Asian American Alliance

What Asian American Alliance does

Asian American Alliance, Inc. (AAAI) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization founded in 1999 and headquartered in Carmel, Indiana, with an additional office in Indianapolis. It serves as a regional convening nexus for the Asian American community in Central Indiana, bridging that community with corporate, civic, and governmental entities through a portfolio of signature programs. Its offerings span cultural celebration (Asian Fest, now in its 19th year; Annual Gala; Shining a Light at Monument Circle), professional leadership development (Seat at the Table speaker series featuring executives and federal officials; Soul, Salsa & Sushi networking; International Women's Day in partnership with the Indiana Commission for Women), and youth development (RAY Leadership Conference; Youth Leadership Awards; student resources at IUPUI, Purdue, Ball State, and Butler). It also operates a Community Health Fair addressing Asian American access to care.

AAAI is governed by a volunteer board led by Board President Rupal Thanawala (Managing Director of Trident Systems), with founder Dr. Chao-Hung Lee credited as the originating leader. The organization employs 11-50 staff and depends on a diverse revenue base consisting of corporate sponsorships (Eli Lilly, Deloitte, Roche, Bank of America, AES Indiana, OneAmerica, KeyBank, Old National Bank, Lilly Endowment, the Central Indiana Community Foundation), individual donations accepted via PayPal under tax-deductible 501(c)(3) status, modest grant funding (notably $10,000 from The Mind Trust in June 2023), and ticket revenue from paid events such as the Annual Gala distributed via Eventbrite. Membership is offered free of charge and serves primarily as a participation funnel for events and programs.

The organization maintains formal roles in state-level DEI infrastructure, including Mayors' Diversity Councils for both Democratic and Republican Indianapolis mayors and the Governor's Multi-Ethnic Diversity Summit. Recognition includes the Indiana Civil Rights Commission's Coleman-Staples Award (2024) and two Presidential Lifetime Achievement Awards to board members (2022). Geographic scope is explicitly Central Indiana, with no stated plans for geographic expansion; program expansion is focused on deepening vertical programming within the existing footprint.

Name

Asian American Alliance

Legal name

Asian American Alliance, Inc.

Website

https://aaalliance.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Asian American Alliance is a Carmel, Indiana-based 501(c)(3) non-profit founded in 1999 that serves as the regional nexus between Central Indiana's Asian American community and corporate, civic, and governmental entities through cultural, leadership, and youth development programming.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Development Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (81341)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Engagement & Social Integration Programs (Clubs, Events, Volunteering) (EDAIAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cross-Cultural Competence & Inclusion (EDABAMAJ)

Keywords

• Community leadership programs
• Cultural celebration events
• Asian American advocacy
• Youth mentorship programs
• Professional networking events

Headquarters

HQ city

Carmel

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Corporate Sponsorships: Leading corporations provide financial support recognizing AAAI's critical role in Central Indiana. The organization invites corporations to become sponsors through various partnership tiers.
2. Individual Donations: The organization accepts donations through PayPal and other means, with a 501(c)(3) non-profit status allowing for tax-deductible contributions.
3. Membership: AAAI offers free membership with no cost to join, providing networking opportunities and information about events and programs in return.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Asian American Alliance is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit community organization that delivers cultural, leadership, youth-development, and health programs to Asian Americans in central Indiana. Its core offerings include recurring community events such as Asian Fest, the RAY Leadership Conference, the Annual Gala, International Women's Day, Soul Salsa & Sushi, and a Community Health Fair, alongside the Seat at the Table dialogue series and the Shining a Light program.

Product overview

Asian American Alliance operates as a unified portfolio of community programs rather than a technology product platform. The organization offers a suite of interconnected programs centered around its core mission to empower Central Indiana Asian Americans to serve and lead. The primary offerings include: Youth Leadership Awards & Programs and the RAY (Retreat for Asian Youth) Leadership Conference for youth development; Seat at the Table for professional development featuring candid conversations with influential leaders; Partner Programs connecting members to student organizations at Indiana universities; and cultural celebration events including Asian Fest (annual celebration of Asian culture), Annual Gala, International Women's Day, Soul Salsa & Sushi networking events, Community Health Fair, and Shining a Light AAPI Heritage Month initiative. These programs work together to increase awareness of Asian culture, build leadership skills, and strengthen community connections across Central Indiana.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Seat at the Table

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

18 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• AES IndianacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAES Indiana is a corporate sponsor of AAAI, supporting the organization's mission to empower Asian Americans in Central Indiana. Brandi Davis-Handy, President of AES Indiana, attended the 25th Anniversary Gala.
• Bank of AmericacoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBank of America is a corporate sponsor of AAAI. Lucia Mar, Senior VP and Market Executive at Bank of America, has been featured at Seat at the Table events.
• Barnes & ThornburgcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerBarnes & Thornburg is a corporate sponsor and has hosted Seat at the Table events at their offices. David Wong serves as Partner and AAAI Board Member.
• Eli Lilly and CompanymajorGTM or Marketing PartnerEli Lilly and Company provides corporate sponsorship support for AAAI programs and events.
• DeloittemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerDeloitte is a corporate sponsor of AAAI, supporting the organization's community initiatives.
• RochemajorGTM or Marketing PartnerRoche is a corporate sponsor and has been involved as an event sponsor for Asian Fest.
• Indiana University Indianapolis (IUPUI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIUPUI is a title sponsor for Asian Fest and provides support for AAAI programs. Amy Conrad-Warner, Vice Chancellor for External Affairs, has participated in AAAI events. Latha Ramchand serves as Chancellor of Indiana University Indianapolis.
• Purdue UniversitymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPurdue University is a corporate sponsor and partner, with various Asian student organizations connected to AAAI's student resources.
• OneAmericamajorGTM or Marketing PartnerOneAmerica is a presenting sponsor for the Seat at the Table series, driving DEI initiatives in Central Indiana.
• KeyBankmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerKeyBank is a corporate sponsor of AAAI programs and events.
• Old National BankmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerOld National Bank is a corporate sponsor. The Seat at the Table with Mayor Brandon Sakbun was held at the Old National Bank Building.
• TelamonminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTelamon hosted the Seat at the Table event with Dr. Albert Chen, providing hospitality and support.
• Indiana Commission for WomenmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Indiana Commission for Women partnered with AAAI to celebrate International Women's Day 2026.
• U.S. Office of Personnel ManagementmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDirector Kiran Ahuja of OPM was featured at a Seat at the Table event, discussing workforce diversity and federal employment opportunities.
• Indiana Civil Rights CommissionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGregory L. Wilson, Sr., Executive Director of Indiana Civil Rights Commission, has participated in AAAI events. AAAI board member Rupal Thanawala received the Coleman-Staples Award from the commission.
• The Mind TrustminorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Mind Trust is a corporate sponsor of AAAI's educational initiatives.
• Indiana Government Center SouthminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational Women's Day 2024 was held at the Indiana Government Center South auditorium.
• Indianapolis ArtsgardenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe 25th Anniversary Gala was held at the Indianapolis Artsgarden, a prominent downtown venue.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Asian American Federation: Regional umbrella organization serving the pan-Asian community in the New York area through advocacy, research, and capacity-building for member organizations. Highly comparable in pan-Asian, nexus-style positioning between community and institutions, but operating at metro-regional scale.
• National Association of Asian American Professionals (NAAAP): Professional development and networking organization for Asian American professionals. Directly comparable to AAAI's Seat at the Table leadership series and Asian American Professionals segment, with shared focus on career advancement, networking, and corporate DEI engagement.
• APIASF (APIA Scholars): National nonprofit providing scholarships and leadership development for AAPI students. Comparable to AAAI's RAY Leadership Conference and Youth Leadership Awards in targeting AAPI students with leadership and college/career preparation programming.
• OCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates: National AAPI civil rights and advocacy organization. Directly comparable as a pan-Asian, community-led nonprofit serving AAPI populations through civic engagement, leadership development, and corporate partnerships — same mission and program model as AAAI but at national scale.
• Coalition of Asian American Leaders (Minnesota): Minnesota-based AAPI leadership organization running cross-ethnic civic engagement, leadership development, and community events. Comparable as a state-level pan-Asian nonprofit combining professional leadership programming with cultural celebration, analogous to AAAI's Central Indiana footprint.
• Asian Americans Advancing Justice: National AAPI legal and civil rights advocacy network. Comparable as a nonprofit operating at the nexus of AAPI community needs and corporate/civic/governmental partners, with programming on leadership, civic participation, and anti-discrimination — overlapping with AAAI's mission.
• National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA): National umbrella for Filipino American community organizations, focused on civic engagement, leadership, and cultural identity. Comparable to AAAI in pan-ethnic AAPI organizing, leadership pipelines, and nexus positioning with corporate and government stakeholders.
• Japanese American Citizens League (JACL): One of the oldest AAPI civil rights organizations in the U.S., running leadership programs, cultural events, and advocacy. Comparable in mission, member-driven structure, and combination of cultural celebration with civic engagement — analogous to AAAI's Seat at the Table and Asian Fest.

Regional players

• Asian Pacific American Chamber of Commerce of Indiana: Indiana-based AAPI business organization promoting AAPI economic development and corporate engagement. Directly comparable as a regional Indiana nonprofit working at the AAPI-corporate interface, though more commerce-focused than AAAI's cultural and civic scope.
• Indiana Minority Health Coalition: Indiana-based nonprofit addressing health disparities across minority communities. Comparable in Indiana-focused mission, nonprofit/501(c)(3) structure, and operation of community health and wellness programming — overlapping with AAAI's Community Health Fair offering.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/AAAIndianapolis
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/asian-american-alliance-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Asian American Alliance