The Tibet Fund

The Tibet Fund’s mission is to preserve the distinct cultural identity of the Tibetan people. Founded in 1981 under the patronage of His Holiness the Dalai Lama, The Tibet Fund is the leading nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and strengthening Tibetan communities, both in exile and inside Tibet.

In Tibet, our resources have been channeled towards supporting orphanages, healthcare, and educational initiatives that aid underprivileged and marginalized Tibetans.

The Tibet Fund was founded in 1981 at a time when the international community had seemingly forgotten the plight of the Tibetan people. In the early years of exile since 1959, survival of Tibetan refugees was heavily reliant on the benevolence of the governments of India, Nepal, Bhutan, the UN High Commission for Refugees, foreign donor agencies, and the faith and resilience of the refugees themselves.

In the 1970s, humanitarian assistance began to decline. It was during such a critical juncture in exile Tibetan history that a group of U.S. citizens and Tibetan immigrants residing in the United States established The Tibet Fund. When His Holiness the Dalai Lama won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989, the plight of the Tibetan people gained global attention to the challenges faced by the Tibetan people and the Tibet Fund rapidly expanded in response. The organisation forged strategic partnerships with foundations, government agencies and individual donors to help the Tibetan community.