Asian Giving Circle Grant

The Asian Giving Circle (AGC) Grant, established in 2002, supports Asian and Pacific Islander nonprofits in the Chicago area by pooling donor resources to advance social justice. With over $800,000 in contributions, AGC prioritizes proposals from API organizations for general operating costs, emphasizing support for underrepresented communities and innovative projects.

Note: The AGC Grantmaking Committee (a group of volunteer AGC members) will review applications from mid-June through early August.
Founded in 2002, the Asian Giving Circle (AGC) is a grassroots philanthropic project that supports Asian and Pacific Islander (API) nonprofits in the Chicago region. AGC is composed of members (i.e. donors) that are committed to pooling and directing their financial resources to organizations that are advancing social justice. AGC is designed and dedicated to being responsive to the current issues facing API communities - a landscape of communities that is incredibly diverse, composed of more than 30 ethnic groups speaking hundreds of languages and dialects.
To date, AGC has contributed more than $800,000 to nonprofit organizations serving API communities in the Chicago region. AGC is one of the oldest active giving circles for API communities and originally started as part of the Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in Philanthropy (AAPIP) Giving Circle Network.
2025 Funding Priorities
In 2025, AGC is requesting general operating proposals from API organizations in the Chicago metropolitan region (which includes the city of Chicago as well as Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties).

Eligibility

To be eligible for a grant award, an applicant must be:
Serving and/or engaging Asian and Pacific Islander (API) communities, which includes Filipino/a/x American, Southeast Asian American, South Asian American/Desi, Central Asian American, and East Asian American, West Asian, Native Hawaiians, Chamorro, Tongan, Samoan, etc.A nonprofit organization with evidence that:
it has been recognized by the Internal Revenue Service as an organization described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (“the Code”); oris fiscally sponsored by a Section 501(c)(3) organization; oris a governmental unit within the meaning of Section 170(c)(1) of the Code.Described in Section 170(b)(1)(A) of the Code, other than a “disqualified supporting organization” within the meaning of Section 4966(d)(4) of the Code;Located within or primarily serving residents of the Chicago metropolitan region, which includes Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry and/or Will Counties, Illinois.

Ineligibility

Grant funds shall not be used for:Electioneering or political activitiesContributions to any candidate for public office or political committeeCampaigning on behalf of or in opposition to any candidate for public officeGrants to individuals