Asian Community Fund Awards Record $635,000 to 59 Organizations Supporting AAPI Communities Across Massachusetts

See the complete list of all 59 grant recipients at the end of this article.

3 hours ago

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BOSTON — The Asian Community Fund at the Boston Foundation (ACF) has announced a record-breaking $635,000 in grants to 59 nonprofit organizations across Massachusetts, marking the largest grantmaking round in the fund’s history and bringing its total investment in Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities to $2.4 million since 2022.

The latest grant cycle, centered on the theme of Survival, Solidarity, and Stability, will support organizations addressing some of the most pressing challenges facing AAPI communities, including legal services and advocacy, food insecurity, economic stability, and programs that promote community well-being and belonging.

Combined with the fund’s first-ever AAPI narrative change grants announced last month, ACF has awarded a total of $750,000 in grants during 2026. Since launching its grantmaking program four years ago, the fund has distributed $2.4 million to 135 community-based nonprofit organizations throughout the Commonwealth.

“The breadth and impact of these 59 organizations highlight the critical work being done across Massachusetts to protect, defend and promote AAPI and immigrant communities in the face of continuing challenges,” said Danielle Kim, executive director of the Asian Community Fund. “These organizations are not waiting—they are showing up, every day, with creativity and resilience, to build the community we all deserve. The Asian Community Fund and our remarkable partners and donors are proud to celebrate and invest their vital work to uplift AAPI visibility, power, and belonging.”

The grant recipients reflect the fund’s ongoing commitment to expanding philanthropic support for grassroots organizations. According to ACF, 34 percent of this year’s grantees are receiving funding from the organization for the first time, while 70 percent operate with annual budgets below $500,000.

Many of the organizations are small, community-based nonprofits. Three-quarters of the grant recipients have five or fewer employees, and nearly one-third are entirely volunteer-run, underscoring the important role grassroots organizations play in serving AAPI communities across Massachusetts.

The competitive grant process also demonstrated growing demand for philanthropic support. ACF received 126 applications requesting more than $2.4 million in funding. Applications were evaluated by 40 volunteer reviewers and members of the fund’s community-led Advisory Committee.

Paul W. Lee, chair and co-founder of the Asian Community Fund, said the record number of applications highlights both the generosity of the community and the increasing need for nonprofit support.

“This cycle highlights two fundamental truths. We are fortunate to live in a region where we can count on the remarkable generosity of our donors and volunteers, sharing their time and investing their resources in support of the Commonwealth’s growing and ever more vibrant AAPI population,” Lee said. “However, the record number of applications for funding, from across the state, highlights both the widespread need and the number of community organizations providing support in these difficult times. We are grateful for their work and dedicated to growing our commitment moving forward.”

Established at the Boston Foundation, the Asian Community Fund is the first and only philanthropic fund dedicated exclusively to supporting Asian American and Pacific Islander communities in Massachusetts. Through grantmaking, community leadership, and partnerships, the fund works to strengthen the capacity of AAPI-serving organizations while advancing equity, visibility, and opportunity across the Commonwealth.