Korean American Community Foundation
/OVERVIEW: The Korean American Community Foundation supports education, workforce development, youth, affordable housing, financial literacy, fighting poverty and community development in New York City.
FUNDING AREAS: Education, workforce development, youth, affordable housing, financial literacy, fighting poverty, community development
IP TAKE: KACF is a well-established New York City-specific funder that serves as a model for other ethnic-based philanthropies and has an accessible annual grant cycle for local groups.
PROFILE: Established in 2002, the Korean American Community Foundation (KACF) is a community foundation based in New York City, New York. Korean American leaders in the city created KACF to give back to the community, raise funds for programs that serve Korean Americans and encourage giving in among Korean Americans. KACF awarded its first grants to five nonprofits in 2003. The foundation aims to "transform and empower communities through philanthropy, volunteerism and inter-community bridge building.” It funds local efforts for education, workforce development, youth, affordable housing, financial literacy, fighting poverty and community development.
The Korean American Community Foundation is a model for ethnic-based philanthropic in immigrant communities and has been replicated in other parts of the country beyond New York City. KACF has a West Coast affiliate in San Francisco that serves Korean American communities in the Bay Area. In NYC, the foundations awards grants to address the high numbers of Korean Americans who live in poverty and the limited English language proficiency among seniors. KACF uses a participatory grantmaking model with its community grants committee and funds pathways to long-term sustainability. KACF grants are for one-year periods and support direct service programs, programs that address root causes to economic security barriers and the general needs of Korean Americans. Funding for both programs-specific support and general operating support is available. To improve nonprofit effectiveness, KACF hosts a one-on-one consulting fellowship program, a free workshop series and free collaborative trainings. It also responds to urgent needs with specialized funds, such as the COVID-19 Community Action Fund.
Grants range between about $25,000 and $75,000. Learn more about this funder’s local giving by examining its recent tax records. Grantmaking focuses on the New York City metropolitan area. Past local grantees include the Bergen Volunteer Medical Initiative, Korean American Family Service Center and Renaissance Economic Development Corporation.
This foundation accepts unsolicited grant applications from nonprofits. KACF typically opens up its annual grant cycle in December and makes applications due in February. Direct general questions to the staff at info@kacfny.org or 646-878-9427.
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