The Korean American Community Foundation (KACF) held a Welcome Reception for its grantee partners to acknowledge and share their important work in the community. The 12 nonprofit organizations who received grants totaling $710,000 were selected for their effective work in addressing economic security, from providing direct service to those who focus on community organizing and advocacy.

KACF makes its grants with a committee of volunteers, the Community Grants Committee (CGC). Under the direction of the Program Director, the CGC participants review proposals, visit local nonprofits, and make funding recommendations. This year, 19 dedicated individuals with diverse professional and personal experiences participated in the CGC.

Daniel Maiuri, a Korean adoptee who participated in this year’s CGC, remarked, “I joined the KACF CGC because I wanted to learn more about KACF and the organizations working within the Korean American community. Having now been through the participatory grantmaking process, I can say that I have gained invaluable insight into not only the incredibly difficult challenges facing many Korean Americans, but the amazing work that is being done to solve many of those challenges. I am grateful for the opportunity to have served on the CGC and I am more committed than ever – with newfound motivation and renewed dedication – to giving back to my community.

At the reception, leaders from the grantee partners met with CGC volunteers and KACF donors, board and staff. Kyung B. Yoon, KACF’s President, says, “Together with our grantee partners, we strive to make sure that low-income Korean Americans have increased opportunities to become economically secure and flourish. This is a big goal, and we know that this can only happen when we mobilize our entire community. That’s why we involve volunteers in our grantmaking so that they can be trained and equipped to be more effective and thoughtful philanthropists.”

To learn more about KACF’s work and its grantee partners, please visit kacfny.org/grantee-partners/