Drala Mountain Center
151 Shambhala Way
Red Feather Lakes, CO 80545
Website: dralamountain.org
Description of Organization:
Founded in 1971, Drala Mountain Center (DMC) is an inclusive, secular, and non-sectarian educational nonprofit. DMC brings people together to experience wisdom and welcomes all people with inspiration, interest, and curiosity about understanding the nature of self and society. DMC is located in rural northern Colorado. The DMC team oversees a property of more than 600 acres which hosts meditation retreats and programs from an array of Buddhist teachers and other wisdom traditions. DMC has been affected by wildfires since a fire in 2012 forced evacuation and loss of summer revenues.
Grant(s) Awarded
In 2022, a matching grant in the amount of $10,000 (in addition to the BESS Family Foundation grant of $10,000) was awarded to support the “Wildfire Resilience: An Eco-Dharma Initiative” program which mitigates fire impact with eco-forestry initiatives and partnerships with conservation groups. DMC seeks to acknowledge the trauma caused by fire and other climate disasters and to provide a place where people can come together to heal and build resilience. Grant funds will be utilized to support the development of an eco-dharma initiative targeting those working to address or respond to the increase in wildfires resulting from the climate crisis. The Wildfire Resilience Initiative will support dialogue and resilience in the effort to meet climate change challenges through a dharma-infused approach.