Institute for Zen Leadership
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Institute for Zen Leadership
EIN: 45-4956464
as of November 2024
as of November 11, 2024
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
We believe humanity is at a critical juncture, facing existential threats from climate change, collapsing biodiversity, AI and their attendant conflicts. Current extractive business models and ways of living are not aligned with the laws of nature and present generations are facing the consequences. Our purpose at IZL is to equip a critical mass of leaders with Zen practices and embodied leadership skills so that they lead from one-withness as fearless, creative, healing forces of nature. We are committed to being part a global healing movement, developing wise, resilient leaders who can guide humanity through this time of reckoning.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Zen Leader
The Zen Leader programs supercharge leaders to face the critical work of our time from deeply embodied, connected consciousness, giving them the ability to care for people and the planet with greater wisdom, success, and energy. IZL programs use Zen training and the applied “flips” of The Zen Leader (book by IZL founder Ginny Whitelaw), to enable more authentic and agile leadership. Participants come with a leadership challenge and leave with not only a different approach, but a different "self" approaching it.
Graduates of Zen Leader 1 are eligible to continue their training in the Zen Leader series with ZL2 and ZL3, where they will experience facing down their fears and transforming their leadership. Who should attend: Leaders and entrepreneurs in business and non-profits who aspire to make a difference and crack open their greatest potential.
HEAL - Healthy Embodied Agile Leadership
Our HEAL programs bring together the tools of physical Zen training and the applied “flips” of The Zen Leader, with healthcare expertise and a focus on the issues facing healthcare practitioners/leaders. These programs have been accredited by the WI Medical Society to provide Continuing Medical Education credits. Graduates of the HEAL program are eligible to continue their training in HEAL2, HEAL3, and other advanced programs. Who should attend: practitioner/leaders in healthcare, including physicians, nurses and other healthcare providers who want to sustainably thrive and be a force for positive change in their patients, practices and systems.
Where we work
Photos
Our results
How does this organization measure their results? It's a hard question but an important one.
Number of students who receive scholarship funds and/or tuition assistance
This metric is no longer tracked.Totals By Year
Population(s) Served
Adults, Low-income people, Activists, Self-employed people
Type of Metric
Output - describing our activities and reach
Direction of Success
Holding steady
Context Notes
We hope that anyone who wishes to participate in a Zen Leader, HEAL or FEBI Program may do so. To that end we both price affordably and support students with scholarships.
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Reports and documents
Download strategic planLearn 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?
We accomplish our mission through 4 primary strategic streams, listed below, with our primary goals for 2024
1. Fortifying Transformative Programs and Products - strengthen our core teachings and instructor pool
1a. Update existing programs and increase participation and revenue.
1b. Expand use of products (e.g., FEBI, Resonate) through new workshops, on-demand programs or learning resources, and promotion of coaching resources.
1c. Strengthen the instructor pool with more opportunities to teach and development of instructor materials.
2. Cultivating Healing Community - Give people ways to stay connected, keep learning and foster aspirations
2a. Strengthen sense of belonging and reciprocity through shared learning and mutual support.
2b. Provide regular opportunities for community connection and engagement.
2c. Proactively seek out volunteers to engage in social media and other support.
3. Cultivating Generative Partnerships - Build resonance toward a global healing movement with like-hearted organizations
3a. Pilot selective new courses or programs with partners.
3b. Host annual global outreach event to strengthen partnerships, amplify shared goals, expand reach, and attract funding sources.
3c. Support partners in their events and offer our teachings.
4. Working Smart, Integrating Technology in a Healthy Organization
4a. Update the website to increase traffic and better track calls to action and other analytics.
4b. Structure and Semi-automate repetitive operations; uplevel use of technology to build new smart processes.
4c. Maintain healthy rhythm of working and financial health of the organization.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
Our fourfold strategy is further described below:
1. Fortifying transformative programs and products
- We offer open and custom programs in Zen Leadership for leaders at all levels. For practitioners/leaders in healthcare, we offer CME-accredited HEAL (i.e., Healthy Embodied Agile Leadership) programs to help them become a resilient, healing force for their patients, practices and systems.
- We offer certification pathways to train the next generation of Zen leadership instructors and coaches, as well as certify coaches and trainers in the mind-body personality instrument, FEBI. We provide coaching services to accompany people on their Zen Leadership journey or as a standalone offering.
- We offer the mind-body personality instrument, FEBI, as well as FEBI coaching and an on-demand FEBI video debrief
- We fortify these transformative programs through an annual update of materials/curriculum, an annual Master Class for instructors and coaches, expanding reach and enrollment in the core programs, expanding use of FEBI in new programs, and developing on-demand resources and programs (e.g., Resonate).
2. Cultivating Healing Community
- We foster regular ways for our community of program graduates to stay connected and grow in their capacity as leaders, including an annual Master Class and summit, monthly alumni-led gatherings/teachings, and daily meditation practice with our sister organization, Chosei Zen.
- We foster the aspirations of our graduates, especially those who wish to teach Zen Leadership or FEBI-based programs with us or own their own. We further engage our community in volunteer capacities, such as helping us with social media, newsletters, organizing events, and fundraising.
3. Cultivating Generative Partnerships
- We host an annual summit with like-hearted partners, which expands and strengthens our partnerships, amplifies shared goals, expands our reach, and potentially attracts new funding sources. In 2023, we hosted a leadership summit for healing people, planet and the future called One Earth, One Health, One With. The 2024 summit furthers and focuses this theme through: Living and Leading with Deep Resilience.
We are piloting selective new courses or programs with partners.
- We expand our program offerings through partners and support partners in their events by offering our teachings.
4. Working Smart, Integrating Technology in a Healthy Organization
- We are increasingly integrating technology to structure, automate and semi-automate repetitive operations, build smart new smart processes (e.g., sales pipeline) and guide regular refreshes of our website.
- We maintain a healthy annual rhythm of working, as well as financial health, with new programs and special events (e.g., summit) in the first half of the year, our core curriculum in the second half, and entry programs and products year round.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
Our founder and CEO, Ginny Whitelaw Roshi, is a thought leader in mindful, embodied leadership and the chief instructor guiding our programs. Working with her to deliver our capabilities is a full-time Operations Manager, a core team of volunteers, a few paid contractors, a faculty of about 15 instructors (many of whom also donate their time), and a broader community of FEBI coaches and volunteers. Supporting the organization is a highly engaged Board of Directors including award-winning physicians, entrepreneurs, Zen teachers, and change agents.
Our sister organization, Chosei Zen, expands our capability by providing the primary training center we have used for our in-person programs, the Spring Green Dojo in Wisconsin. It also includes a training center in Madison and a Virtual Dojo for online training. By working closely with Chosei Zen, we're able to offer ongoing, unparalleled training in Zen for our graduates and instructors.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Since our founding in 2012, we've largely limited our multi-day programs to cohorts of 10-15 people in order to create an intimate program container. Thus, the number of alumni is still relatively small, around 600, with about 100 being added each year. We started with in-person programs at the Spring Green Dojo in Wisconsin, and expanded to other venues, including some in Europe in 2014 and Asia in 2015. Additionally, we've reached thousands of people through shorter programs, conferences, webinars, custom corporate programs, and our own hosted summits. In 2023, our One Earth, One Health, One With summit attracted more than 1500 people. It also brought together more than 50 speakers and teachers, and more than a dozen collaborating organizations, many of whom have continued to be among our generative partnerships.
Since 2020, when the global pandemic moved all of our programs online, we've learned how to transmit our uniquely physical training using online platforms. We still do selective programs in person, but our entire curriculum is now offered online, globally. We've also linked into programming from our sister organization, Chosei Zen, which offers online meditation every 12 hours, as well as other training in Zen.
In 2023, our organization made significant progress in helping more people know of us and what we offer. Some metrics of this progress include more than a 10x increase in our social media postings and a nearly 50% increase in followers across every channel we post in.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve, To understand people's needs and how we can help them achieve their goals
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
We collect feedback from the people we serve at least annually, We aim to collect feedback from as many people we serve as possible, We take steps to ensure people feel comfortable being honest with us, We look for patterns in feedback based on people’s interactions with us (e.g., site, frequency of service, etc.), We engage the people who provide feedback in looking for ways we can improve in response, We act on the feedback we receive, We share the feedback we received with the people we serve, We tell the people who gave us feedback how we acted on their feedback, We ask the people who gave us feedback how well they think we responded
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
We don't have any major challenges to collecting feedback
Financials
Revenue vs. expenses: breakdown
Liquidity in 2023 info
21.04
Months of cash in 2023 info
7.8
Fringe rate in 2023 info
9%
Funding sources info
Assets & liabilities info
Financial data
Institute for Zen Leadership
Balance sheetFiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31
The balance sheet gives a snapshot of the financial health of an organization at a particular point in time. An organization's total assets should generally exceed its total liabilities, or it cannot survive long, but the types of assets and liabilities must also be considered. For instance, an organization's current assets (cash, receivables, securities, etc.) should be sufficient to cover its current liabilities (payables, deferred revenue, current year loan, and note payments). Otherwise, the organization may face solvency problems. On the other hand, an organization whose cash and equivalents greatly exceed its current liabilities might not be putting its money to best use.
Fiscal Year: Jan 01 - Dec 31
This snapshot of Institute for Zen Leadership’s financial trends applies Nonprofit Finance Fund® analysis to data hosted by GuideStar. While it highlights the data that matter most, remember that context is key – numbers only tell part of any story.
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Business model indicators
Profitability info | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Unrestricted surplus (deficit) before depreciation | $22,927 | -$15,299 | -$67,523 | $49,320 | $10,080 |
As % of expenses | 13.7% | -6.7% | -30.3% | 20.0% | 5.4% |
Unrestricted surplus (deficit) after depreciation | $22,927 | -$15,299 | -$67,523 | $49,320 | $10,080 |
As % of expenses | 13.7% | -6.7% | -30.3% | 20.0% | 5.4% |
Revenue composition info | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total revenue (unrestricted & restricted) | $190,138 | $213,162 | $155,271 | $308,140 | $168,728 |
Total revenue, % change over prior year | -33.5% | 12.1% | -27.2% | 98.5% | -45.2% |
Program services revenue | 52.3% | 48.0% | 51.2% | 37.1% | 59.8% |
Membership dues | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Investment income | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Government grants | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
All other grants and contributions | 36.2% | 37.3% | 36.8% | 55.8% | 40.6% |
Other revenue | 11.5% | 14.6% | 12.0% | 7.1% | -0.5% |
Expense composition info | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Total expenses before depreciation | $167,211 | $227,388 | $222,794 | $247,023 | $185,901 |
Total expenses, % change over prior year | -25.6% | 36.0% | -2.0% | 10.9% | -24.7% |
Personnel | 32.4% | 66.6% | 70.4% | 62.1% | 72.1% |
Professional fees | 13.9% | 7.2% | 6.7% | 21.7% | 5.8% |
Occupancy | 0.0% | 1.2% | 1.7% | 1.6% | 0.0% |
Interest | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.2% | 0.0% |
Pass-through | 9.0% | 11.0% | 9.0% | 2.4% | 8.3% |
All other expenses | 44.7% | 14.1% | 12.3% | 12.0% | 13.7% |
Full cost components (estimated) info | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
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Total expenses (after depreciation) | $167,211 | $227,388 | $222,794 | $247,023 | $185,901 |
One month of savings | $13,934 | $18,949 | $18,566 | $20,585 | $15,492 |
Debt principal payment | $0 | $0 | $0 | $26,665 | $0 |
Fixed asset additions | $1,073 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Total full costs (estimated) | $182,218 | $246,337 | $241,360 | $294,273 | $201,393 |
Capital structure indicators
Liquidity info | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Months of cash | 10.5 | 8.6 | 4.1 | 6.7 | 7.8 |
Months of cash and investments | 10.5 | 8.6 | 4.1 | 6.7 | 7.8 |
Months of estimated liquid unrestricted net assets | 10.0 | 6.6 | 3.1 | 5.2 | 7.5 |
Balance sheet composition info | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cash | $145,753 | $162,273 | $75,905 | $137,836 | $120,406 |
Investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Receivables | $3,548 | $0 | $14,875 | $4,593 | $1,870 |
Gross land, buildings, equipment (LBE) | $1,073 | $1,073 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
Accumulated depreciation (as a % of LBE) | 0.0% | 100.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Liabilities (as a % of assets) | 7.0% | 23.2% | 38.1% | 5.4% | 4.8% |
Unrestricted net assets | $0 | $124,587 | $57,064 | $106,384 | $116,464 |
Temporarily restricted net assets | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Permanently restricted net assets | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Total restricted net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $28,330 | $0 |
Total net assets | $139,886 | $124,587 | $57,064 | $134,714 | $116,464 |
Key data checks
Key data checks info | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Material data errors | No | No | No | No | No |
Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Documents
President
Ms Ginny Jiko Whitelaw
Dr. Ginny Jiko Whitelaw is an 86th generation Zen master and founder of the Institute for Zen Leadership. For more than 25 years, she's combined a rich scientific background, senior leadership experience, and mind-body practices in developing whole leaders. She is the author of 4 books, including The Zen Leader and the award-winning, Resonate, and co-developed FEBI, a unique personality test linking mind, body, and behaviors. She has taught leadership programs in non-profits, universities, healthcare systems, and top global companies, including Novartis, Merck, Dell, Bank of America, and Ascensus Health. Formerly a senior leader at NASA, she led the integration of the Space Station Program and was awarded NASA's Exceptional Service Medal. She holds a doctorate in biophysics, degrees in physics and philosophy, and a 5th degree black belt in Aikido. She is a regular contributor to Forbes.com in leadership strategy.
Number of employees
Source: IRS Form 990
Institute for Zen Leadership
Officers, directors, trustees, and key employeesSOURCE: IRS Form 990
Compensation data
There are no highest paid employees recorded for this organization.
Institute for Zen Leadership
Board of directorsas of 06/21/2024
Board of directors data
Ms Kate Watters
Crude Accountability
Term: 2022 - 2025
Gordon Greene
International Zen Dojo Wisconsin
Ginny Whitelaw
Institute for Zen Leadership
Cristina Nakano
Kristi Crymes
CoxHealth Family Medicine Residency
Cynthia Haq
UC Irvine
Bob Caron
Deloitte
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 -
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
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
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
No data
Equity strategies
Last updated: 12/28/2023GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
Professional fundraisers
Fiscal year endingSOURCE: IRS Form 990 Schedule G