UCA Community Foundation

What UCA Community Foundation does

UCA Community Foundation (UCACF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 92-2729716) founded in 2022 and operating as a subsidiary of United Chinese Americans (UCA). Its single core product is a microgrant program that provides seed funding of $500 to $5,000 per award to startup charitable projects sponsored by local Chinese American and AAPI community organizations. Applications are accepted online through a Google Forms portal and reviewed monthly by a Grant Review Committee, with funding decisions typically rendered within a month. The foundation's mission centers on civic engagement, education, heritage sharing, youth development, and promoting understanding between the people of the United States and China.

The organization is volunteer-managed with a headcount of 1-10, led by a Board of Trustees (most recently transitioned to the 2025-2026 term in February 2025) and a network of community volunteers. There is no proprietary technology product; the digital stack is limited to a website (ucacf.org), Google Forms intake, a Microsoft Fabric-based grant results dashboard, and standard social channels including LinkedIn newsletters. Its go-to-market is community-led and event-driven: outreach flows through the parent UCA network, word-of-mouth, webinars on grant applications, and an annual Charity Gala (first held March 2023 at South Hills Country Club; 2025-2026 edition held April 2025 at Hiller Aviation Museum with 300+ guests) supplemented by receptions such as the 2024 AAPI Month Reception at Columbia University.

UCACF's revenue model is donation-based: the foundation receives tax-deductible contributions from individuals and corporate sponsors via PayPal, credit/debit card (Square), and gala proceeds, and redistributes substantially all of that inflow as microgrants. In 2024 the foundation received 83 applications, approved 45 (a 54% approval rate), and awarded a total of $85,700 with an average grant of $1,900. Recipients span at least eight U.S. states (California, New York, Massachusetts, Washington, Tennessee, North Carolina, South Carolina, Iowa) and multiple verticals including community organizing, education, arts and culture, media, and civic education. The organization reports no M&A activity, no external funding rounds, and no patents or proprietary technology assets.

Name

UCA Community Foundation

Legal name

UCA Community Foundation

Website

https://ucacf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

UCA Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit subsidiary of United Chinese Americans that awards $500-$5,000 microgrants to startup charitable projects led by Chinese American and AAPI community organizations across the United States.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Nonprofit Grantmaking and Community Philanthropy

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAGAKAB

Community Foundations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Philanthropy, Foundations & Grantmaking

SECONDARYBPAGAKAJ

Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations

Business & Public Services/Nonprofit, NGO & Social Services/Philanthropy, Foundations & Grantmaking

Keywords

• Community microgrants
• Nonprofit grantmaking
• Charitable foundation services
• Community funding programs
• AAPI community grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: UCACF operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 92-2729716) that funds its operations and microgrant programs through donations from individuals, organizations, and corporate sponsors. Donations are accepted via PayPal, credit/debit cards through Square, and other channels. The organization hosts annual charity galas as primary fundraising events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

UCA Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and subsidiary of United Chinese Americans (UCA) that awards microgrants of $500 to $5,000 as seed funding to startup charitable community projects sponsored by local Chinese American and AAPI organizations. The foundation processes applications through a streamlined online system, reviewing them monthly via a Grant Review Committee and disbursing funds in less than a month, positioning itself as an "angel investor" for grassroots charitable initiatives focused on civic engagement, education, heritage sharing, and youth development.

Product overview

UCA Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization and subsidiary of United Chinese Americans (UCA) that operates a single unified microgrant program. The foundation provides seed funding in the form of microgrants ($500 to $5,000) to startup charitable community projects, positioning itself as an 'angel investor' for charitable programs. The core offering consists of the Microgrant Program combined with an Online Grant Application System. The foundation also organizes the annual Charity Gala and publishes community news through its Events and News program, all aimed at enriching and empowering Chinese American and AAPI communities through civic engagement, education, heritage sharing, and youth development.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Microgrant Program Core seed-funding program awarding $500 to $5,000 microgrants to startup charitable community projects sponsored by local Chinese American and AAPI organizations, focused on civic engagement, education, heritage sharing, and youth development. Applications are submitted online, reviewed monthly by the Grant Review Committee, and funded in less than a month.
• Annual Charity Gala Annual fundraising and community engagement gala combining board inauguration ceremonies, fundraising activities, and community celebration. Each edition includes sponsorship tiers and direct donation collection to support the foundation's microgrant program.

Quantifiable outcome

• 2024: 45 microgrants approved from 83 applications (54% approval rate), totaling $85,700 awarded, with average grant of $1,900
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• United Chinese Americans (UCA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerUCACF is a non-profit organization and subsidiary of United Chinese Americans (UCA). UCACF provides microgrants to charitable community projects sponsored by local organizations, with objectives well aligned with UCA's mission. The organizations share the goal of enriching and empowering Chinese American and AAPI communities through civic engagement, education, heritage sharing, and youth development.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• National Council of Asian Pacific Americans (NCAPA): National umbrella coalition of AAPI advocacy organizations. Comparable as a coordinating network for the same AAPI constituency UCACF serves, though operating in policy advocacy rather than direct grantmaking.

Broad incumbents

• The Asian American Foundation (TAAF): Large-scale AAPI-focused philanthropic foundation that funds a wide range of community initiatives. Comparable to UCACF as a fellow AAPI grantmaking entity but operates at materially greater scale and asset base.

Direct peers

• Asian Cultural Council: Foundation supporting cultural exchange and arts initiatives between the U.S. and Asia through fellowships and grants. Comparable as an Asian-heritage grantmaking body funding cultural and educational programs.
• Asian Pacific Fund: Bay Area-based community foundation supporting AAPI nonprofits through grants, scholarships, and donor-advised funds. Directly comparable to UCACF in mission and target beneficiary community, with overlapping California footprint.
• Committee of 100: Chinese American leadership organization that funds and incubates initiatives in civic engagement, education, and U.S.–China relations. Highly comparable to UCACF's mission of promoting understanding between the U.S. and China.
• OCA - Asian Pacific American Advocates: National Chinese American / AAPI advocacy and community-building organization with affiliated grant and education programs. Comparable as a Chinese American national infrastructure organization that supports civic engagement, education, and youth programs similar to UCACF's mission.
• Chinese for Affirmative Action: Chinese American civil rights and community advocacy nonprofit active in civic engagement, immigration, and multiracial coalition building. Comparable to UCACF's mission of empowering Chinese American communities through civic engagement.
• The 1882 Foundation: Foundation dedicated to preserving Chinese American history and promoting civil rights. Comparable to UCACF in supporting Chinese American cultural heritage, civic education, and community narrative projects through grants.

Emerging players

• Center for Asian American Media (CAAM): Nonprofit that supports Asian American storytelling through media funding and fellowships. Comparable to UCACF in funding documentary, media, and storytelling projects within the AAPI community — overlapping with UCACF grantees like 'Silent War' and the Chinese community voters documentary.

Regional players

• Japanese American Citizens League (JACL): Asian American civil rights organization with national scholarship, education, and community grant programs. Comparable as an Asian American community organization distributing grants and scholarships to support civic engagement, education, and youth development — similar programmatic scope to UCACF.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/pulse/ucacf-april-newsletter-ucacf-linkedin-zlmle
• Xx.com/ucacf_social
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about UCA Community Foundation