heal the Healers Now,” a new initiative to bring the stress-reducing Transcendental Meditation® technique to medical providers who are battling the coronavirus pandemic, was launched nationally April 2020, by the two nonprofit groups: the Center for Health and Wellness of the David Lynch Foundation and the US TM® organization.
The program will be offered to healthcare providers as a stand-alone approach or as an adjuvant therapy to make existing programs for managing stress more effective. TM instructions will be carried out in partnership with affiliated institutions. The Wellness Program has already been offered in hospitals and clinics nationally, including most recently at Weill Cornell Medical Center-New York Presbyterian Hospital in New York City with significant reductions in physician burnout, insomnia, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress over a three-month period in those practicing the TM technique.
Where we work
External reviews

Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Evaluation documents
Download evaluation reportsAverage number of dollars per person served
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Veterans, Families, Women, Children and youth, Emergency responders
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Increasing
Context Notes
We began tracking cost per student more effectively in FY 2015.
Number of clients served
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Multiracial people, At-risk youth, Veterans, Women and girls, Emergency responders
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
This includes all new meditators in the US only.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
DLF brings Transcendental Meditation (TM) to at risk communities. DLF teaches TM to heal and empower vulnerable populations by providing them with a tool to reduce stress, heal from trauma, and improve physical and psychological health. We operate three core program areas: inner-city schools, veterans and women survivors of domestic violence and human trafficking. \r\n\r\nA long-term goal of DLF is to achieve systemic change, wherein TM is adopted as an accepted and valued educational program and TM is included as a standard therapeutic program for treating individuals with PTSD and high levels of toxic stress. Toward this end, in addition to supporting programs for at-risk populations, DLF funds research on TM in educational and therapeutic settings and introduces TM to societal leaders who are able to promote systemic implementation.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
DLF has chosen to utilize Transcendental Meditation (TM) in its programs because it is easy to practice, has immediate results, and has been scientifically proven to heal and empower vulnerable populations by providing them with a tool to reduce stress, heal from trauma, and improve physical and psychological health. \r\n\r\nDLF\u0027s Quiet Time school programs introduce two 15-minute restful periods into the school day for students to meditate. Our veterans program and women\u0027s initiative often parter with existing organizations and/or service providers wherein TM is offered as one of many services.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
DLF has chosen to utilize Transcendental Meditation (TM) in its programs because it is easy to practice, has immediate results, and has been scientifically proven to heal and empower vulnerable populations by providing them with a tool to reduce stress, heal from trauma, and improve physical and psychological health. DLF currently operates more than 50 active programs on five continents and has supported the teaching of the TM technique to tens of thousands of people worldwide. \r\n\r\nDLF\u0027s Executive Director, Bob Roth is is one of the most experienced and sought-after meditation teachers in America. Over the past 40 years, Bob has taught Transcendental Meditation to many thousands of people and authored an authoritative book on the subject, fittingly entitled, Transcendental Meditation, which has been translated into 20 languages.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Since DLF was founded 10 years ago, the organization has grown tremendously. We have offices in New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Fairfield, Iowa. There continues to be a strong need and interest for our programs. We have garnered the support of large institutions and systems such as the Los Angeles Unified School District, Chicago Public Schools and US Department of Defense. We receive support from a diverse group of individuals, high profile events and large foundations such as the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Dalio Foundation, Peter G. Dodge Foundation, Wounded Warrior Project and Pritzker Pucker Family Foundation.
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
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- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
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David Lynch Foundation for Consciousness-Based Education and World Peace
Board of directorsas of 02/23/2023
David Lynch
Mark Axelowitz
Bud Liebler
Jill Black
Joanna Plafsky
Mark Axelowitz
Bob Jones
Nigol Koulajian
Jane Ottenberg
Bruce Wilpon
Orin Snyder
Steve Abrams
Steven Chanin
Nancy Chemtob
John Gardner
David Goodman
Steve Israel
Chris Joseph
Shruti Joshi
Susan Molinari
Jack Rovner
Illian Thompson
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Not applicable -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Not applicable
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
No data