Asian American Federation Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
ESTABLISHED IN 1989, THE ASIAN AMERICAN FEDERATION (AAF) IS THE STRONGEST LEADERSHIP ORGANIZATION IN NEW YORK SERVING 1.5 MILLION ASIAN NEW YORKERS. OUR MISSION IS TO RAISE THE INFLUENCE AND WELL-BEING OF THE PAN-ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY THROUGH RESEARCH, POLICY ADVOCACY, PUBLIC AWARENESS, AND NONPROFIT SUPPORT. AAF DOES THIS WORK IN PARTNERSHIP WITH APPROXIMATELY 70 ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE DEEPLY ROOTED IN OUR COMMUNITIES AND PROVIDE SOCIAL SERVICES TO THOSE IN NEED.
- Income
- $18.7 million
- Spending
- $19.6 million
- Spent on programs
- 89%
- Reserves
- 5.4 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- government grants, 90%
- Employees
- 39
- Volunteers
- 16
- Highest pay
- $310,149, executive director (thru 12/24)
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Fair: 68 out of 100. Higher than 57% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).
Reserves
20 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 5.4 months of spending.
Debt
10 of 20It owes 40% of what it owns.
Living within its means
8 of 15Spending exceeded income by 4% of income.
Income trend
15 of 15Income rose 48% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1589% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 3 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 35% of charities in its peer group (human services, $10m to $100m).
Independent board
25 of 2510 of 10 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
7 of 7Has a written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Pay set independently
5 of 5Sets its chief executive's pay through independent review and comparison.
Independent check of accounts
15 of 15Its accounts were audited by an independent accountant.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (1)
- $17.4 million spent. 1) WE STRENGTHENED ASIAN AMERICAN NONPROFITS SERVING NEW YORK: A) WE SUCCESSFULLY CO-LED THE ASIAN AMERICAN PACIFIC ISLANDER EQUITY BUDGET COALITION TO SECURE $30 MILLION FROM NEW YORK STATE TO FUND OVER 136 ORGANIZATIONS ACROSS THE STATE. B) WE SUPPORTED 62 ORGANIZATIONS WITH $14.6M IN FUNDING TO POWER THEIR WORK FOR NEW YORK'S MOST VULNERABLE ASIAN AMERICANS. C) THROUGH AAF'S NONPROFIT RESILIENCY SERIES, TRAINED 72 EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS AND OTHER SENIOR LEADERS IN LEADERSHIP AND STRATEGY; FINANCIAL LEADERSHIP AND SUSTAINABILITY; POWER AND INFLUENCE; AND TRUST AND RETENTION.(CONTINUTED ON SCHEDULE O)2) WE PROTECTED OUR COMMUNITY'S SAFETY AND WELLBEING: A) OUR HOPE AGAINST HATE CAMPAIGN HAS TRAINED OVER 4,800 COMMUNITY MEMBERS ACROSS 300+ WORKSHOPS IN SITUATIONAL AWARENESS, CONFLICT DE-ESCALATION, UPSTANDER INTERVENTION, AND SELF-DEFENSE SKILLS, IN CLOSE PARTNERSHIP WITH OUR MEMBER AND PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS. IN 2025 AAF AND OUR PARTNERS TRAINED 600 COMMUNITY COMPANIONS TO ACCOMPANY VULNERABLE COMMUNITY MEMBERS. B) LAUNCHED A MENTAL HEALTH HUB TO SERVE AS A ONE-STOP SHOP FOR NONPROFITS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO ACCESS MENTAL HEALTH INFORMATION AND RESOURCES IN 5 ASIAN LANGUAGES (E.G. ARABIC, BANGLA, CHINESE, HINDI, AND KOREAN). EXPANDED OUR ASIAN MENTAL HEALTH DIRECTORY TO OVER 500 NEW YORK MENTAL HEALTH PROVIDERS, WHO, COMBINED, SPEAK 19 ASIAN LANGUAGES3) WE INVESTED IN STRONGER LOCAL NEIGHBORHOODS: A) PROVIDED 120 ASIAN SMALL BUSINESSES WITH DIRECT TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAININGS TO SUPPORT THEIR OPERATIONS
Source: Form 990 for the year ending June 30, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending June 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since March 1991.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
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