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Non-profit

Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Civic Engagement Fund

Website:

aapifund.org/
Type:

Election advocacy group
Formation:

2013
Fiscal Sponsor:

New Venture Fund
Co-director:

Eunsook Lee

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The Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Civic Engagement Fund is a left-of-center election activism and grantmaking organization. It is a fiscally sponsored project of the New Venture Fund. The organization promotes increasing civic engagement for the AAPI community while advocating for increased AAPI participation in electoral-based events for Democratic Party-linked candidates and campaigns. 2 The organization has received funding from several left-of center organizations, such as the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund,  Ford Foundation, and the Wallace H. Coulter Foundation. As of 2025, the information listing these groups has been removed from the AAPI website but is still able to be found online. 3 4 AAPI Civic Engagement Fund is a fiscally sponsored project of the New Venture Fund, a left-of-center funding organization which is managed by philanthropic consulting firm Arabella Advisors. 5 6

Activities

In 2020, Asian and Pacific Islander Civic Engagement Fund, along with 21 other organizations, commissioned a poll to evaluate AAPI voter participation rates, political alignment, and demographic trends. 7 The poll projected that 68 percent of Asian Americans would vote for Democratic candidate Joe Biden, and 28 percent for Republican candidate Donald Trump. 7

Finances

As a fiscal project of New Venture Fund, AAPI Civic Engagement does not disclose its funding. However, the organization’s website does list its largest donors. The organizations that have made contributions to AAPI Civic Engagement include corporations and major left-of-center foundations such as the Carnegie Corporation of New York, Ford Foundation, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, and Mastercard. 8

Funding

AAPI Civic Engagement has also received funding from multiple left-of-center grantmaking organizations, including the MacArthur Foundation, The Morningstar Foundation, Naomi & Nehemiah Cohen Foundation, Raikes Foundation, Skoll Foundation, Susan Sandler Fund, Surdna Foundation, Unbound Philanthropy, W. K. Kellogg Foundation, Wallace H. Coulter Foundation, Evelyn and Walter Haas, Jr. Fund, The Henry Luce Foundation, the JPB Foundation, Linked Fate Fund for Justice, and the Loud Hound Fund. 8

Grantmaking

AAPI Civic Engagement provides funding to Get out The Vote (GOTV) organizations, many of which seek to register Democratic Party-aligned individuals, organizations that seek to expand welfare policies, organizations that focus on race-based social policy, and organizations that seek to make significant expansions to immigration policy.

GOTV organizations supported by AAPI Civic Engagement include APACEvotes, APIA Vote Michigan, and the Asian American Resource Workshop. 9

Race focused, left-of-center organizations supported by AAPI Civic Engagement include 18 Million Rising, Asian Americans Advancing Justice Atlanta, Asian Americans Advancing Justice Chicago, Filipino Advocates for Justice, EMGAGE Florida (the Florida subsidiary of Emgage Foundation), Adhikaar, Asian Americans United, Asian American Community Development Council, Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon, Chinese for Affirmative Action,  Justice for Muslims Collective MASA Fund, Empowering Pacific Islander Communities, Coalition of Asian American Leaders,  and VietLEAD. 9

AAPI Civic Engagement also supports organizations that seek to expand welfare policies and government spending, those organizations include the National Coalition of Asian Pacific Americans, Asian Pacific Planning and Policy Council, Chinese Progressive Association of Boston, Chinese Progressive Association of San Francisco, Desis Rising Up & Moving, and the Chhaya Community Development Corporation, and Asian Services in Action. 9

AAPI Civic Engagement has provided funding to organizations that advocate for left-of-center immigration policy in the United States such as include Boat People SOS of the Delaware Valley and CAPI USA. 9

Leadership

Eunsook Lee is the Co-director of AAPI Civic Engagement, serving in the role since its formation in 2013. Prior to this, she worked as a senior deputy to then-Rep. Karen Bass (D-CA) and was previously the executive director of the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium (NAKASEC). 4

References

  2. “AAPI Civic Engagement Fund Awards More than $6 Million to Movement Building Groups Across the U.S.” AAPI Civic Engagement Fund. https://aapifund.org/news/press-release-20240307/

    Background

    The Asian and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Civic Engagement Fund was formed in 2013 to increase AAPI participation in elections and politics. 1 “About” AAPI Civic Engagement Fund. https://aapifund.org/about/.

  3.  “About” AAPI Civic Engagement Fund. https://aapifund.org/about/
  4. Uchida, Kyoko. “Eunsook Lee, Director, AAPI Civic Engagement Fund | Newsmakers | Features | PND.” Philanthropynewsdigest.Org. Candid., July 17, 2020. Last modified July 17, 2020. Accessed July 10, 2025. https://philanthropynewsdigest.org/features/newsmakers/eunsook-lee-director-aapi-civic-engagement-fund.
  5. “Donate” AAPI Civic Engagement Fund. https://aapifund.org/donate/
  6. John D and Catherine T MacArthur Foundation (Consolidated). “John D & Catherine T Macarthur Foundation 2022 Form 990 Filing.” https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/237093598/202313179349104401/full. Chicago: 140 South Dearborn St Ste 1200, November 13, 2023.
  7. “2020 American Election Eve Poll” AAPI Civic Engagement Fund. https://aapifund.org/program/research-and-tools/
  8. “People – Our Donors” AAPI Civic Engagement Fund. https://aapifund.org/about/people/
  9. “Cohort Members” AAPI Civic Engagement Fund. https://aapifund.org/members/
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