U.S. Institutional Giving for Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Communities in New York City

For every $100 awarded by funders in New York City, AANHPI communities receive 46 cents.

New York City is home to more than 1.2 million Asian Americans and more than 4,500 Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders, representing 8.5% of the city’s population. Between 2019-2023, these communities received $216.6 million of the $47.1 billion (or 0.46%) awarded by institutional funders in the region.

NYC funds AANHPI communities above the national average (0.46% vs 0.34%), demonstrating that the infrastructure and funder engagement exist. The question is whether the city that shapes national philanthropic practice will settle for “better than average” or model what proportional investment actually looks like.

Key Findings

• NYC leads in absolute dollars but not proportion: At $216.6 million over five years, NYC awarded more total dollars to AANHPI communities than any other metro analyzed. However, with 1.2 million AANHPI residents and $47 billion in regional philanthropy, current investment levels represent capacity, not commitment at scale.
• Above average is not proportional: Funding at 0.46% exceeds the national rate, proving NYC funders can engage AANHPI communities. For a region where AANHPI residents comprise 8.5% of the population, this gap between demonstrated capacity and proportional investment creates an opportunity to lead rather than outpace an insufficient baseline.
• Infrastructure exists across diverse funder types: 3,076 grants were awarded over five years by funders ranging from public charities (26.7% of funding) to private foundations (16%) to community foundations (12.8%). The ecosystem is active; the question is whether it will expand.
• Funding grew but remains volatile: AANHPI funding increased from $28.9 million (2019) to $59.9 million (2023), with peaks in 2021 ($61.8M). This volatility suggests responsiveness to visibility moments rather than sustained strategic commitment.
• Moderate concentration creates opportunity: The top 5 funders account for 30% of all AANHPI funding, with the top 20 providing 60%. This is less concentrated than some regions, suggesting meaningful middle-tier funder engagement that could be expanded across the broader ecosystem.
• Issue areas reflect regional strengths and gaps: NYC AANHPI funding prioritizes Human Services (38%), Human Rights (24%), and Health (19%). However, Education receives just 3.6% of regional AANHPI funding compared to 10.3% nationally, suggesting significant gaps in long-term capacity-building areas.

The Leadership Gap

NYC shapes national philanthropic practice through its concentration of national foundations, funder affinity groups, and sector infrastructure. When NYC funders establish patterns, those patterns influence the field. Currently, NYC demonstrates that funding AANHPI communities above the national average is possible. The question is whether the city will use that demonstrated capacity to model what proportional investment looks like, or whether it will settle for outpacing an insufficient baseline.

Why This Data Matters

For NYC-based funders: You operate in a city where 1 in 12 residents is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, or Pacific Islander. Your institution has already demonstrated capacity to fund AANHPI communities above the national average. The infrastructure exists, the pathways are established, and the question is whether your strategy reflects leadership or adequacy.

For national funders headquartered in NYC: Your funding decisions shape sector norms. If you fund health equity, education, economic development, or immigrant rights in NYC, you’re funding issues that affect AANHPI communities. When your NYC portfolio explicitly includes AANHPI-serving organizations, you signal to the field that comprehensive racial equity work includes these communities.

For advocates and organizers: This report provides evidence that NYC funders can engage AANHPI communities at levels above the national baseline. Use these findings to make the case that what’s already happening can be expanded, that infrastructure exists to support scaled investment, and that the gap between capacity and proportion represents opportunity, not insurmountable barriers.

For AAPIP NYC Chapter members: This data equips you to shift conversations from “whether” to “how much.” You can demonstrate that your institutions are already part of a functioning ecosystem and ask whether they want to help lead that ecosystem toward proportional investment or remain in the middle of the pack.

The Opportunity

NYC awarded more total dollars to AANHPI communities than any metro in this analysis. This demonstrates functioning infrastructure, established grantee relationships, and funder capacity. The low proportion relative to population share (8.5% vs 0.46%) creates unusual leverage: NYC could become the first major metro to achieve proportional investment in AANHPI communities, establishing a benchmark for the sector.

For a region where total philanthropy exceeds $47 billion over five years, closing the gap doesn’t require creating new systems. It requires NYC funders to apply the capacity they’ve already demonstrated at a scale that matches their position as sector leaders.

Questions or want to discuss these findings? Contact us at aapip@aapip.org

Ready to help NYC lead on AANHPI investment? Email us at aapip@aapip.org to explore funding strategies, or learn about AAPIP membership.