Some financial assistance may be available for your Forest Refuge retreat, if you are genuinely unable to afford the cost. This is offered on a first-come, first-served basis, and is generally limited to one award per person, per year.
To apply, first complete the Forest Refuge retreat application and indicate interest in receiving financial support. We will contact you if your retreat application is approved and go from there.
We cannot guarantee that every request for assistance will result in an award – please be assured, however, that we will do our best to help you practice with us.
Scholarships
Forest Refuge scholarships are part of IMS’s commitment to make the Buddha’s teachings accessible to all, regardless of means.
Approved applicants for retreats of 14 nights or longer can request a fee based on their length of stay and what they can afford.
For 2025, this rate ranges from $55 per night to $105 per night.
For stays of one calendar month or more, a limited number of You Choose spaces are available. This means you can establish the rate you are able to pay.
For 2025, this rate ranges from $35 per night – $55 per night.
Please be as generous as you can. By selecting the highest rate you can reasonably afford, you support our ability to meet the large number of requests we receive for financial aid.
We will make every effort to provide the financial support you need. However, it may not be possible to award the full amount requested.
To find out more, email or call 978-355-2063.
Funding for Black, Indigenous & People of Color
Thanks to generous donations, funding is available to support a number of experienced BIPOC meditators who wish to undertake longer-term practice at the Forest Refuge.
This opportunity forms part of our broader vision to develop more leaders of color within our North American Insight community.
For BIPOC meditators who are unable to afford IMS’s usual fees, we are offering a reduced rate for one month of personal retreat. Fees are on a You Choose basis – this means you can establish the rate you are able to pay, at or above $25 per night.
Paying more than the minimum per night will allow additional BIPOC meditators to receive support.
To find out more, email or call 978-355-2063.
Fund in Support of Community Development Work
Another form of financial assistance is possible through the Forest Refuge’s Fund in Support of Community Development Work. This fund provides full scholarships to approved applicants, for retreats of 14 nights or longer, to reward and rejuvenate individuals who have been working in the US or overseas to help transform the lives of economically disadvantaged people.
Examples of this kind of work include curing blindness by providing cataract operations, developing projects to assist those on low incomes, counseling former prisoners, or teaching inner-city children.
This specific fund can provide up to full support depending on available funds at the time.
To find out more, email or call 978-355-2063.
Additional Resource
Open Dharma Foundation is a scholarship fund for silent meditation retreats. It exists in order to provide individuals from all over the world with scholarships for silent meditation retreats who without financial aid would be unable to access sustained, intensive practice. If you are someone interested in meditation who wants to explore the depths of practice available through silent retreat and are in need of financial assistance, the Open Dharma Foundation may be able to help.
For more information and to review the application process: Open Dharma
(Please note: IMS does not handle any portion of the application or grant process. Please direct all inquiries to Open Dharma Foundation.)
