Asian Americans Advancing Justice -Aajc Inc
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
THE MISSION OF ASIAN AMERICANS ADVANCING JUSTICE-AAJC (AAJC) IS TO ADVANCE CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS FOR ASIAN AMERICANS AND TO BUILD AND PROMOTE A FAIR AND EQUITABLE SOCIETY FOR ALL.
- Income
- $8.9 million
- Spending
- $15.5 million
- Spent on programs
- 85%
- Reserves
- 18.1 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 87%
- Employees
- 48
- Volunteers
- 40
- Highest pay
- $269,793, vp, finance & operations
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 70 out of 100. Higher than 34% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, $1m to $10m).
Reserves
35 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 18.1 months of spending.
Debt
20 of 20It owes 4% of what it owns.
Living within its means
0 of 15Spending exceeded income by 74% of income.
Income trend
0 of 15Income fell 29% on the year before.
Spending floor
15 of 1584% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 7 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Strong: 100 out of 100. Higher than 59% of charities in its peer group (civil rights, $1m to $10m).
Independent board
25 of 2513 of 13 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 December 31, 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 (10)
- $5.7 million spent. VOTING RIGHTS: AAJC WORKS TO ELIMINATE DISCRIMINATORY BARRIERS TO ASIAN AMERICANS AND OTHERS IN VOTING AND CIVIL RIGHTS. AAJC PROVIDES TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE AND TRAINING ON MANY VOTER-RELATED ISSUES INCLUDING LANGUAGE ASSISTANCE MANDATED BY THE VOTING RIGHTS ACT, VOTER SUPPRESSION, AND ELECTION REFORM.
- $2.9 million spent. COMMUNITY PARTNERS: CREATED TO BUILD THE CAPACITY AND LEADERSHIP OF ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITIES, AAJC WORKS HAND-IN-HAND WITH COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS TO CONDUCT WORKSHOPS AND TRAININGS ON VARIOUS ISSUES OF IMPORTANCE TO LOCAL, REGIONAL, AND NATIONAL PARTNERS. THE COMMUNITY PARTNERS NETWORK, WHICH HAS EXPANDED TO INCLUDE OVER 250 COMMUNITY PARTNERS IN 37 STATES AND WASHINGTON, DC, PROVIDES A CRITICAL LINK ALLOWING AAJC TO TARGET UNDERSERVED ASIAN AMERICAN POPULATIONS.
- $1.3 million spent. TECH/TELECOMMS AND MEDIA: AAJC WORKS TO ENSURE THAT THE PRINCIPLES OF OPPORTUNITY, FAIRNESS, AND EQUITY ARE PROTECTED ON-LINE. IT DOES SO BY ADVOCATING FOR POLICIES THAT ENSURE THAT THE ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY HAS NONDISCRIMINATORY ACCESS TO TECHNOLOGY, AND THAT TECHNOLOGY WILL NOT BE USED IN A WAY THAT WILL HARM THE COMMUNITY. IN ADDITION, AAJC ADVOCATES FOR THE FAIR AND EQUAL REPRESENTATION OF ASIAN AMERICANS BOTH IN FRONT OF AND BEHIND THE CAMERA. THROUGH AAJC'S MIS/DISINFORMATION PROJECT, AAJC PROMOTES MEDIA AND DIGITAL LITERACY SKILLS THROUGH COMMUNITY TRAININGS, PROVIDES TOOLS AND RESOURCES FOR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND ADVOCATES FOR POLICIES AND PROCESSES THAT CAN EFFECTIVELY REDUCE HARMFUL CONTENT TARGETING THE ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
- $833,083 spent. LITIGATION: AAJC PARTICIPATES IN KEY CIVIL RIGHTS CASES THROUGH DIRECT LITIGATION, AND THROUGH AMICUS BRIEFS TO THE SUPREME COURT AND OTHER COURTS, ON CASES THAT PROTECT THE RIGHTS OF ASIAN AMERICANS AND OTHER COMMUNITIES OF COLOR. THROUGH OUR VARIOUS LITIGATION EFFORTS, WE HAVE ADVOCATED ON ISSUES INVOLVING CENSUS, IMMIGRANT RIGHTS, VOTING RIGHTS, TELECOMMUNICATIONS, AND AFFIRMATIVE ACTION. AAJC HAS PLAYED A LEADING ROLE IN PRESERVING AND PROTECTING AFFIRMATIVE ACTION POLICIES THAT PROMOTE DIVERSITY AND BENEFIT ASIAN AMERICAN STUDENTS. WE ARE INVOLVED IN LAWSUITS ACROSS THE COUNTRY TO ENSURE THAT ALL COMMUNITIES OF COLOR CONTINUE TO BENEFIT FROM POLICIES THAT SEEK TO PROVIDE EQUITABLE ACCESS TO EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES.
- $807,718 spent. ANTI-ASIAN VIOLENCE AND RACE RELATIONS: ADDRESSING HATE AND DISCRIMINATION HAS BEEN CENTRAL TO AAJC'S WORK SINCE THE ORGANIZATION WAS FOUNDED OVER 30 YEARS AGO. THROUGH OUR ANTI-HATE WORK, AAJC STRIVES TO ENSURE THAT THE CIVIL RIGHTS AND HUMAN RIGHTS OF ASIAN AMERICANS ARE PROTECTED. AAJC WORKS TO ADVANCE LAWS AND POLICIES THAT ADDRESS ANTI-ASIAN HATE, INCLUDING IMPROVEMENTS TO HATE CRIMES LAWS AND GOVERNMENT DATA COLLECTION, AND ADVOCATING FOR INCREASED RESOURCES TO RESPOND TO HATE CRIMES AND HATE INCIDENTS AND TO BUILD COMMUNITY SAFETY. AAJC WORKS WITH POLICY MAKERS ON THE HILL, IN THE WHITE HOUSE, AND IN EXECUTIVE AGENCIES; WITH CIVIL RIGHTS ADVOCATES, INCLUDING THE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE ON CIVIL AND HUMAN RIGHTS HATE CRIMES TASK FORCE; COMMUNITY LEADERS, INCLUDING OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS NETWORK OF OVER 250 AAPI-SERVING COMMUNITY-BASED ORGANIZATIONS; AND THE MEDIA TO ADDRESS ANTI-ASIAN RACISM AND XENOPHOBIA. AAJC ALSO HAS ESTABLISHED RESOURCES FOR RESPONDING TO ANTI-ASIAN HATE, INCLUDING THE PROVISION OF BYSTANDER INTERVENTION TRAINING NATIONWIDE.
- $793,296 spent. IMMIGRATION AND IMMIGRANT RIGHTS: AAJC PROVIDES LEADERSHIP, EDUCATES POLICYMAKERS, STAKEHOLDERS, AND THE MEDIA ON IMMIGRATION POLICY AS IT AFFECTS THE ASIAN AMERICAN AND PACIFIC ISLANDER COMMUNITIES. AAJC ADVOCATES FOR FAIR AND JUST IMMIGRATION POLICIES THAT PROTECT FAMILY UNITY, PROVIDE ACCESS TO IMMIGRATION STATUS AND CITIZENSHIP, AND PROMOTE CIVIL RIGHTS PROTECTIONS AND DUE PROCESS IN ENFORCEMENT. AAJC ALSO PROVIDES THE ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY WITH ESSENTIAL INFORMATION, INSIGHT AND ANALYSIS ON NEWLY ENACTED AND PROPOSED IMMIGRATION AND IMMIGRANT INTEGRATION POLICIES AND PROGRAMS.AAJC WORKS TO COMBAT THE GOVERNMENT'S RACIAL TARGETING AND PROFILING OF ASIAN AMERICAN AND ASIAN IMMIGRANT SCIENTISTS, RESEARCHERS, AND SCHOLARS, PARTICULARLY THOSE OF CHINESE DESCENT. AAJC LEADS FEDERAL ADVOCACY EFFORTS, INCLUDING SUCCESSFUL ADVOCACY TO END THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE'S CHINA INITIATIVE. AAJC ALSO PROVIDES A LEGAL REFERRAL SERVICE IN ENGLISH AND MANDARIN CHINESE THAT CONNECTS PEOPLE IMPACTED BY GOVERNMENT PROFILING TO ATTORNEYS AND HELPS ENSURE THEY KNOW THEIR RIGHTS.
- $533,393 spent. EDUCATION ADVOCACY: AAJC WORKS WITH STATE AND LOCAL PARTNERS, CONVENING, SHARING RESOURCES, AND BUILDING CAPACITY TO ADVOCATE FOR ASIAN AMERICAN HISTORY TO BE INCLUDED IN K-12 CURRICULUM. WE HAVE PROVIDED TESTIMONY IN SUPPORT OF BILLS THAT SEEK TO DIVERSIFY HISTORY CURRICULA AT THE STATE LEVEL, SUPPORTED FEDERAL MEASURES TO UPLIFT THE NEED FOR ASIAN AMERICAN HISTORY IN OUR CLASSROOMS, AND ENGAGED IN CROSS-RACIAL COALITIONS TO SUPPORT THE TEACHING OF THE HISTORIES OF ALL COMMUNITIES OF COLOR.
- $176,622 spent. CENSUS: IT IS ESSENTIAL TO ENSURE AN ACCURATE COUNT OF THE ASIAN AMERICAN COMMUNITY IN THE CENSUS. ADVANCING JUSTICE-AAJC IS A NATIONAL LEADER WHEN IT COMES TO CENSUS POLICY AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH. ADVANCING JUSTICE-AAJC PURSUES A FAIR AND ACCURATE CENSUS COUNT OF ASIAN AMERICANS AND PACIFIC ISLANDERS IN THE DECENNIAL CENSUS AND AMERICAN COMMUNITY SURVEY (ACS). ADVANCING JUSTICE-AAJC PARTNERED WITH NATIONAL AND LOCAL PARTNERS NATIONWIDE IN LEADING A CENSUS 2020 GET OUT THE COUNT CAMPAIGN. ADVANCING JUSTICE-AAJC IS THE CO-CHAIR OF THE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE ON CIVIL & HUMAN RIGHTS CENSUS TASK FORCE.
- $14,318 spent. DIRECT LOBBYING
- $9,766 spent. GRASSROOTS LOBBYING
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 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 October 13, 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 November 6, 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 October 13, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since September 1991.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated October 13, 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 November 4, 2026.
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