Applauding bold leadership and thoughtful planning during challenging times.
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April 2024
Dear AAPIPers,
Throughout the course of history, there are times that challenge us and our responses to those times often define us. As the philanthropic sector faces unprecedented scrutiny and nonprofits see their funding being cut and status being threatened, we applaud the bold leadership of several of our members and the thoughtful planning of many in our philanthropic community including:
The Nonprofit Quarterly Article co-authored by Tanya Allen (McKnight Foundation), Deepak Bhargava (Freedom Together), and John Palfrey (MacArthur Foundation) asking philanthropy to stand united and sign a public statement to protect philanthropic freedom (which AAPIP has signed);
And more - particularly actions below the radar to promote and protect our communities.
So many are mobilizing to meet the moment. Coming together feels paramount right now, and in that light we would like to once again invite you to our 35th Anniversary Conference, which is now only a month away! If you’re already registered, stay tuned for exciting updates via our emails and social media feed as the date approaches. If you are not yet registered, learn more and register today!
We also invite you to be a part of CHANGE Philanthropy’s UNITY Summit this fall. AAPIP is a proud CHANGE Philanthropy member and the RFP for sessions is now open.
We hope to see you in Chicago in May.
In community, AAPIP
AAPIP Programs
Congratulations to our Local Champion Award Winner, Unmi Song!
We are honored to recognize Unmi Song, whose impact has shaped and strengthened the local, as well as national, philanthropic landscape, as the recipient of the Local Champion Award in Chicago!
Congratulations, Unmi, on this well-deserved recognition. Your decades of steadfast advocacy and support of Chicago’s AANHPI philanthropic community played a pivotal role in building AAPIP’s Chicago Chapter. Thank you for being a guiding light and role model to so many rising AANHPI leaders.
Unmi will receive her award at the Community Celebration and Awards Reception on 5/20 as part of AAPIP’s 35th Anniversary Conference.
We’re just one month away from AAPIP’s 35th Anniversary Conference! This milestone gathering will bring AANHPI members, community funders, and allied advocates for deeper learning, collective organizing, and community building.
Registration is open! If you wish you could make it but can't make the whole conference in person, we invite you to consider joining through a reception-only or livestream ticket.
A Big Thank You To Our 35th Anniversary Conference Sponsors!
AAPIP’s 35th Anniversary Conference is coming up next month! As the anticipation builds, we’d like to extend our gratitude to our growing list of sponsors. A huge thank you to all of our supporters ensuring that this important milestone conference will be our best yet.
Learn more about sponsorship opportunities and how you can contribute here.
Advancing Collective Actions Within an Anti-DEIA Climate
Tuesday, April 22 10:30 AM PDT / 1:30 PM EDT
In the face of an onslaught of executive actions aimed at dismantling core civil rights and DEIA efforts, this is the time for philanthropy to be brave, steadfast, and resilient. Join us for the last session of AAPIP’s three-part Learning Series: Protecting Race-Explicit Programming, where we will share the work of the Racial Equity Advancement and Defense Initiative (READI), a collaborative led by ABFE, AAPIP, HIP, and NAP to promote, expand, and defend race-explicit grantmaking.
We will engage in a conversation about how we can meet this moment, including leveraging our collective power to protect race-conscious programs, sharing resources to help organizations right-size their legal risk, and raising awareness about the dangers of shying away from strategies that seek to address systemic racism.
Come learn how we can transform personal convictions into tangible actions to support an infrastructure within philanthropy and beyond so that all of our communities are safe and can thrive.
Speakers:
Susan Taylor Batten, CEO of ABFE – A Philanthropic Partnership for Black Communities
Erik Stegman, CEO of Native Americans in Philanthropy
Lyle Matthew Kan, Interim CEO of Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy
Jazmin Chavez, Vice President of Innovation, Equity, and Communications, Hispanics in Philanthropy
Unite in Advance: Philanthropy Coalition Launches Solidarity Campaign
As our identities, ways of life, and even jobs in the social sector are being threatened, AAPIP continues to stand with our community members and allies in unity and solidarity, and we are heartened to see bold leadership and action by philanthropy. One such action has been Nonprofit Quarterly and the Philanthropy Coalition’s Solidarity Campaign, a public statement of hundreds of organizations’ collective efforts to protect our freedom to express ourselves, to give, and to invest in our communities.
The Surdna Foundation’s Continued Commitment and Call for Solidarity
Surdna believes that no matter one’s race, gender, economic situation, or any other aspect of everyday experience, we all belong, and we all deserve a shot at the American dream. Don Chen, president of the Surdna Foundation and member of the AAPIP board, has written a statement of solidarity and support for grantee organizations that help people participate in our democracy and economy, creative visionaries who seek to express their ideas, those working to make communities healthier and more sustainable, and young people who often face barriers before they have a chance to step out into the world.
2025 CHANGE Unity Summit: Call for Sessions Now Open!
For nearly a decade, the UNITY summit has been a critical space where funders, organizers, and community leaders unite to strengthen our movements, increase investments in our communities, and support the philanthropic sector to meet the moment. We are living through a time that demands bold initiative, deep connection, and unwavering solidarity. The challenges we face are immense, but so is the power we hold when we come together. This is a space where we strategize, build, and strive toward justice.
This year’s summit, taking place October 27–30, 2025, will host nearly 1,500 participants in person in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and another 300 virtually.
CHANGE is calling for well-developed, thoughtful session proposals that advance actionable strategies for justice, power-building, and solidarity in philanthropy. Proposals must be focused, concrete, and driven by clear intention.
Save the Date: Give In May is happening May 1-31! Get ready to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month with us while supporting the AAPI community.
AAPIP is in deep appreciation for the ongoing support from our 400+ member network who join us in supporting AANHPI people in philanthropy and working to increase the scale and impact of philanthropic resources aimed at advancing the inclusion, health, and wellbeing of AANHPI communities in the pursuit of a more just and equitable society.
