Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates of Southern California
Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates (KIWA) is a Los Angeles-based public charity founded in 1992. It builds power with immigrant workers and renters through organizing, leadership development, services, policy advocacy, research, and coalition-building.
Key facts about Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates of Southern California
In short: Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates of Southern California gave $655K across 16 grants in 2025 (avg $41K), mostly in California. 38% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 95-4392004
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $654,500
- Grants made (2025)
- 16
- Average grant
- $40,906
- Median grant
- $24,750
- New grantees (estimate)
- 38% first-time grantees (6 of 16, 2025; small sample)
- Total assets
- $7,837,530
- Primary geography
- California (98% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$7.8M
+10.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$655K
+72.0% YoY
Grant Count
16
-5.9% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$41K
+82.7% YoY
Is Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates of Southern California open to new grantees?
38%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 6 of 16 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $64K; repeat grants $27K. How we count
Medians: $30K first-time, $16K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2022–2025). 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
KIWA’s stated mission is to strengthen the power of immigrant workers, tenants, and their families to shape their lives, workplaces, homes, and communities, with particular attention to immigrant workers in low-wage industries. Its programs include worker and renter clinics, outreach and education, workplace-rights enforcement, policy advocacy, civic engagement, and affordable housing.
Its 2025 grants included organizations working on community development and worker and economic justice. For example, grantee LTSC Community Development Corporation describes its mission as supporting Little Tokyo’s Japanese American and multi-ethnic culture and history and contributing to its revitalization. Warehouse Worker Resource Center says it works to improve conditions in the Inland Empire warehouse industry through education, advocacy, and action. Chinese Progressive Association describes organizing low-income and working-class immigrant Chinese people in San Francisco to build collective power for better living and working conditions. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not KIWA’s.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, KIWA reported 16 grants totaling $654,500. Grant amounts ranged from $10,000 to $250,000, with a median of $24,750. The largest awards included $250,000 to LTSC Community Development Corporation for program work; $87,000 to Warehouse Worker Resource Center for work with the California Coalition for Worker Power; $49,500 to Pilipino Workers Center for program work; and $39,500 to Chinese Progressive Association for work with that coalition. Other reported grants included $35,000 each to Center on Policy Initiatives and Jobs with Justice San Francisco, and $12,000 to Restaurant Opportunities Centers United for program work.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
KIWA describes its organizing as centered on Koreatown and extending beyond it, and its history describes work in Los Angeles. In 2025, 98% of its grant dollars went to recipients in California and 2% to recipients in New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2022 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $114K (2022) to $655K (2025). In 2025 it made 16 grants totaling $655K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was LTSC Community Development Corp ($250K). Together the top 10 received $588K.
Grant Size Distribution
52 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 44 grants of 52 (85%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| LTSC Community Development Corp Los Angeles, CA | program work | $250,000 |
| Warehouse Worker Resource Center Ontario, CA | For program work with the California Coalition for Worker Power (CCWP) | $87,000 |
| Pilipino Workers Center Los Angeles, CA | program work | $49,500 |
| Chinese Progressive Association San Francisco, CA | For program work with the California Coalition for Worker Power (CCWP) | $39,500 |
| Center on Policy Initiatives San Diego, CA | program work | $35,000 |
| Jobs with Justice San Francisco San Francisco, CA | program work | $35,000 |
| Alliance of Californians for Community Empowerment Los Angeles, CA | Program Work | $30,000 |
| The Regents of the University California LA Los Angeles, CA | program work | $30,000 |
| Cause Ventura, CA | program work | $19,500 |
| Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy Los Angeles, CA | program work | $12,500 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $7,837,530 | $6,657,016 | $6,293,211 | $654,500 (16 grants) |
| 2024 | $7,115,793 | $7,300,338 | $5,261,906 | $380,600 (17 grants) |
| 2023 | $5,046,840 | $3,891,052 | $3,585,650 | $482,000 (13 grants) |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $7,837,530 | $7,115,793 | $5,046,840 |
| Revenue | $6,657,016 | $7,300,338 | $3,891,052 |
| Expenses | $6,293,211 | $5,261,906 | $3,585,650 |
| Net Investment Income | $211,290 | $103,491 | $1,670 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS January 13, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS January 17, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS January 16, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS January 15, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS January 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Alexandra Suh as executive director (CEO); Jose Hernandez as chief of staff; Flor Rodriguez as CLEAN executive director; Rachel Deutsch as CCWP campaign director; Joseph Donlin-Zappella as UHLA campaign director; and David Abud-Sturbaum as campaign director. It also lists Tia Koonse and Steve Kang as directors, Debbie Sheen as chair (board president), and Roxana Tynan as treasurer.
Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates of Southern California is led by Alexandra Suh, Executive Director on every filing since 2019; 6 of 11 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Alexandra Suh
Executive Director
On filings since 2019
55 hrs/week
$112K (2020) → $184K (2025)
Flor Rodriguez
Clean Executive Director
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$146K (2025)
Debbie Sheen
Chair
Director → President, 2023
President → Chair, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Abud-Sturbaum
Campaign Director
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$120K (2025)
Joseph Donlin-Zappella
Uhla Campaign Director
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$124K (2025)
Rachel Deutsch
Ccwp Campaign Director
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$138K (2025)
Tia Koonse
Director
Director → President, 2021
President → Director, 2023
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Steve Kang
Director
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jose Roberto Hernandez
Chief of Staff
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$115K (2022) → $181K (2025)
Eli Naduris-Weissman
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2021
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Roxana Tynan
Treasurer
On filings since 2021
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (15)
- Former: Michelle Matt (2024) — Director of Operations
- Former: Brady Collins (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Casey Raymond (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Clara Montellano (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Danny Park (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Sebastian Sanchez (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Shin Hwa Jung (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Silverio Bautista (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Justin McBride (2021) — Director
- Former: Hilda Lopez (2019) — Director
- Former: K-Sue Park (2019) — Director
- Former: Kyunghwan Lee (2019) — Director
- Former: Patty Aguilar (2019) — Director
- Former: Shiu-Ming Cheer (2019) — Director
- Former: Stefanie Ritoper (2019) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $184K, to Alexandra SUH (Executive Director (CEO)). 6 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 75545, Los Angeles, CA 90075
Phone: (213) 738-9050
Website: https://kiwa.org
Frequently asked questions about Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates of Southern California
How much does Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates of Southern California give each year?
Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates of Southern California gave $655K across 16 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $381K across 17 grants.
What is Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates of Southern California's typical grant size?
Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates of Southern California's median grant in 2025 was $24,750, and its average grant was $40,906, across 16 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates of Southern California that year got $64K on average.
Where does Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates of Southern California give grants?
Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates of Southern California gives mostly in California: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Los Angeles, CA (7 grants) and San Francisco, CA (2 grants).
Does Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates of Southern California give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 16 grants with a stated purpose on Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates of Southern California's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program Work" (14 grants).
Who are Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates of Southern California's largest grantees?
Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates of Southern California's largest 2025 grantees include LTSC Community Development Corp ($250,000), Warehouse Worker Resource Center ($87,000) and Pilipino Workers Center ($49,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 59% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates of Southern California?
Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates of Southern California reported $7.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $6.7M.
What does Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates of Southern California fund?
KIWA’s stated mission is to strengthen the power of immigrant workers, tenants, and their families to shape their lives, workplaces, homes, and communities, with particular attention to immigrant workers in low-wage industries. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates of Southern California?
Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates of Southern California has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check kiwa.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates of Southern California's EIN?
Korean Immigrant Workers Advocates of Southern California's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 95-4392004. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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