BOSTON – The Asian Community Fund (ACF) at the Boston Foundation, which recently announced the recipients of its 2024 grantmaking cycle, has awarded $450,000 to 52 nonprofits serving Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities across Massachusetts, including $50,000 in funding across seven Indian-serving nonprofits.
The six nonprofits directly serving the Indian community in Massachusetts include:
- Friends of Indian Senior Citizens Organization: $5,000
- Indian Circle for Caring USA, Inc.: $5,000
- India Society of Worcester: $15,000
- LearnQuest Academy of Music: $5,000
- Saheli Boston: $10,000
- Stage Ensemble Theatre Unit, Inc. : $5,000
- Volunteering for Seniors, Inc. : $5,000
Over the last 30 years, just 0.2% of philanthropic funding has gone to the AAPI organizations and causes– despite AAPI residents accounting for more than one in ten residents in Greater Boston population and seven percent of all Bay Staters. As the only philanthropic fund in Massachusetts dedicated to developing, strengthening and supporting AAPI community power, ACF has stepped in to fill the gap with this year’s grants bringing the fund’s cumulative grantmaking to more than $1 million dispersed to 81 nonprofits since 2022.
“I am proud of the important work ACF is doing to generate solutions to uplift the diverse AAPI community in Massachusetts. These grants mean stability and inclusion for a community that brings a lot of potential and economic vitality to our state,” said Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey. “Congratulations to all of the grant recipients who will be able to provide stronger services and impact more residents in the AAPI community.”
Anu Chitrapu, ACF Campaign Co-Chair remarked, “It is so gratifying to see so many Indian organizations receive grants from ACF. I can’t wait to see how these deserving organizations use the funds to advance their mission.”
On October 3rd, ACF will hold its Inaugural Gala celebrating AAPI leadership, partnership, and solidarity and honoring prominent Indian businesswoman and community leader, Geeta Aiyer, as a champion of the AAPI community.
The ACF Gala is co-chaired by Raj Sharma and Renee Inomata. Tickets to the gala are available at the gala website and funds raised will add towards supporting such causes.
“As we celebrate this historic infusion of funding, we are also reminded of how far we still have to go to meet the needs of the Commonwealth’s AAPI community, which is amongst the fastest growing and most diverse in the state,” said
Danielle Kim, Executive Director of the Asian Community Fund at the Boston Foundation. “We are grateful to our donors, friends, and partners who make it possible for ACF to mobilize resources to address longstanding needs and address systemic disparities.”
ACF’s grantmaking aims to expand the capacity of the local AAPI nonprofit and business sectors while responding to emerging community needs. This year’s grant recipients were selected for their work in advancing AAPI community empowerment through convening, catalyzing, and capacity building. This year’s grant making cycle saw record breaking demand for funding, bringing in 105 applications, nearly double the number of organizations that applied in the 2023 cycle, with over 52% being submitted by first time applicants.
“We are grateful to be the recipient of a grant from the Asian Community Fund,” said Puneet Kohli, President of the India Society of Worcester (ISW). “ISW Professionals & Entrepreneurs Network (ISW PEN) and ABEC co-hosted several events in the past focused on Asian small businesses in the Worcester area. In addition to furthering our work within the small business community, this grant will help recruit more volunteer physicians for the ISW Free Health Stop program that provides free health services to all and allow the ISW Symphony program to share Indian art forms with a wider community.”
“This funding from ACF will help Volunteering for Seniors Inc enhance its core programs and services, ensuring we continue to effectively support and engage seniors in our community. By reinvesting this grant into our operations, we aim to further our mission and expand our impact,” said Ramakrishna Penumarthy, founder, volunteering for Seniors.
“Over the last two decades, SETU’s mission has been to stage Indian dramas in English to the American audience, not only for a deeper understanding and appreciation of the
subcontinent’s culture and the way of life but also highlighting some deep-rooted social issues. The ACF fund will boost our continued effort enormously, especially enabling us to stretch our planned next production to a month-long one,” said Subrata Das, founder of SETU.
“Saheli appreciates the support from the Asian Community Fund for our work with South Asian and Arab survivors of domestic violence. The funds will help us strengthen Saheli’s Economic Empowerment program, empowering more survivors to apply for jobs that can help them earn a decent living and move towards financial stability. This is a significant step towards their recovery. Thank you to ACF for the support,” said Priya Murali, executive director of Saheli.
Applications for the next grantmaking cycle will open in Spring 2025. A complete list of 2024 ACF grantees and more information on the Asian Community Fund is available at The Boston Foundation webpage.
The Asian Community Fund (ACF) at the Boston Foundation is the first and only philanthropic fund inMassachusetts dedicated to activating, convening, and supporting the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Launched in 2020, ACF is a permanent resource designed to galvanize and unite the diverse ethnicities within the AAPI community, incubate new partnerships, and build a stronger advocacy voice. To date, ACF has mobilized over $6 million to strengthen the AAPI nonprofit and business sectors and has supported over 80 Asian-serving organizations in Massachusetts.
