The Asian American Foundation Launches $1 Million+ Initiative to Empower San Francisco's Grassroots Asian American Organizations

Project with local co-funders to provide grants for capacity building to strengthen
community-serving organizations promoting safety and opportunity in the city.

SAN FRANCISCO, May 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) today announced the launch of the Asian American Voices in San Francisco, a new strategic initiative to unlock and invest more than $1 million into Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI)-serving grassroots community organizations in San Francisco.

Small, community-embedded grassroots organizations play a critical role in promoting safety, belonging, and prosperity in San Francisco. But despite their outsized impact, these groups often struggle to ensure their services are sustainable due to limited resources and lack of support.

Through Asian American Voices in San Francisco, TAAF will bring together a coalition of grassroots organizations and Asian industry leaders in San Francisco to tackle these challenges head on and in collaboration with other organizations. In the initiative's first year, TAAF will distribute grants to strengthen organizations across the city, with the aim of bolstering a healthy ecosystem of community-serving nonprofits.

As part of TAAF's commitment to unlock unprecedented resources through cross-sector collaboration and strategic grantmaking, the initiative will also encourage the development of long-term partnerships and solutions to promote safety and economic prosperity for Asian community members across San Francisco.

"TAAF is proud to work with co-funders in the Bay Area to support Asian American Voices in San Francisco, which furthers our commitment to invest in solutions that are community-led and people-centered," said Norman Chen, CEO of TAAF. "In addition to our Anti-Hate National Network and partnership with local Bay Area based grantees, we believe that this initiative has the power to further support the San Francisco Asian community. By providing these vital grassroots groups with significant resources to support their collaborative efforts, we hope to empower local community members as they work to create a safer and more prosperous future for their city."

"The TAAF grant allows us to continue driving meaningful and tangible change that are aligned with our shared vision," said Amy Lee, Founder and President of Dear Community, a local grassroots collective of young Asian American activists building pride and power through community events, small business support, and culture-driven organizing. "It empowers Dear Community and other organizations to actively shape and advance priorities that reflect our community's core values and tackle the challenges we face head-on. This initiative is unique as it brings together a coalition of newer generation nonprofit leaders that want to change the status quo and are eager to collaborate with community and City leaders to bring positive change to San Francisco's Asian American community. It is time we take ownership of our own narrative and tell our stories."

About The Asian American Foundation (TAAF)
TAAF serves the Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander communities by promoting safety, fostering belonging, and advancing prosperity. Launched in 2021 in response to the rise in anti-Asian hate and to address the long-standing underinvestment in Asian communities, we invest in initiatives to combat anti-Asian hate, integrate Asian studies into school curricula, elevate authentic Asian storytelling, and expand resources and representation for our communities. Through our high-impact initiatives, events, and investments in national and local nonprofits, we're creating a permanent and irrevocable sense of belonging for millions of Asians in the United States. For additional information about TAAF, please visit www.taaf.org or follow @TAAForg on Instagram, LinkedIn, X or Facebook.

Contact: Sam Singer, Singer Associates Public Relations San Francisco
Tel: 415.227.9700
email: [email protected]

SOURCE The Asian American Foundation