Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP)Earlier this year, AAPIP partnered with AAPIP Institutional Member The Sisters of St. Joseph Healthcare Foundation to address a persistent problem in regional philanthropy: their funding wasn’t reaching eligible AANHPI community organizations.
The foundation had noticed a pattern. Despite offering general operating support grants up to $50,000 and prioritizing organizations led by people of color with budgets under $5 million, their applicant pool lacked representation from Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander organizations serving immigrant families in their six-county California service area.
The organizations and their work in housing security, food security, and family violence prevention existed and were very active. But the connection wasn’t happening.
The Access Gap
AANHPI community-based organizations face specific barriers in regional funding landscapes. Many operate without dedicated development staff. They lack established relationships with foundation program officers. Most critically, immigrant AANHPI populations are often overlooked in regional needs assessments, leading organizations to assume their communities don’t fit funder priorities.
For invitation-only grant programs, like the Sisters of St. Joseph Healthcare Foundation grants, these relationship gaps become disqualifying. Organizations don’t get invited to opportunities they don’t know exist.
The Partnership Model
AAPIP served as a strategic connector to 32 eligible AANHPI organizations across Alameda, Humboldt, Imperial, Orange, San Bernardino, and Sonoma counties joined us for a virtual meet-and-greet.
Organizational leaders joined Barry Ross, the foundation’s Executive Director, for substantive dialogue about their work, their questions about fit and eligibility, and the application process. The format reflected trust-based philanthropy principles the foundation already practiced:
- Unrestricted funding: General operating support grants let organizations direct resources where needs are most acute
- Centering smaller organizations: Explicit priority for budgets under $5 million
- Reducing application barriers: Direct Q&A access during the application window, not after decisions are made
Results and Impact
Over 30 organizational leaders joined the event for dialogue with Barry Ross, St. Joseph’s Executive Director. Fifteen organizations serving AANHPI communities submitted applications by the February 15 deadline, most of them new applicants to the foundation. Twelve of these applicants had attended the meet-and-greet.
In an application round that received 127 total applications, AANHPI organizations represented a notable shift in applicant demographics. Nine of those organizations received grants, with awards ranging up to $50,000, the program maximum. Most grants are being renewed at the same level in 2027.
As Ross noted after the grant cycle closed: “I think that the Meet and Greet was very successful… Most of these were new applicants to our Foundation. This is something that would benefit other funders and these nonprofits. It made a difference.”
The partnership addressed both sides of the access gap. Organizations gained clarity about whether their work aligned with foundation priorities. The foundation connected with qualified applicants they hadn’t reached through standard channels.
Beyond One Event
This collaboration demonstrates a replicable model for foundations seeking to diversify their grantee portfolios. AAPIP’s reach includes executive directors and development staff across hundreds of AANHPI organizations nationwide.
For funders, this means:
- Access to organizations already doing the work you fund
- Reduced time spent on outreach to communities outside your existing networks
- Better-fit applicant pools from organizations that understand the pre-requisites before applying
- Direct connection with leaders who can tell you what’s happening in their communities, what strategies are working, where needs are most urgent, and how you can be a more effective partner
The Sisters of St. Joseph Healthcare Foundation partnership succeeded because organizations and funding opportunities need active connection points, not just open application portals.
Working with AAPIP
If your foundation is a member of AAPIP and has noticed gaps in your applicant demographics, or if you’re launching initiatives targeting immigrant communities, AANHPI populations, or underserved regions, please reach out to membership@aapip.org to explore similar programming that benefits AANHPI communities and expands your portfolio in a stated region or issue area.