1. How do I start sponsoring a nun?
Once you make your first sponsorship gift through one of the options below, we will notify the India office to connect you with a nun for sponsorship.
We offer the option to set up automatic recurring gifts through credit/debit card, bank account (for US banks only) or your personal PayPal account. You can also choose to self manage your gifts by visiting our site each time your next sponsorship gift is coming due.
- To start your sponsorship with a credit card or bank account, click here.
- To start your sponsorship with your personal PayPal account, click here.
- To start your sponsorship by mail, send check/money orders to address below:
(please include your full contact information, payment schedule and amount)
Tibetan Nuns Project
815 Seattle Boulevard South #418
Seattle, WA 98134
- For Canadian donors who would like their sponsorship to be tax deductible, please see the information here.
2. As a current sponsor, how do I update my recurring payment information?
For credit card payments:
If you have a new credit card entirely, you can:
• Call our office at 206-652-8901 to update it, or
• Online: Choose “current sponsor” and set up a new payment here.
E-mail sponsorship@tnp.org to update:
• New expiration date for the current credit card on file
• Change the amount you’d like withdrawn
• Change the day of the month your gift is withdrawn
• Change the payment schedule (Monthly, Quarterly, Semi-Annual, Annual)
For personal PayPal payments: To update your credit card information, you will need to log into your PayPal account and update the card information there. If one of your gifts is declined, the subscription will automatically cancel through PayPal and you will need to set up a new payment here.
For Bank to Bank payments (US banks only):
• To change your banking information, give our office a call at 206-652-8901.
• To update the amount being withdrawn you can e-mail sponsorship@tnp.org.
3. How much does it cost to sponsor a nun?
The minimum cost for annual sponsorship is $360 USD, which we have maintained since 1998. Unfortunately, due to inflation over the years, the true cost is closer to $1,000 USD per nun annually. Some sponsors are able to pay the full amount and for this we are extremely grateful. However, we recognize that for most sponsors this amount is too much, so we offset the higher costs by connecting each nun with up to three sponsors.
We offer a variety of payment schedules to fit your financial situation.
• Annual ($360 USD)
• Semi-Annual ($180 USD twice a year)
• Quarterly ($90 USD four times a year)
• Monthly ($30 USD)
4. How long do I need to sponsor a nun?
Our sponsorship program is set up as an ongoing commitment, and we request that you maintain it for at least one year. It will automatically renew each year until you request to discontinue sponsorship.
5. Do I receive a photo or biographical information of my sponsored nun?
Once your first payment is processed, we notify our office in India of your sponsorship with the request to connect you with a nun. Within 4-6 weeks they will email you the welcome letter which includes the history and photograph of your sponsored nun.
6. Can I write to my sponsored nun?
TNP organizes the nuns to send two letters a year, one in the summer and another around the end of the calendar year which is something our sponsors really look forward to. You are welcome to write as often as you’d like but the frequency of letters from your sponsored nun will vary by individual nun. Please understand that there are cultural differences in the style of correspondence and that a nun’s main focus is on her education.
For more information and addresses, visit our web page about Nun Correspondence.
7. How many nuns do you support and where do they live?
Our sponsorship program supports over 800 nuns in 7 nunneries in northern India. Two of the nunneries, Dolma Ling and Shugsep, are fully supported by TNP. There are also over 80 non-resident nuns supported by our sponsorship program.
The nunneries are in the Himalayan region of northern India, in the Dharamsala area, home to His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama and a large Tibetan community in exile. For information about these nunneries click here.
8. Does my sponsored nun need spending money?
Some sponsors like to send an additional small monetary gift to their sponsored nun. We recommend giving no more than $50 USD annually as the cost of living is much lower in India and the nuns also receive a stipend from your sponsorship gifts. The India office receives the funds on a quarterly basis and then coordinates with each nunnery for delivery and requests that the nun send a note to their Sponsor.
You can make a direct donation to your sponsored nun click here.
9. How are sponsorship funds distributed?
Within each nunnery, the funds are used collectively to cover the basic expenses of food, housing, clothing, medical care and education. Each nun receives 200 rupees per month for incidental expenses. In the case of nuns who do not reside in a nunnery (nuns in retreat), funds are issued to them on a monthly basis to cover food, rent and incidentals. When these nuns have additional needs, such as medical care or clothing, they may apply to the project for assistance.
10. Can I visit the nun I sponsor?
Yes, you may visit any of the nunneries we support. Please e-mail sponsorship@tnp.org with the dates you will be in the area and we will connect you with our staff in India to organize a tour, and to introduce you to the nun you sponsor.
11. How old are the nuns that you support?
A nun must be at least 10 years old to receive sponsorship support. Prior to October 2024, this age limit was set at 14. The nun must have resided at the nunnery for a minimum of 6 months before being eligible for sponsorship to ensure that the lifestyle of being a nun is a good fit for her.
12. How do I cancel my sponsorship?
You can e-mail sponsorship@tnp.org with your request to discontinue your sponsorship. You will receive a cancelation confirmation e-mail shortly thereafter.