The Asian American Foundation

The Asian American Foundation

Philanthropy

TAAF is a convener, incubator, and funder committed to accelerating opportunity and prosperity for the AAPI community.

About us

The Asian American Foundation (TAAF) is a convener, incubator, and funder committed to accelerating opportunity and prosperity for Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. We strive to be a catalyzing force for belonging for the 23 million AAPIs across the U.S.

Website
https://www.taaf.org
Industry
Philanthropy
Company size
2-10 employees
Type
Nonprofit
Founded
2021

Employees at The Asian American Foundation

Updates

  • Launched in 2021 in response to the rise in anti-Asian hate and violence, TAAF is dedicated to building a safer, more inclusive future for AAPIs everywhere. Now in our third year, TAAF has accelerated the pace of progress to build safety and belonging for AAPIs. But we didn't do it alone; we worked closely with our partners to pursue immediate and long-term solutions to protect and support our communities to fight anti-AAPI hate, advocate for AAPI history as part of inclusive education, uplift creatives and storytellers in front of and behind the camera, and create spaces where our voices didn’t originally exist. And we're just getting started. To take a look at our full impact, visit share.taaf.org/EOY23.

    This year marks the second anniversary of The Asian American Foundation. As we reflect on the past 12 months and our plans for 2024, we are grateful for the significant progress we have made with our partners and grantees to help create a better future for the AANHPI community. In our four main pillars of Anti-Hate, Education, Narrative Change and Resources & Representation, we have achieved meaningful milestones to fight anti-Asian hate, increase safety and build belonging: Anti-Hate: Our Anti-Hate National Network has now expanded to 56 partners in 9 major metropolitan areas covering over 40% of the AAPI population across the country. Through financial support, trainings and convenings, we are working together to develop effective Response, Recovery, Prevention, Protection and Policy (2R3P) methods to address anti-Asian hate and violence across the country. Education: Through our support of the TEAACH Act Collaborative, 40,000+ Illinois students were taught Asian American history in the 2022-2023 school year. In convenings and via our Resource Guide, we have shared the lessons learned in Illinois with AAPI leaders in 22 other states. Narrative Change: To strengthen and raise visibility for our creative community, TAAF co-hosted the first-ever AANHPI House at Sundance Film Festival and launched the AANHPI Creative Development Directory, listing over 200 opportunities from fellowships and residencies to professional and script development programs. Resources & Representation: With funding from The Walmart Foundation, TAAF launched The AAPI Nonprofit Database, an interactive tool that makes it possible for anyone looking to donate or get involved with over 750 AANHPI nonprofit organizations across the country. We know that unlocking greater resources is critical to creating lasting, generational change, and in 2023, launched our Portfolio Strategy, committing $65 million for our AANHPI nonprofit community over the next five years. In 2023, we will distribute almost $11M in direct grants and sponsorships to 100+ AANHPI organizations across the country. In 2022, our Giving Challenge partners provided over $160 million of funding to over 90 AANHPI organizations across the country. Building on Our Momentum in 2024 We are excited about our ambitious slate of programs next year, from expanding our Anti-Hate National Network and calling out anti-Asian campaign rhetoric, creating new resources for AANHPI history education, sharing the results of our STAATUS Index report and landmark study on AAPI Youth Mental Health, and increasing AANHPI representation at the highest levels of corporate America. In 2024, we will continue to fight–for safety, the right to belong, and for the right to prosper. Thank you to all the grantees, partners, donors, & community leaders who have been part of this movement thus far. We look forward to working together to create a better future for our community and for our country. For more: share.taaf.org/EOY23

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  • Fear of racially-motivated attacks is a major issue for AANHPIs in Seattle. In fact, in our recent AANHPI Perspectives: Seattle Safety Study, nearly 3 in 4 AANHPIs in Seattle changed their daily behaviors because they feared being attacked for their race/ethnicity, with 40% avoiding going out late at night. It’s time to create change that makes the city safer for AANHPIs and all Seattleites. To read the full study, visit https://lnkd.in/ensPTTxT.

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  • Since its inception in March 2021, Meals for Unity has distributed 18,480 meals, grown to 700+ volunteers, expanded to three other boroughs, and has partnered with over 45 nonprofit, corporate, and local restaurant partners. As part of the TAAF NYC Anti-Hate Collaborative, Meals for Unity aims to foster connections among disparate community groups by leveraging the universal language of food.

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  • This past Sunday, the New York Liberty defeated the Minnesota Lynx to win the 2024 WNBA Championship! But the team's owners also made history as the first Asian Americans to own a title-winning WNBA team. “When we bought the team four years ago, they were playing at Westchester County Center to a crowd of 2,000,” Clara Wu Tsai said during Sunday’s trophy presentation. “And the first thing we wanted to do was bring the team to Barclays Center so that they could have a bigger stage. And then we wanted to give them facilities and performance and nutrition and everything that they deserved because they’re such elite professional athletes.”

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  • Natalie Nakase is making history as the first Asian American head coach in the WNBA. It was recently announced that the current assistant coach of the Las Vegas Aces will become the head coach of San Francisco's new expansion team, the Golden State Valkyries, in the 2025 season. “I just remember telling myself ... I want to work for Golden State. I want to be a part of that. Fast forward nine years later, I’m sitting here, in Golden State,” Nakase said at a news conference. “I’m living proof that when you work really, really hard, and you stay focused on your goal, that big dreams do come true.”

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  • Last month, TAAF, Palo Alto High School, and Third State Books brought together members of Palo Alto’s AAPI community to discuss the emotional well-being of young people—a subject not often talked about. We also asked students what they wished they could tell their parents. In honor of World Mental Health Day, we wanted to share a few of their answers. Swipe to read more.

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  • Last week, Mattel announced the release of its first “Barbie Diwali doll” in celebration of the Hindu festival of lights. The doll, a collaboration with Indian fashion designer Anita Dongre, will feature traditional clothing, including a cropped top, or choli; a floral vest known as a koti; and a patterned, ankle-length skirt called a lehenga. “In celebration of Diwali, Barbie and I are both encouraging fans around the world to celebrate the beautiful heritage of Indian fashion and culture,” Dongre said.

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  • TAAF, Palo Alto High School ASB, and Third State Books brought together members of Palo Alto’s AAPI community for an important discussion about youth mental health at Palo Alto High School. At this event, we explored the emotional well-being of young people–a subject that has often gone unspoken or carried a stigma in our community. TAAF CEO Norman Chen spoke on the panel alongside Dr. Bina Patel, Director of Counseling and Psychological Services at Stanford’s Vaden Health Center, noted journalist Dion Lim, and Garry Tan, CEO of Y Combinator and Founder of Initialized Capital. The panel, introduced by Palo Alto Mayor Greer Stone, tackled topics including the mental health impacts of the model minority myth, the challenges of balancing academic and career success while prioritizing mental health, and the need for better intergenerational understanding of mental health issues. We were pleased to have a full auditorium of parents, students, and community members join us—many of whom shared afterwards that it was the first time they’d ever witnessed a public conversation about mental health in the AAPI community. The mental health and well-being of our community is a priority for TAAF. Later this year, TAAF will be releasing a first-of-its-kind national study of AANHPI youth and the mental health landscape. Our hope is that this study allows us to better understand the factors that impact the mental health of AANHPI youth, and help find solutions that will support them in developing into healthy young adults.

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Funding

The Asian American Foundation 2 total rounds

Last Round

Grant

US$ 1.0M

Investors

Panda Express
See more info on crunchbase