What Happened
Pointing Out The Great Way® Foundation was incorporated on May 10, 2012 in Delaware as a nonprofit foundation. The original purpose of establishing the foundation was to provide opportunities for students responding to Dr. Dan Brown’s Pointing Out Way meditation retreats to give back. It provided a means to support projects that benefited the lineages where the teachings originated; to provide students with the opportunity to accumulate merit according to Buddhist traditions; and to support other miscellaneous endeavors, such as translating sacred Tibetan texts into English and supporting a school for Tibetan children in order to preserve the Tibetan culture.
Dan Brown appointed the board members, and initially, he was a member, but then he immediately removed himself from the Foundation. This removal allowed him to then be legally paid through the Foundation as an independent contractor. The members of the Board have never taken a salary or monetary gain from the Foundation. Over the years, the Foundation consulted Dan Brown for his guidance and vision, though they are under no legal obligation to do so. The legal decision-making power of the Foundation rests exclusively with the Board.
Based on HH the 33rd Menri’s vision and request to build a monastery in the Mustang valley, in 2017, Carl Maxey and Dan Brown presented a proposal for the monastery to be built in Jomsom, Nepal. This proposal had a cost estimate that was $13 - $15 million USD, with the monastery to be built on land owned by the Nepali government. The Board of POGW Foundation expressed concern about the financial and legal viability of this plan. The European Board refused to approve the concept, and when Dan Brown insisted on moving forward with Mr. Maxey and the design, the European Board split and dissolved itself. In 2017 the US Board restructured, and members who had significant experience in corporations or large scale development in third world countries joined the Board. In 2019 based on due diligence of land ownership and development in the area, the new US Board then proposed an alternate plan, in disagreement with Dan Brown’s plan, to be executed in phases on land that could be purchased and titled and working with local architects. Dan Brown was not in agreement with this approach and asked the entire Board of POGW to step down so he could appoint new board members of his choosing. This action was not in line with the By-Laws of the Foundation. Board members declined based on what they believed to be their fiduciary responsibility to the donors and the projects. Dan sought Geshe Sonam’s support in this move. Geshe Sonam and a group of monks performed a sacred lineage divination for guidance.. In accordance to the wisdom from this divination, Geshe Sonam requested that the Board not step down and that the project be built in phases. As a result, Dan decided he would no longer teach with Geshe Sonam nor fundraise for the Foundation or MCEC.
In July 2021, the Board of POGW Foundation and Dan Brown mutually agreed to dissolve their association respectfully and for the benefit of all parties and the sangha. This dissolution was the result of months-long negotiations about the future and direction of the Foundation between Dan Brown, Richard Glantz, Geshe Sonam, and the Board. As a result of the discussions, the Board of POGW Foundation agreed to Dan’s request to change the Foundation’s name so as not to be confused with Dan’s for-profit company, Pointing Out Way. However, we own the Trademark for the name Pointing Out the Great Way® Foundation. Per Dan’s request, the Board wrote a communication that announced the mutual agreement to separate. While the Board awaited Dan’s feedback and edits, Dan instead sent out a communication to his students and various sangha members. Dan then threatened to sue the Board and individual Board members. At that point, Dan’s lawyer Richard Glantz demanded the Board have no communication with Dan. Board members made individual attempts to reach out to Dan but were told to stop and all discussions or attempts to resolve the separation for the benefit of all ceased.