Asian Americans Advancing Justice
Asian Americans Advancing Justice, based in Los Angeles, California, is a public charity whose Southern California organization, AJSOCAL, provides legal services and pursues civil rights and social justice work. Founded in 1983, AJSOCAL says it supports more than 15,000 individuals and organizations annually and serves people of all races and ethnicities.
Key facts about Asian Americans Advancing Justice
In short: Asian Americans Advancing Justice gave $1.6M across 46 grants in 2024 (avg $35K), mostly in California. 13% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- EIN
- 95-3854152
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990 filing, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,600,907
- Grants made (2024)
- 46
- Average grant
- $34,802
- Median grant
- $18,915
- New grantees (estimate)
- 13% first-time grantees (6 of 46, 2024)
- Total assets
- $30,563,407
- Primary geography
- California (55% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990 filing, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990 filing · View filing
Total Assets
$30.6M
+21.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.6M
-7.9% YoY
Grant Count
46
-11.5% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$35K
+4.1% YoY
Is Asian Americans Advancing Justice open to new grantees?
13%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 46 grantees (13%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $19K; repeat grants $37K. How we count
Medians: $13K first-time, $26K repeat.
- 83% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−19%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
AJSOCAL’s mission is to protect and strengthen the rights and dignity of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, especially those that are most disadvantaged. Its stated priorities include health access, voting rights, immigrant rights, educational opportunity, and LGBTQ+ community issues. The organization also describes work in direct legal services, impact litigation, policy advocacy, civic engagement, demographic research, and anti-Asian discrimination.
In its 2024 filing, AJSOCAL described providing intake, referrals, counseling, legal services, and litigation services to poor monolingual and limited-English-proficient callers in Chinese, Vietnamese, Korean, and Khmer. The listed services included family law, immigration, domestic violence, foreclosure prevention, elder issues, citizenship and naturalization, and ESL/civics. The filing also describes policy advocacy and community education related to health and welfare access, voting rights, immigrant rights, and responses to anti-Asian hate and racism.
The 2024 grants included support for organizations with varied community missions. Korean Community Services’ stated mission is to provide culturally and professionally competent services through outreach, treatment, and prevention. South Asian Network says it advances the health, well-being, and civil rights of South Asians in Southern California. The International Institute of Minnesota says it helps new Americans become self-sufficient and contributing members of society. Asian Pacific Health Care Venture describes its mission as providing culturally accessible health care through community health centers.
Grantmaking
In 2024, AJSOCAL reported 46 grants totaling $1,600,907. Grant amounts ranged from $6,147 to $227,761, with a median of $18,915. The largest awards included $227,761 to Korean Community Services for immigration and citizenship legal support; $143,853 to Boat People SOS - Houston for citizenship legal support; $117,720 to International Institute of Metropolitan Detroit for citizenship legal support; and $101,500 to CASA de Maryland for citizenship legal support.
Ready to take the next step with Asian Americans Advancing Justice?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
AJSOCAL describes its work as addressing issues at the city, county, state, and national levels, with offices in Los Angeles and Orange County and a presence in Sacramento. In 2024, 55% of grant dollars went to California recipients, 13% to Michigan, 10% to Texas, 6% to Maryland, and 3% to Washington.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 46 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
264 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| KOREAN COMMUNITY SERVICES Anaheim, CA | IMMIGRATION AND CITIZENSHIP LEGAL SUPPORT | $227,761 |
| BOAT PEOPLE SOS - HOUSTON Houston, TX | CITIZENSHIP LEGAL SUPPORT | $143,853 |
| INTL INSTITUTE OF METROPOLITAN DETROIT Detroit, MI | CITIZENSHIP LEGAL SUPPORT | $117,720 |
| CASA DE MARYLAND Hyattsville, MD | CITIZENSHIP LEGAL SUPPORT | $101,500 |
| SOUTH ASIAN NETWORK Artesia, CA | IMMIGRATION AND CITIZENSHIP LEGAL SUPPORT | $93,361 |
| SAHARA Artesia, CA | DV LEGAL ASSISTANCE | $76,944 |
| CHALDEAN COMMUNITY FOUNDATION Sterling Heights, MI | CITIZENSHIP LEGAL SUPPORT | $55,035 |
| OPERATION SAMAHAN INC DBA SAMAHAN HEALTH National City, CA | COVERED CA ENROLLMENTS | $54,090 |
| PARS EQUALITY CENTER Los Angeles, CA | CITIZENSHIP LEGAL SUPPORT | $39,330 |
| INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MINNESOTA Saint Paul, MN | CITIZENSHIP LEGAL SUPPORT | $39,060 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $30,563,407 | $19,672,490 | $15,911,473 | $1,600,907 |
| 2023 | $25,161,489 | $14,549,816 | $14,528,197 | $1,737,722 |
| 2022 | $23,660,711 | $14,614,761 | $12,049,726 | $2,102,408 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $30,563,407 | $25,161,489 | $23,660,711 |
| Revenue | $19,672,490 | $14,549,816 | $14,614,761 |
| Expenses | $15,911,473 | $14,528,197 | $12,049,726 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $1,574,038 | $393,339 | $-406,646 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists these officers and directors:
- Paul Chan — Chair; Executive Committee
- San San Lee — Chair, Audit Committee; Executive Committee
- Olivia Samad — Chair, Governance Committee; Executive Committee
- Jack Yeh — Co-chair, Development Committee; Executive Committee
- Gloria Chang Yip — Co-chair, Development Committee; Executive Committee
- Jade Leung — Vice Chair; Executive Committee
- Phillip Lee — Vice Chair; Chair, Building Committee; Executive Committee
- Christine Song — Treasurer; Finance Chair; Executive Committee
- Vincent Gonzales — Secretary; Executive Committee
- Thomas Lee — Vice Secretary; Executive Committee
Asian Americans Advancing Justice is led by Connie Chung Joe, Chief Executive Officer on every filing since 2020; 8 of 39 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Connie Chung Joe
Chief Executive Officer
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$87K (2020) → $242K (2024)
Christine Song
Treasurer, Finance Chair & Executive Committee
Director → Chair & Audit Committee, 2021
Chair & Audit Committee → Treasurer, Finance Chair & Executive Committee, 2023
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Olivia Samad
Chair, Goverance Committee & Executive Committee
Governance Committee → Chair & Governance Committee, 2022
Chair & Governance Committee → Chair, Goverance Committee & Executive Committee, 2023
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Paul Chan
Chair & Executive Committee
Chair & Litigation → Chair, Executive Committee & Litigation Workgroup, 2023
Chair, Executive Committee & Litigation Workgroup → Chair & Executive Committee, 2024
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Phillip Lee
Vice Chair, Chair Building Committee & Executive Committee
Co-Chair & Development Committee → Chair, Building Committee & Executive Committee, 2023
Chair, Building Committee & Executive Committee → Vice Chair, Chair Building Committee & Executive Committee, 2024
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
San San Lee
Chair, Audit Committee & Executive Committee
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Y. Kim
Managing Director Client Services
Director & Client Services → Managing Director Client Services, 2024
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$127K (2023) → $153K (2024)
Christina Yang
General Counsel & Pro Bono Director
General Counsel → General Counsel & Pro Bono Director, 2024
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$122K (2021) → $174K (2024)
Victoria N. Dominguez Zamorano
Policy Director
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$124K (2023) → $158K (2024)
Paul John Estuar
Litigation Director
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$156K (2024)
Andrew Cheng
Director
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Fern Shaw
Director
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joseph Kim
Director
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marie Tan
Director
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Nita Song
Director
Immediate Past Chair → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Peter Huh
Director
Treasurer → Director, 2023
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Spring Wang
Director
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Calista Wu
Director
On filings since 2022
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jacquline Jackson
Director
On filings since 2022
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Ishiguro
Director
On filings since 2022
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Joon Kim
Director
On filings since 2022
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Vanna Tran
Director
On filings since 2022
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Camilla Eng
Director
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Don Widjaja
Director
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Genevieve Cabanilla
Director
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Ly
Director
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mike Eng
Director
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Tracy Pham
Director
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Karen Huoth
Director
New on the 2024 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ken Ren
Director
New on the 2024 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Weihua Cheng
Director
New on the 2024 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Aileen A. Louie
Chief of Staff & Chief Transformation Officer
Vice President of Development, Committee & Chief of Staff → Chief of Staff, 2023
Chief of Staff → Chief of Staff & Chief Transformation Officer, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$158K (2020) → $233K (2024)
Richard Crowe
Vice President of Finance
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$80K (2020) → $223K (2024)
Corilee Kahealani Asuncion Racela
Vice President of Programs
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$200K (2024)
Jack Yeh
Co-Chair, Development Committee & Executive Committee
Co-Chair & Development Committee → Co-Chair, Development Committee & Executive Committee, 2023
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jade Leung
Vice Chair & Executive Committee
Vice Chair → Vice Chair & Executive Committee, 2023
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Lee
Vice Secretary & Executive Committee
Chair & Employment Workgroup → Vice Secretary & Executive Committee, 2023
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Vincent Gonzales
Secretary & Executive Committee
Secretary → Secretary & Executive Committee, 2023
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Gloria Chang Yip
Co-Chair, Development Committee & Executive Committee
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (27)
- Former: Janice Tsao (2021–2024) — Vice President & Administration · Filing note: Thru 3/2024
- Former: Anthony S. Roh (2020–2023) — Vice President & Programs Left
- Former: Liza Ameen (2023) — Communications Director
- Former: Aman Thind (2020–2022) — Immigration Director
- Former: Anjan Choudhury (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Anne Shintaku (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Casimiro Tolentino (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Janelle Hu (2020–2022) — Donor Relations Director
- Former: John Lim (2020–2022) — Co-Chair & Executive Advisory
- Former: Mark K. Yoshida (2020–2022) — Legal Services Non-Litigat
- Former: Sandy Sakamoto (2020–2022) — Co-Chair & Executive Advisory
- Former: William Tan (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Patrick Kim (2022) — Director
- Former: Beong-Soo Kim - To Aug (2021) — Director
- Former: Calista Wu - Fr May (2021) — Director
- Former: Joon Kim - Fr Jul (2021) — Director
- Former: Martin Lee - To Aug (2021) — Chair & Audit Committee
- Former: Sophaleena S. Gershoff (2021) — Legal Advocacy Call Ctr Specialist
- Former: Vanna Tran - Fr Sep (2021) — Director
- Former: Beong-Soo Kim (2020) — Director
- Former: Janet Guan (2020) — Director of Grants Management
- Former: Katherine Ku (2020) — Director
- Former: Linda Shim (2020) — Director
- Former: Manisha Merchant (2020) — Director
- Former: Martin Lee (2020) — Chair & Audit Committee
- Former: Stewart Kwoh (2020) — President Emeritus
- Former: Victor H. Lopez (2020) — Hr Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
Contact
Mailing address: 1145 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90017
Phone: (213) 977-7500
Website: https://ajsocal.org
Frequently asked questions about Asian Americans Advancing Justice
How much does Asian Americans Advancing Justice give each year?
Asian Americans Advancing Justice gave $1.6M across 46 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. In 2023 it gave $1.7M across 52 grants.
What is Asian Americans Advancing Justice's typical grant size?
Asian Americans Advancing Justice's median grant in 2024 was $18,915, and its average grant was $34,802, across 46 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. Organizations receiving their first grant from Asian Americans Advancing Justice that year got $19K on average.
Where does Asian Americans Advancing Justice give grants?
Asian Americans Advancing Justice gives mostly in California: 55% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing went to recipients there. The next largest states were Michigan (13%) and Texas (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (8 grants), Anaheim, CA (3 grants), Artesia, CA (2 grants) and Houston, TX (2 grants).
Does Asian Americans Advancing Justice give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 46 grants with a stated purpose on Asian Americans Advancing Justice's 2024 IRS Form 990 filing were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Citizenship Legal Support" (25 grants), "Covered CA Enrollments" (8 grants) and "Immigration and Citizenship Legal Support" (7 grants).
Who are Asian Americans Advancing Justice's largest grantees?
Asian Americans Advancing Justice's largest 2024 grantees include Korean Community Services ($227,761), Boat People Sos - Houston ($143,853) and Intl Institute of Metropolitan Detroit ($117,720), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. Together they received 31% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Asian Americans Advancing Justice?
Asian Americans Advancing Justice reported $30.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. Its revenue that year was $19.7M.
What does Asian Americans Advancing Justice fund?
AJSOCAL’s mission is to protect and strengthen the rights and dignity of Asian American and Pacific Islander communities, especially those that are most disadvantaged. Its stated priorities include health access, voting rights, immigrant rights, educational opportunity, and LGBTQ+ community issues. The organization also describes work in direct legal services, impact litigation, policy advocacy, civic engagement, demographic research, and anti-Asian discrimination. In its 2024 filing, AJSOCAL d…
How do I apply for a grant from Asian Americans Advancing Justice?
In 2024, AJSOCAL reported 46 grants totaling $1,600,907. Grant amounts ranged from $6,147 to $227,761, with a median of $18,915. The largest awards included $227,761 to Korean Community Services for immigration and citizenship legal support; $143,853 to Boat People SOS - Houston for citizenship legal support; $117,720 to International Institute of Metropolitan Detroit for citizenship legal support; and $101,500 to CASA de Maryland for citizenship legal support. Other notable awards included $93…
What is Asian Americans Advancing Justice's EIN?
Asian Americans Advancing Justice's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-3854152. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching Asian Americans Advancing Justice by hand.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Asian Americans Advancing Justice's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
California Community Foundation
Los Angeles, CA
The California Community Foundation funds work in education, health, housing, immigration, and other community needs, primarily in Los Angeles County. Its 2025 grants had a median of $50,000, though amounts varied widely; it does not accept unsolicited funding requests.
Assets
$2.3B
Grants
2,174
Total Given
$326.6M
Tides Foundation
San Francisco, CA
Tides Foundation funds community-led organizations advancing equity and justice, including work on health, climate, gender equity, democracy, and immigrant communities. Its 2024 grants had a median of $50,000, though amounts varied widely, and it funds eligible organizations in the U.S. and abroad, with the most grant dollars going to California, New York, and Washington, D.C. Some programs are open or invitation-only; the Advancing Girls Fund is listed as open, but the profile does not state a general policy on unsolicited grant requests.
Assets
$534.5M
Grants
2,110
Total Given
$382.1M
National Coalition for Asian Pacific
Washington, DC
National CAPACD supports community organizations serving low-income Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities, especially in housing, community development, financial empowerment, small-business support, and organizing. Its 2024 grants ranged from $5,375 to $1.55 million, with a median of $20,000, and went to organizations across 22 states and the Pacific Islands. It accepts applications for its 2026 OurNeighborhoods Peer Learning Program through an RFP; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests generally.
Assets
$14.4M
Grants
53
Total Given
$3.6M
Immigrant Legal Resource Center
San Francisco, CA
ILRC funds organizations advancing immigrant rights through immigration-law and policy work, legal-service capacity building, advocacy, civic engagement, and immigrant leadership development. Its 2024 grants ranged from $5,500 to $1,140,579, with a median of $25,000; funding was concentrated in California, with additional grants in Maryland, Texas, Washington, D.C., and New York. The profile does not state whether ILRC accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$48.6M
Grants
53
Total Given
$5.6M
Gofundmeorg
West Hollywood, CA
GoFundMe.org funds individuals and nonprofits addressing crises, natural disasters, social inequalities, and related needs such as refugee support, education, and disaster relief. In 2025, grants ranged from $5,493 to $1.5 million, with a median of about $26,000; funding was concentrated in California, though it also supported recipients elsewhere. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$9.2M
Grants
75
Total Given
$7.2M
Asian Pacific Community Fund of
Los Angeles, CA
The Asian Pacific Community Fund supports nonprofits serving underserved AANHPI communities, including culturally appropriate services, community health, leadership, and a stronger AANHPI voice. Its 2026 operating grants start at $5,000; in 2024, the median grant was $15,000. Its focus is Southern California, and the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$34.7M
Grants
67
Total Given
$3.2M
Local Initiatives Support Corporation
New York, NY
Local Initiatives Support Corporation funds affordable housing, economic development, education, health, child care, small businesses and other community initiatives, often through grants, loans and equity. Its 2024 grants had a median of $40,000, with awards ranging from $5,189 to $4.7 million, and its work spans communities across all 50 states. It offers specific grant opportunities, but the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests generally.
Assets
$1.6B
Grants
1,119
Total Given
$102.8M
Kaiser Foundation Hospitals
Oakland, CA
Kaiser Foundation Hospitals supports community health, health-care access, and efforts addressing health inequities, including mental and behavioral health, housing, and employment. Its 2024 grants had a median of $25,000, with most grant dollars going to California; Southern California grants focus on its 14 service areas. For Southern California regional grants, unsolicited letters of inquiry and proposals are not accepted; other application routes described include invited inquiries and open event sponsorship applications.
Assets
$87.4B
Grants
1,122
Total Given
$225.4M
Weingart Foundation
Los Angeles, CA
The Weingart Foundation funds Southern California nonprofits advancing racial, social, and economic justice through critical services, advocacy, community power-building, and organizational support, with particular interest in several focus areas including housing, immigrant rights, and South and Southeast Los Angeles. Its 2025 grants ranged from $75 to $1.5 million, with a median of $10,000. It does not accept unsolicited funding requests; its primary unrestricted operating support is invitation-only.
Assets
$909.4M
Grants
540
Total Given
$38.1M
NEO Philanthropy Inc
New York, NY
NEO Philanthropy funds social-justice movements and community organizations, including work on immigration, democracy, reproductive, racial and climate justice, and LGBTQ rights. In 2024, its 558 grants ranged from $5,000 to $23.58 million, with a median of $50,000; grants went mainly to Washington state, Washington, DC, North Carolina, California, and New York. It does not accept unsolicited requests or proposals; potential grantees are generally invited to apply.
Assets
$185.6M
Grants
558
Total Given
$103.5M
Sempra Foundation
San Diego, CA
The Sempra Foundation funds climate action and resilience, inclusion, economic empowerment and workforce development, community engagement, and disaster preparedness in communities where Sempra employees live and work, including California, Texas, Washington, D.C., and Mexico. In 2024, grants ranged from $4 to $100,000, with a median of $260. It awards grants by invitation only and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$11.5M
Grants
1,501
Total Given
$1.8M
Silicon Valley Community Foundation
Mountain View, CA
Silicon Valley Community Foundation funds work in areas such as housing, economic security, education, health, the environment, arts and culture, and civic engagement, with Community Action Grants supporting local, community-led organizations in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. Its 2024 grants had a median of $51,716, though amounts varied widely; applications depend on the program, and SVCF states that it does not accept unsolicited proposals for advised funds.
Assets
$12.3B
Grants
3,576
Total Given
$3.2B
More Funders in California
Asian Americans Advancing Justice down — hundreds of funders to go?