BBT California Trust

The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust, established by the trust instrument dated May 29, 1972 functions under the laws of the State of California, U.S.A.

Here the trustor or settlor is Srila Prabhupada. The property he places in trust is “all books and manuscripts and other documents written by me or translated by me. . . and all those written by me in the future, including all copyrights and publication rights incidental thereto.”

The purposes of the trust are to carry out “the Book Fund and Building Fund activities.” For the Book Fund the proceeds allocated are to be used for printing and reprinting books, along with performing related functions. The proceeds allocated for the Building Fund are to be used for “purchase of properties for the construction of new temples or renovation of old temples.”

The sole beneficiary of the trust is “the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, incorporated by me.”
The relevant Trust Law is found in the California Probate Code, Division 9 (https://tinyurl.com/CAprobate9).

BBT India Trust

The India Trust operates as a Public Charitable Trust under the provisions of Bombay Public Trusts Act, 1950.
The settlor is Srila Prabhupada. The property he places in trust are his copyrights and publication rights in his writings which he handed over to the trustees named.
The purposes of the trust are, after paying the costs of operations, to spend 50% for the reprint of books published by the Trust all over the world, and 50% for construction of Radha Krishna temples all over the world.
The beneficiary of the trust is the general public.

BBT International

The Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International Inc. was established in September1988 under the direction of the Global BBT trustees. It is a religious corporation organised under the California non-profit law.

The purpose of the corporation is to maintain, administer and protect the national and international copyrights of writings on Krishna Consciousness, specifically the works of Srila Prabhupada, along with related works by his followers.

And further to use the earnings or profits of the corporation to assist devotees to fully and freely exercise the Krishna Conscious religion; to facilitate the distribution of the literature of the religion; to purchase properties upon which to construct Krishna temples or other facilities to be used for Krishna conscious purposes; to purchase, construct or renovate buildings for the same purposes; and to otherwise aid in the propagation and continuation of the religion.

The corporation shall be organised and operated solely to promote its own purposes.