A​lliance of ​F​ilipinos ​for I​mmigrant ​R​ights & ​E​mpowerment​

What A​lliance of ​F​ilipinos ​for I​mmigrant ​R​ights & ​E​mpowerment​ does

Alliance of Filipinos for Immigrant Rights & Empowerment (AFIRE), operating as AFIRE Chicago, is a grassroots nonprofit community organization founded in 2005-2006 in Chicago, Illinois. AFIRE creates a political home with and for Filipinx/a/o immigrants, centering organizing across four intersecting constituencies: immigrants, domestic workers, queer people, and trans people. The organization operates from a single office at 4300 N California Avenue in Chicago and serves community members primarily across the Chicagoland area in Illinois.

AFIRE delivers its mission through a portfolio of roughly a dozen programs and resources. The Citizenship Support Program provides Citizenship Application Preparation (CAP) Sessions and monthly Citizenship Workshops delivered in partnership with the North Collaborative (Erie House, Palenque LSNA, Northern Illinois Justice for Our Neighbors) and funded through ICIRR's New Americans Initiative. Cultural and community programs include GoldenAgers (elder cultural programming), Tagalog 101 (8-week language course), Baklaan (LGBTQ+ community space), Seeding AFIRE (community education), Mabuhay! member meetings, and the Actualizing Community Cohort and Organizing Komité (leadership development). The organization also produces Know Your Rights resources, a Community Resource Directory, and advocacy materials supporting implementation of the Illinois Domestic Workers Bill of Rights. The technology stack is standard nonprofit tooling — Squarespace website, PayPal donations, Google Forms for sign-ups, and Zoom for virtual programming — with no proprietary platform described.

AFIRE's revenue model combines three streams: individual donations and seasonal fundraising campaigns (the 2024 end-of-year campaign raised $6,076 against a $5,000 stretch goal); membership dues at a recommended $25 per year on a sliding scale; and foundation/institutional grants from sources including the Abelard Foundation, NQAPIA, ICIRR, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. Citizenship Workshops carry a $25 fee per attendee. The organization runs on 3+ full-time staff and a 6-member board, with ICIRR currently providing back-office administrative support during a leadership transition.

Name

A​lliance of ​F​ilipinos ​for I​mmigrant ​R​ights & ​E​mpowerment​

Legal name

Alliance of Filipinos for Immigrant Rights and Empowerment

Website

https://afirechicago.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

AFIRE Chicago is a grassroots nonprofit community organization serving Filipinx/a/o immigrants in Chicago through citizenship application support, domestic worker advocacy, cultural programming, and coalition-based organizing for immigrant, queer, and trans rights.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Immigrant Rights Community Advocacy

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (81331), Civic and Social Organizations (81341), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600), Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYBPAMABAG

Local & Neighborhood Communities

Business & Public Services/Web, Mobile & Digital Platforms/Social Networks & Online Communities

SECONDARYBPAGAKAN

Social Justice & Human Rights Grantmaking Foundations

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

Keywords

• Immigrant rights advocacy
• Citizenship application assistance
• Community organizing services
• Domestic worker advocacy
• Cultural community programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations & Fundraising Campaigns: AFIRE raises funds through end-of-year giving campaigns (YES to AFIRE!), seasonal fundraisers (Spring, Blossom, Action!), and general donations via PayPal. The 2024 end-of-year campaign exceeded its $5,000 stretch goal, raising $6,076. The 2025 Spring Blossom Action! campaign aimed to raise $2,000.
2. Membership Dues: Dues-paying members contribute financially to sustain the organization. Recommended annual dues are $25 per year with sliding-scale options available. Staff can create custom dues schedules for members unable to pay the full amount.
3. Foundation & Institutional Grants: AFIRE receives grant funding from foundations including Abelard Foundation and NQAPIA (National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance), as well as through the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR) for citizenship programming. The organization also received grant funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities to partner with Professor Rachel Kuo on disinformation research.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

AFIRE Chicago is a grassroots nonprofit that delivers a multi-program community ecosystem for Filipinx/a/o immigrants in Chicago. Its core offerings center on a Citizenship Support Program providing application preparation and monthly workshops with legal representatives, alongside organizing and leadership development programs (Seeding AFIRE, Actualizing Community Cohort, Organizing Komité), cultural and language programming (Tagalog 101, GoldenAgers, Baklaan), member gatherings (Mabuhay! Meetings), and advocacy campaigns including Illinois Domestic Workers Bill of Rights implementation.

Product overview

AFIRE offers a comprehensive suite of community programs and services focused on immigrant rights, organizing, and cultural empowerment for the Filipinx/a/o community in Chicago. The core programs include the Citizenship Support Program providing application preparation and workshops, the Organizing Program with educational spaces like Seeding AFIRE, language learning through Tagalog 101, cultural programming through GoldenAgers, LGBTQ+ community building via Baklaan, member gatherings through Mabuhay! Meetings, and leadership development via the Actualizing Community Cohort and Organizing Komité. Additional resources include Know Your Rights information, a Community Resource Directory, and advocacy for domestic workers' rights. The organization operates on a membership model with annual dues and relies on volunteer support.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Citizenship Support Program
• Seeding AFIRE

Quantifiable outcome

• 64 applicants supported through Citizenship Application Preparation Sessions; 35 applications filed at Citizenship Workshops in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 January 2025AFIRE is a member organization of ICIRR, participating in its legislative agenda development, advocacy campaigns, and the New Americans Initiative (NAI) citizenship program. AFIRE engages in ICIRR's annual membership summit and votes on the coalition's legislative priorities. In 2026, ICIRR is also providing back office and administrative support to AFIRE during its leadership transition.
• Pan-Asian Voter Empowerment (PAVE) CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 January 2025AFIRE participates as a member of the PAVE Coalition, collaborating on annual Asian American Action Day lobbying events at the Illinois State Capitol in Springfield. AFIRE helped develop and advocates for the PAVE legislative agenda covering immigrant rights, voting rights, and other Pan-Asian community priorities.
• Luya PoetryminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 8 June 2024Co-organized The Great Baklaan, the first LGBTQ conference for Filipinx/a/o community in Chicago. Luya is a Filipinx/a/o poetry organization founded in July 2018 that centers stories and experiences of people of color.
• Invisible to Invincible (i2i)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 8 June 2024Co-organized The Great Baklaan LGBTQ+ event for the Filipinx/a/o community. i2i is a community-based organization celebrating and affirming Asians & Pacific Islanders who identify as LGBTQ+ in Chicago.
• Blasian MarchminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 8 June 2024Co-organized The Great Baklaan LGBTQ+ event for the Filipinx/a/o community. Blasian March builds solidarity between Black/African, Asian, and mixed Blasian communities through education and celebration.
• CIRCA PintigminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 8 June 2024CIRCA Pintig co-hosted Baklaan Movie Night in June 2025 and 2026 with AFIRE for Pride and Immigrant Heritage Month. CIRCA Pintig is a Filipinx/a/o arts and cultural organization.
• National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFIRE is an affiliate chapter of the NDWA and participates in national assemblies, advocacy campaigns, and receives funding for domestic worker support programs. AFIRE sent a delegation of 5 members to the 2025 NDWA National Assembly in Washington, D.C.
• Illinois Domestic Workers Coalition (ILDW)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFIRE is an affiliate of the ILDW Coalition, which advocates for full implementation of the Illinois Domestic Workers Bill of Rights. AFIRE participates in monthly meetings with the City of Chicago Paid Time Off Working Group to ensure domestic worker-centered policy implementation.
• North Collaborative (Citizenship Program Partners)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFIRE collaborates with Erie House, Palenque LSNA, and Northern Illinois Justice for Our Neighbors (NIJFON) as part of the North Collaborative to deliver monthly citizenship workshops across Chicagoland through ICIRR's New Americans Initiative (NAI) program.
• Japanese American Service CommitteeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partner for citizenship support services. When AFIRE cannot accommodate applicants, they are referred to partner organizations including Japanese American Service Committee, Rizal Center, and Chinese American Service League.
• Rizal CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partner for citizenship support services in the Filipino community.
• Chinese American Service LeagueminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerReferral partner for citizenship support services within the Asian American immigrant community.
• HANA CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAFIRE held Piyesta sa Pamayanan community gathering at the HANA Center in October 2025. HANA Center is a Korean American community organization that provides space for AFIRE's programming.
• Asian Americans Advancing Justice | ChicagocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of annual Asian American Action Day (AAA Day) with the PAVE Coalition. Provides training for Lobby Captains and legislative advocacy support for AFIRE's Springfield lobbying delegations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves2 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights (ICIRR): Statewide immigrant rights coalition that AFIRE is a member of and that now provides back-office support to AFIRE. Directly comparable as a Chicago/Illinois-based immigrant advocacy organization, but with broader multi-ethnic scope.
• National Queer Asian Pacific Islander Alliance (NQAPIA): National LGBTQ+ AAPI federation that funds AFIRE's programming. Comparable in mission and constituency, but operates nationally as a federation rather than at the local direct-service level.
• National Domestic Workers Alliance (NDWA): National federation of which AFIRE is an affiliate chapter. Comparable as a domestic worker advocacy organization, but operates at national scale across multiple immigrant communities.

Direct peers

• Asian Americans Advancing Justice | Chicago: Pan-Asian advocacy organization that co-organizes Asian American Action Day with AFIRE in the PAVE Coalition. Closely comparable in mission, advocacy model, and Chicago-area focus on Asian American civic engagement.
• Rizal Center: Filipino American community organization in Chicago that is a referral partner for AFIRE's citizenship program. Directly comparable in serving the Filipinx/a/o community in Chicago with overlapping service and cultural programming.
• Chinese American Service League: Chicago-based Asian American social services and advocacy organization that is also a referral partner for AFIRE's citizenship program. Comparable in immigrant services, civic engagement, and Chicago footprint.
• HANA Center: Korean American community organization in Chicago that provides physical space for AFIRE programming. Closely comparable as a Chicago-based ethnic-community advocacy and mutual aid organization serving an immigrant population.
• Japanese American Service Committee (JASC): Chicago-based Asian American service organization that serves as a referral partner for AFIRE's citizenship support. Comparable in providing citizenship, social, and cultural services to Asian American immigrants in Chicago.
• CIRCA Pintig: Filipinx/a/o arts and cultural organization in Chicago that co-hosts Baklaan programming with AFIRE. Directly comparable in serving the Filipinx/a/o community in Chicago through cultural and community programming.
• Invisible to Invincible (i2i): Chicago-based LGBTQ+ Asian and Pacific Islander organization that co-organized The Great Baklaan with AFIRE. Comparable as a Chicago-based API community organization working at the intersection of immigrant identity and LGBTQ+ advocacy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/afirechicago
• Instagraminstagram.com/afirechicago
• Xx.com/afirechicago
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/afirechicago

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about A​lliance of ​F​ilipinos ​for I​mmigrant ​R​ights & ​E​mpowerment​