The National Giving Circle Network represents both an opportunity and an open invitation to foundations to increase philanthropy together. Communities around the world have long and deep traditions of supporting individuals, families, organizations, neighborhoods and communities. Zakãt is the Islamic practice of charitable giving based on communal responsibility for the poor. Giri is the Japanese sense of obligation to support those who are less fortunate. It’s a huei in Chinese, tong-tine in Cambodian, hui in Vietnamese, geh in Korean—any way you name it, it’s a Giving Circle, where everyday people like you come together in living rooms, church basements or even the local bar to pool money together and then use it to empower others. By investing in the issues that matter most to us together with our partner foundations, we are empowering the change and the future we want to see for our community. By giving back and giving together, this is how we will bring about change for the better, one by one, friend by friend, community by community.
Since 2005, over 2,500 AAPI philanthropists have pooled their money and time to award over $2.7 million to over 500 AAPI nonprofit organizations. AAPIP continues to provide technical assistance, training, leveraging opportunities, and convenings to Giving Circles in order to grow philanthropy within the community, from the grassroots.
AAPIP’s National Giving Circle Network:
- Promotes individual philanthropy, volunteerism, and civic engagement.
- Increases investments by individuals and philanthropic institutions to strengthen and empower the AAPI community.
- Contributes to the field of philanthropy by providing stories of community impact, best practices, data and lessons learned from the network.
Our National Giving Circle Network has supported over 500 diverse issues and causes, which include:
- Supporting AAPI youths, ages 13-21, who identify as LGBTQ in Washington DC;
- Empowering victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse in the Hmong community in Milwaukee;
- Confronting the prejudice that arose towards Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim and South Asian communities after 9/11 through the medium of theater in New York City
To find active AAPI Giving Circles, explore the Giving Circle Directory.