Grants
The Korean American Community Foundation® (KACF) was founded in 2002 by a group of Korean American leaders in New York with a simple idea: philanthropy by and for the community. The goal was to address the chronic underinvestment in the Korean immigrant community by raising funds for programs serving under-resourced Korean American individuals and families, while also mobilizing community members to give and be part of a philanthropic movement.
Over the past 21 years, we have distributed $14 million in grants and supported nearly 400 projects helping low-income Korean and Asian American immigrants in the greater New York area. While we are continuing to fund in the greater New York area, we have recognized and heeded the call for funding support in other regions with large Korean American populations. To that end, we established a National Grants program to support projects that are aligned with our grantmaking goals: increasing the economic security of low-income Korean and Asian Americans.
We are not accepting grant proposals at this time. Applications for our next grant cycle will be available in the summer. Please visit our website after June 2024. If you would like to receive emails about future funding opportunities, subscribe to our mailing list.
National Grants
National Grants are only available to organizations from outside of New York and New Jersey.
We are interested in projects that are looking to:
- close the data gaps on the needs of the Korean American community
- seed or support ongoing collaborative or coalition-building projects
- nationally-focused projects to address barriers to economic security
- regional projects aligned with our grantmaking goal
Grant Amount: The maximum grant amount is $50,000. We provide general operating and program-specific support. An organization with a budget of $3 million or less may request general operating or program-specific support.
Grant Period & Renewal: National Grants are for a one-year period. If the organizations are interested in applying again, they are encouraged to speak to the KACF Program team. No organization will receive more than one National Grant in any one grantmaking year. National Grants are awarded once a year.
Community Grants (NY/NJ)
Community Grants are available to only organizations from New York and New Jersey.
We are interested in projects that are looking to:
- provide services to address short- and long-term needs to achieve economic security (i.e. education, workforce development, public benefits counseling, affordable housing, healthcare, etc.)
- engage in community organizing and advocacy to address root causes of economic instability and poverty and/or advocate for systems change to ensure more resources are accessible to our community
Grant Amount: The maximum grant amount is $100,000. We provide general operating and program-specific support. An organization with a budget of $3 million or less may request general operating or program-specific support.
Grant Period & Renewal: Community Grants are for a one-year period. Grantee partner organizations must re-apply each year up to a maximum of 3 consecutive years and then take a one-year mandatory “break”. Grantee partners are eligible to apply the following year. No organization will receive more than one Community Grant in any one grantmaking year. Community Grants are awarded once a year.
How We Define “Economic Security”
We define economic security as having the resources to realize the full economic potential of individuals and families through educational attainment, meaningful employment, financial literacy, public benefits, access to affordable housing and home- ownership, and other pathways to immediate and long-term economic stability.
Learn more about our grantee partners and the initiatives we fund: kacfny.org/grantee-partners.
Eligibility
The Foundation prioritizes organizations that are working with Korean Americans as a target population or within the larger group of constituents served by the program. We are particularly interested in organizations that:
- are working with Korean Americans either as a target population or within the larger group of constituents served by the organization/program.
- are engaging in partnerships with other community organizations and stakeholders;
- have the intention of providing comprehensive support to constituents;
- are measuring and documenting quantitative and qualitative outcomes; and
- can clearly articulate how KACF’s grant will advance their work.
KACF will only consider organizations that:
- are a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization or have a fiscal sponsor that is 501(c)3;
- have an operational history of at least 6 months;
- have an established and working Board of Directors; and
- have filed IRS Form 990 and/or audited financials.
Funding Restrictions
KACF does not provide funding for:
- individuals;
- capital fund projects;
- endowments;
- fundraising events;
- feasibility studies;
- real estate purchases;
- public or private schools, colleges or universities;
- political causes or campaigns to elect candidates to public office; or
- programs that do not comply with Federal, state, or local equal employment statues.
Important Dates
| National RFP Briefing | Monday, September 18, 2023 (1-2pm ET) |
| National Grant Application Deadline | Friday, October 13, 2023 (11:59pm ET) |
| Status Update & Review | October 16, 2023 to November 10, 2023 |
| Notification of Grant Awards | December 2023 |
| 2023 National Grant Year | December 15, 2023 – December 15, 2024 |
| Community Grant Application Deadline | September 8, 2023 (11:59pm ET) |
| Initial Review Notification | Early October 2023 |
| Site Visits | October to early November 2023 |
| Notification of Grant Awards | December 2023 |
| 2023 Community Grant Year | December 15, 2023 – December 15, 2024 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can nonprofit organizations in New York or New Jersey apply for a National Grant? What if they are off-cycle and currently not receiving a KACF grant?
Nonprofit organizations in New York and New Jersey are encouraged to apply for a Community Grant! National Grants are only available to organizations outside of New York and New Jersey, even if the organization is currently not receiving a KACF grant.
Can nonprofit organizations in New York or New Jersey apply for a National Grant to support its collaborative or coalition-building work?
Organizations in New York and New Jersey can be part of a collaborative that is applying for a National Grant but should not be the lead organization that is applying. Moreover, we are seeking collaboratives and coalition-building work that is nationally-focused although it may have members in New York or New Jersey.
Should nonprofit organizations in the San Francisco Bay Area apply for funding from KACF-San Francisco? Can they also apply for a National Grant with KACF?
KACF-San Francisco is our affiliate serving the greater Bay Area with a shared mission and vision. It is currently accepting applications for its 2023 Community Grants cycle and we highly encourage you to apply. You may also apply for a National Grant with us but encourage you to first speak to our Program Team. If you are applying for funding from both foundations, KACF will review the application submitted to KACF-SF.
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