Are donations made to ISKCON invested...?

[Guest guest]

Such as in mutual funds, stock market, CDs? I'm sure there must be millions of dollars and can't imagine that it's just sitting in a regular savings account.

[Guest guest]

The donations are used for running the temple. I know for example that the temple I attend is a small one, but it is in an expensive area. The temple alone cannot make it on what they receive in donations. The TP has a few small seasonal businesses that he opens up and makes a good chunk of change to get the temple through. So, no, as far as I know, it is not invested, at least not at my temple!

 

[Kulapavana]

"I'm sure there must be millions of dollars and can't imagine that it's just sitting in a regular savings account."

 

you ARE imagining things... /images/graemlins/wink.gif there are no millions of dollars in donations, and whatever is received is used pretty much right away for current needs by the temples.

[Guest guest]

which is all the more reason that we should donate...donate...donate...and then again donate some more /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

Hare Krishna

[Guest guest]

Oh, I'm considering the sales of books and other items as donations. So are the temples independently run? For example, is all of the money raised by the temples pooled together and then distributed evenly?

[Kulapavana]

most temples are run independently. donations for books are managed locally as well. net gain from book distribution is not that great, as it obviously costs money to print and distribute them. a portion of that book money is managed more or less centrally by the BBT (Bhaktivedanta Book Trust) to cover costs of book translation, editing, etc. and other related projects.