Fees

Fee structure & payments

IMS’s Forest Refuge fees are on a sliding scale basis. This allows participants to pay according to individual means. There are four rates – Benefactor, Sustaining, Mid, and Supported – with some financial assistance available for those who cannot afford the entire cost.

Payment at the Supported rate covers just over 50% of what is needed to run our centers. To balance our budget and to wisely steward our resources, we rely on donations to supplement registration income.

The Sustaining rate represents the actual cost to IMS to operate our programs. If you can afford this level or higher, you assist our efforts to offer lower sliding-scale rates and ongoing financial subsidies.

The Benefactor rate provides the opportunity to offer more substantial support for IMS.

Teacher support

Here at IMS, our teachers are continuing the ancient Buddhist monastic tradition of freely offering the teachings. For a sustainable income in the midst of contemporary Western society, they rely on the generosity of retreatants. There is an opportunity to offer contributions to the teachers at the end of your retreat. (IMS reimburses teachers’ travel to and from our centers, and provides teachers with meals and housing while they’re teaching.)

At the Forest Refuge, where participants often stay for long periods, IMS supplements donations to teachers as needed to provide an adequate offering.

Your contributions help teachers to lead a life devoted to teaching both at IMS and in other parts of the world, including communities without the means to donate. Your gifts also allow teachers to take time for their own practice, ensuring that their teachings are continuously enriched.

Click here to learn more about teacher dana.

Deposits

A deposit of approximately one-third of your total retreat cost is due once your application has been approved. Deposits are accepted online – a link will be sent to you if your application is approved. You can also pay by mail, by phone or in person. If you’re paying by check, please make it payable to IMS. If your check is drawn on a Canadian bank, please write “USD” after the amount. Unfortunately, we cannot accept checks from other countries, unless they are drawn on a US bank.

Cancellations and date changes

Please contact us as soon as possible if you need to cancel. If you let us know more than 60 days before your retreat begins, the fee is $100 (or your full deposit if less than $100 was paid). If you cancel 60 days or less before your starting date, you forfeit your full deposit.

Changes that move or shorten the dates of a confirmed retreat are considered cancellations. If you change part of your retreat more than 60 days before the confirmed start date, the fee is $100. If you change part of your retreat 60 days or less before the confirmed start date, you may forfeit a deposit amount proportional to the length of time cancelled, with a minimum fee of $100.

Date changes that lengthen your confirmed retreat incur no fee.

Rates

The Sustaining rate represents the actual cost to IMS to operate our programs. If you can afford this level or higher, you assist our efforts to offer lower sliding-scale rates and ongoing financial subsidies to those who cannot afford our Supported fee.

Whatever amount you contribute above the Supported rate is a tax-deductible donation and helps IMS.

2024 Rates

Length of Stay Sliding Scale Amount (per night)
Benefactor Sustaining Mid Supported
Nights 7-30 (rate effective from 1st night) $315 $185 $140 $100
Nights 31-90 (rate effective from 31st night)  $315 $185 $130 $80
Nights 91 on (rate effective from 91st night) $315 $185 $115 $45