The Pashupatinath Buddha Foundation of New England (PABFONE) is a nonprofit organization established in Boston, Massachusetts, in 2012. Located at 594 Washington Street in Braintree, it provides a space for religious worship, cultural activities, and community gatherings. Its mission focuses on preserving South Asian cultural heritage and values through programs rooted in Vedic Hinduism and the teachings of Buddha.

The foundation’s temple offers daily morning and evening pooja, special religious ceremonies, and priest services at the temple or in devotees’ homes. A hall is also available for private events. Sunday evenings feature devotional music by local artists and the serving of maha-prasada to devotees.

Beyond worship, PABFONE describes its activities as including festivals, educational and literary programs, artistic activities, yoga, and meditation. It works with other community organizations and identifies interfaith understanding, cultural preservation, and support for individuals and families in need as parts of its purpose.

Community gatherings are also reflected in its website, which features the Boston Saptaha Mahayagya scheduled for August 16–23, 2026, photographs of the 2026 Kalash Yatra, and memories of the 2017 Boston Saptaha.

Financial reports

PABFONE’s website provides a yearly financial summary through September 30, 2024, along with historical donation records. Its donation programs include general contributions, Deusi Bhailo donations, and a Mortgage Sharing Program. These materials are available through its official finance page.

Public IRS Form 990 data, accessible through ProPublica’s Nonprofit Explorer, provides the following financial overview:

Fiscal years end in September. These figures reflect reported tax-filing data rather than current account balances.

For FY2025, the filing classified all $232,109 in revenue as contributions. It reported $0 in executive compensation and $43,679 in other salaries and wages. Total liabilities declined from $887,634 in FY2023 to $795,921 in FY2025, while each of those three fiscal years ended with a reported surplus. Readers can review the underlying filings through ProPublica’s nonprofit profile.

Community Participation and Leadership Eligibility

Alongside its cultural and religious mission, PABFONE’s membership structure raises a question about access to leadership. Under its published 2019 bylaws, voting membership begins at $2,000, while Trustee membership requires $10,000 in cumulative qualifying contributions. Only Trustees in good standing may run for president; other executive committee positions are available to eligible voting members.

The concern raised for this article is whether tying participation and presidential eligibility to financial contributions limits opportunities for people who contribute through volunteer work, skills, and service. The extent of community dissatisfaction has not been independently verified. The broader question is how the foundation can balance its financial needs with accessible participation and representation.

PABFONE combines a place of worship with cultural programming and community participation. Its stated purpose is to maintain cultural connections, encourage spiritual practice, and bring people together across traditions in New England. Information about its activities and services is available at pabfone.org.