Asian American Giving

Event: Asian American Philanthropy and Community Needs

 

- by Andy Ho

The Asia Society of Northern California is hosting a panel discussion on October 30th in San Francisco on the topic of Connecting Asian American Philanthropy and Community Needs.  The panel features AAG's Dien Yuen, among others.  

As the fastest growing demographic group in the United States, Asian Americans are today one of the leading forces in giving – not only to their countries of origin, but increasingly to their local U.S. communities and across the globe. Many believe that as more and more Asian Americans—a group with an enormously varied national, ethnic, and religious backgrounds—take leadership roles in business, politics, and civic life, they are also are changing the face of U.S. philanthropy, making it more inclusive, impactful, and accountable.

How are patterns of giving in the U.S. changing as Asian Americans become wealthier and increasingly woven in to American society? How do persistent “model minority” stereotypes distort the reality of Asian American giving and community needs? How do other trends led by this community – e.g., the culture of rapid innovation in Silicon Valley – shape patterns and modes of giving?  

Join ASNC, in partnership with Give2Asia, for a panel discussion featuring leading experts from the philanthropic community to address these and other questions.

Speakers:

Buck Gee (moderator) Co-founder, Chinese American Community Foundation; ASNC Board Member

Robbie Fabian, President, ABS-CBN Foundation

Naren Gupta, Co-founder, Nexus Venture Partners; ASNC Board Member

Audrey Yamamoto, President & Executive Director, Asian Pacific Fund

Dien Yuen, Chief Philanthropy Officer, Give2Asia

Asian Americans: the Details

Photo credit: fillinourfuture.org

- by Andy Ho

The 2010 Census, the last major survey of the American people, was the first one to detail the Asian American population into specific ethnic subgroups - Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Bhutanese, Hmong, Laotian, and on.  This detail sheds further insight into the diversity of the Asian American population, providing for some very interesting data, especially when economic, education, health, and other data are layered on top. 

It's also great the Census is spreading this information in multiple languages now.  According to the most recent WHIAAPI newsletter, the Bureau has translated and released the 2010 Census Asian Population Brief in three Asian languages, which include Simplified Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese. These in-language briefs show that the Asian population grew faster than any other race group over the last decade. The population that identified as Asian, either alone or in combination with one or more other races, grew by 45.6 percent from 2000 to 2010, while those who identified as Asian alone grew by 43.3 percent. Both populations grew at a faster rate than the total U.S. population, which increased by 9.7 percent from 2000 to 2010. Out of the total U.S. population, 14.7 million people, or 4.8 percent, were Asian alone. In addition, 2.6 million people, or another 0.9 percent, reported Asian in combination with one or more other races. Together, these two groups totaled 17.3 million people. Thus, 5.6 percent of all people in the United States identified as Asian, either alone or in combination with one or more other races. See the Simplified Chinese version here, Korean version here, the Vietnamese version here, and the original English press release here.  

Philanthropy News Digest + Jobs in Philanthropy

 - by Andy Ho

Some recent articles of interest: 

Asian Americans and Philanthropic Giving: Implications for Higher Education - "Although some research shows that Asian-Americans tend to give only to prestigious institutions, our research indicates that Asian-Americans are generous across the board in terms of institutional types.  As nearly 50 percent of Asian-Americans are enrolled in community colleges, there is great potential for giving in this setting as well as more prestigious Ivy League institutions."

2012 AAPIP Giving Circle Convening: A View from the Starting Line - "Did you know that Asian American/Pacific Islanders make up more than 5% of the US population, yet less than 1% of philanthropic dollars flow to these communities? It made me appreciate even more the catalytic role that giving circles can play in making philanthropymore inclusive and responsive to local community needs."

Beijing is #1 in Ranking of Most Philanthropic Cities in China - "...the large number of overseas Chinese from eastern coastal areas who immigrated to Western countries and then came back to their hometowns also brought back the culture of charitable giving." 

Jobs in Philanthropy...Asian Americans are encouraged to apply!

Program Officer for Philanthropy, William and Flora Hewlett Foundation (Menlo Park, CA)

Senior Program Officer, Wikimedia Foundation (San Francisco, CA)

Partner, Asia, LGT Venture Philanthropy (Singapore or Hong Kong)

Asian Women Giving Circle gives $55,000

- by Andy Ho

If you've followed this blog regularly, you'll know that giving circles are a big part of the pulse of Asian American philanthropy, and a growing part too. It's a great way to encourage individuals in their own philanthropy and to collectively make a difference in the AAPI community. 

One of the giving circles that has really encouraged me in the projects they've funded and in the tremendous amounts they've been able to raise since their founding in 2006 is the Asian Women Giving Circle, in New York City.  This year they are giving away $55,000 to arts organizations headed by Asian women.

Read more about it in their press release.  Congrats AWGC!

2012 Global Diaspora Forum: Sec Clinton's Speech

- by Andy Ho

It was a memorable gathering last week at the Global Diaspora Forum, hosted jointly by the State Department and USAID.  I met many in the diaspora community, all interested in making a difference in our communities.  One of the highlights was hearing from Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.  You can catch a video and text of her speech.  It's about 20 minutes, but worth listening [and reading].

Here's one excerpt that really resonated with me around both the gift and opportunity we have as a diaspora community member here in the United States, and how philanthropy can play a role in promoting dialogue, relationship, and building a future where we can relate with one another in peace.

"We see so many places around the world being torn apart by ethnic, religious, racial, sectarian divides of all kinds. When I walk down the street, as I love to do in New York, and I see people living together and working together whose relatives back in the countries from where they came hate each other, kill each other, it just – it makes me so grateful for our country, but it also makes me so heartbroken that other countries don’t have that opportunity, don’t see beyond moving beyond the past. And I think Americans, like all of you, have such an opportunity to talk with, to support these kinds of changes in minds and hearts. Because democracy is not just an election; democracy is changing the way people relate to one another, work with one another, listen to one another. And there’s no place that has more experience, since we are now the longest-lasting democracy, than we do. And there are no people with more credibility than all of you.

And that’s why we have focused in on the importance of our own diaspora to our efforts here at the State Department. But we can’t do this without your constructive criticism, your ideas, your support. And I hope that out of this forum we will get many, many more ideas. And all the ones that I’ve mentioned today you will learn about and come up with your own, because we have to send a clear, unmistakable call to action to people everywhere. They really can have a better life; they really can see their children do better than they have done; they really can live in peace, one with the other." -- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, July 25, 2012

For more coverage, check out the Forum twitter feed at #2012GDF.

Funding Opportunity: NBC Bay Area's 21st Century Solutions

NBC Bay Area is launching a new initiative called 21st Century Solutions – a grant challenge for nonprofit organizations implementing new and innovative programs that are moving our city forward. In partnership with the NBCUniversal Foundation, the signature grant program will award the winner with $50,000, and two runners-up with $25,000 each, totaling $100,000 grants in the Bay Area.

The grant challenge is open to eligible 501 (c) (3) organizations implementing innovative programs, which are approximately less than three years old, that are addressing new emerging challenges or ongoing issues in new ways. Applications in seven program areas include Arts and Media, Civic Engagement, Jobs and Economic Empowerment, Community Development, Technology and Innovation, Education, and Environment.

Through this competitive grant process, NBC hopes to identify opportunities for positive change, spark conversations with community leaders like you, and support nonprofits that are creating results-driven change in our community.

Organizations can apply now through August 15th. For more information about the grant or to apply, click here. 

 

2012 Global Diaspora Forum

- by Andy Ho

Over the next two days I'll be attending the Global Diaspora Forum at the State Department. It's an annual celebration of America’s diaspora communities. The gathering challenges diaspora communities to create new partnerships with the private sector, civil society, and public institutions in order to make their engagements with their countries of origin or ancestry effective, scalable, and sustainable.   The theme of this year’s Forum is “Moving Forward by Giving Back,” and will focus on how the U.S. Government and diaspora communities are partnering to further investment and trade, philanthropy, volunteerism, social innovation, and entrepreneurship in developing and emerging communities around the world.

Asian diaspora communities in the U.S. are among some of the largest.  It will be interesting to hear how the growing Asian American population continues to play a larger role in partnerships across sectors and countries.

The Global Diaspora Forum brings together a diverse range of stakeholders, all passionate about promoting diaspora engagement. More than 500 U.S.-based diaspora community leaders from the private sector, academia, media, civil society, and U.S. Government including Under Secretary of Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Tara Sonenshine, Special Representative for Global Partnerships Kris Balderston, USAID Administrator Dr. Rajiv Shah, USAID Deputy Administrator Donald Steinberg, USAID Chief Innovation Officer Dr. Maura O’Neill, OPIC Executive Vice President Mimi Alemayehou, and Ben Rhodes, Deputy National Security Advisor to the President, will participate in the Forum.

Secretary Clinton’s remarks will be livestreamed on state.gov on Wednesday at 10:30 am ET. Follow the conversation on Twitter with #2012GDF and @diasporaatstate.

"But Why Do We Need Philanthropy?"

-by Andy Ho

Earlier this week I gave a presentation at the University of Virginia to a group of Chinese media professionals spending a week here learning about funding, the media, and nonprofits.  The presentation was on trends in U.S. philanthropy and an overview of the U.S. philanthropic sector.

This isn't the first time I've presented to a group of Chinese officials and scholars.  At the end of every presentation, during the Q&A, the question from someone in the group comes up: "But why do we even need philanthropy? Why doesn't the government just take care of the social needs of the people?" 

The question is a simple one, and uncovers a fundamental difference between a worldview shaped by the Chinese communist government, and one shaped by American democracy, a difference that plays out in attitudes and cultures.  In a democracy such as in the U.S., the people don't necessarily want the government to take care of everything, even if it had the money right now.  There is a freedom to choose to take individual responsibility to give back to one's community, and to express your values and desires through philanthropy, and not have the government interfere with this expression of individualism.  The government incentivizes this behavior through the charitable deduction. 

In China, people are used to the government making the decisions about what gets funded and supported, without much (if any) input from the people, and generally prohibiting any initiatives that get created from the community.  For the things that don't get support, it was assumed that it was not worthwhile to support.  So it is natural then, that one of the participants jumped to the conclusion that Bill Gates created such a large foundation ($33.5 billion) mainly as a tax avoidance strategy and nothing else.  We'll never know the true motivations for why Mr. Gates started his foundation, but judging from his involvement, I'm fairly certain that it wasn't purely a strategic financial move on his part.

All societies have some form and understanding of charity.  But organized philanthropy is not yet understood by many in developing countries.  The question of why China needs philanthropy, and the answers, will evolve, as the thinking and culture of philanthropy in China develops.

Trends in US Philanthropy from yds99

Asian American Giving Circles in DC Gather

-by Andy Ho

With leadership from Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP), giving circles are increasingly a vehicle of choice for Asian American giving.  AAPIP describes this as

"Giving Circles are neither a substitute nor a stand-in for foundations and institutional philanthropic investment. Instead, Giving Circles represent both an opportunity and an open invitation to foundations—to invest significantly in community philanthropy as a strategic path to increasing philanthropic capital to our communities and in moving individuals to act on their own philanthropic initiative."

Three giving circles in the DC area gathered together Monday to celebrate their common goal of giving back and making a difference in the local AAPI community. 

• Cherry Blossom Giving Circle
• MASALA Giving Circle
• Rainbow Dragon Fund

The MASALA Giving Circle and the Rainbow Dragon Fund are new and are joining the expanding network of Asian American Giving Circles through the leadership of AAPIP.  MASALA is focused on the South Asian community (Mid-Atlantic South Asians Leveraging Assets), while the Rainbow Dragon Fund seeks to give back to the AAPI LGBTQ community. The Cherry Blossom Giving Circle, now in its third year, continues to give back to nonprofits serving the AAPI community. The giving circle also announced its latest request for proposals for this year's round of grantmaking.

Over 65 people came out to support the event and to network with others.  It is very exciting to share the growing vision and passion of giving circles making a difference in the AAPI community.  We live a shared experience, we have a shared passion, we have a shared community. 

This weekend, AAPIP is hosting leaders from the 17 AAPI giving circles in San Francisco for a weekend of planning and learning to further the influence of giving circles.  It's exciting to be part of this growing movement and yet another way philanthropy is making a difference in the communities we care about.

The Nexus Global Youth Summit - Beijing Gathering

- by Andy Ho

Last year I was fortunate to attend the first Nexus Youth Summit in NYC which brought together hundreds of next generation leaders, social entrepreneurs, and philanthropists. It was energizing and inspiring to see a collective of next generation leaders encouraging one another to pursue philanthropy and change the world.  And the gathering continues to grow.

Now in its next iteration, a gathering will be held in Beijing on July 21-22, 2012. 

Nexus Beijing delegates will be a mix of next generation wealth holders and social entrepreneurs. The majority of the delegates will be young wealth-holders families in China, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan and the United States. Some are active philanthropic leaders or social investors while most are philanthropically or socially-minded individuals interested to further develop their understanding and practice of philanthropy through corporate, professional or personal means. Social entrepreneurs, both experienced civil society leaders and young change-makers, will come from all over China.

Philanthropy as a professional sector and practice is relatively new in China and new philanthropists must navigate a complex and challenging landscape. Recent scandals in the charitable sector around financial transparency and accountability, unclear tax regulations, a watchful media and critical general public are just a few of the challenges. Over the course of the intimate and interactive event, we will address these and many other issues facing young Chinese philanthropists, introduce innovative models of philanthropy and social change as well as showcase exciting philanthropic initiatives and opportunities that exist within China and around the world.

If you're in China or in Asia and fit the participant profile, I'd strongly encourage you to attend.  For more information contact the Nexus China Coordinator Abbie Jung at abbie@nexusyouthsummit.com or our general email at china@nexusyouthsummit.com