SOUTHEAST ASIAN COMMUNITY CENTER

What SOUTHEAST ASIAN COMMUNITY CENTER does

Southeast Asian Community Center (SEACC) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1975 and headquartered at 875 O'Farrell Street in San Francisco's Tenderloin district (FEIN 94-2604543). Originally established as the Center for Southeast Asian Refugee Resettlement (CSEARR), SEACC operates a 14-program service portfolio serving low-income Southeast Asian immigrants and refugees across Northern California, with a primary footprint in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area. Core programs include the SBA 7(m) Microloan Program (commercial loans of $5,000 to $50,000 over 2-6 years, accompanied by free bilingual technical assistance in Vietnamese, Cantonese, Mandarin, and English), Housing Counseling (DAHLIA assistance, credit repair, rental support), the Language Bank (interpretation and translation across 9+ languages for Apple, Kaiser, the City and County of San Francisco, and law firms), Immigration Services (active since 1979), ESL and Computer Literacy classes, Job Placement and Employment Training, a weekly Food Bank program serving 260+ households in partnership with the San Francisco Food Bank, Free Tax Help (VITA), Aging and Disability Services, Utilities Assistance (TEAM and CHANGES programs), Community Advocacy, and the annual TET Festival.

SEACC has no proprietary technology platform; service delivery is human-staffed by approximately 10-15 personnel plus volunteers and a 9-member Board of Directors chaired by Salma Aghmane (CEO, JADO Recycling) with Diana Vuong serving as Executive Director since September 2018. The business model is multi-stream nonprofit: government grants and contracts from San Francisco OCI, OEWD, MOHCD, OCEIA, and the SBA constitute the largest share, supplemented by tax-deductible individual and corporate donations (check, PayPal, Venmo, credit card), interest income from the SBA microloan portfolio, and fee-for-service revenue from The Language Bank. Most direct services to low-income community members are free, while Language Bank services are charged at competitive quote-based rates and microloans carry only modest third-party fees ($10 notary, $40 credit report). Distribution is entirely direct and on-site at the San Francisco headquarters, with weekly Friday food distribution and the TET Festival serving as primary community engagement channels.

Over 50 years, SEACC has helped tens of thousands of new immigrants resettle and adjust to life in the US (1979-2006), assisted more than 3,000 business clients through its small business programs, and distributed more than 5,500,000 pounds of free groceries. The organization was one of only 5% of San Francisco nonprofits permitted to provide in-person services during the COVID-19 pandemic and was the sole Southeast Asian nonprofit with that designation. In 2005 SEACC co-founded the San Francisco Little Saigon Commercial and Business District along the Larkin corridor in partnership with the Board of Supervisors.

Name

SOUTHEAST ASIAN COMMUNITY CENTER

Legal name

Southeast Asian Community Center

Website

https://seaccusa.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Southeast Asian Community Center is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1975 in San Francisco that delivers SBA microloans, housing counseling, immigration services, ESL classes, food distribution, and multilingual interpretation to Southeast Asian immigrants and small businesses across the Greater Bay Area.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

South San Francisco

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. Donations and Charitable Contributions: SEACC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that relies on donations from individuals and organizations. Donations are tax-deductible and can be made via check, PayPal, Venmo, or credit card.
2. Government Grants and Contracts: SEACC receives funding from government agencies including the San Francisco Mayor's Office of Community Investment (OCI), Office of Community Partnerships and Strategic Communications, Mayor's Office of Housing and Community Development (MOHCD), Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD), and the US Small Business Administration (SBA) for microloan programs.
3. Microloan Interest Income: SEACC operates as an SBA 7(m) Microloan intermediary lender, providing commercial loans of $5,000 to $50,000 to small businesses. Interest rates are competitive, and loans generate interest income for the organization.
4. Language Bank Interpretation and Translation Services: The Language Bank provides professional interpretation and translation services at competitive rates to government agencies, corporations, and individuals in Northern California, generating service fees.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

SEACC is a multi-service nonprofit organization that administers community programs for Southeast Asian immigrants and small businesses in Northern California. Its core offerings include SBA 7(m) Microloans of $5,000 to $50,000 with attached technical assistance, free housing counseling, free VITA tax preparation, immigration services since 1979, ESL and computer literacy classes, job placement and vocational training, a weekly food bank, aging/disability support, utilities assistance, community advocacy, and the Language Bank interpretation/translation service founded in 1987. Programs are delivered in Vietnamese, Cantonese, Mandarin, and English by a 10-15 person staff.

Product overview

SEACC is a multi-service non-profit organization offering a comprehensive portfolio of community services rather than a unified software product. The core offerings include the SBA 7(m) Microloan Program providing $5,000-$50,000 loans to small businesses with associated business consulting; The Language Bank offering interpretation and translation services in multiple Asian languages; housing counseling; free tax preparation through VITA; immigration services; job placement and employment training; ESL and computer literacy classes; food bank distribution; aging and disability services; utility assistance programs; and cultural programming including the annual TET Festival. These services are designed to support Southeast Asian immigrants and low-income residents in the Greater San Francisco Bay Area with self-sufficiency, economic development, and cultural preservation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SBA 7(m) Microloan Program A microloan program providing commercial loans of $5,000 to $50,000 to small businesses unable to secure conventional bank financing, with terms of 2-6 years, competitive interest rates, notarization fees ($10 per document/signator), and $40 credit-report fees. Used for working capital, leasehold improvements, equipment, and startup expenses across the Greater San Francisco Bay Area.
• Business Consulting and Technical Assistance Free one-on-one technical assistance for small business owners covering marketing, licenses and permits, lease negotiations, buy/sell agreements, and business plan development, delivered in Vietnamese, Cantonese, Mandarin, and English by SEACC's business department.
• Housing Counseling Free housing counseling for low-income community members, including credit repair, rental disputes, fair housing, housing search assistance, lease terms review, budgeting, DAHLIA account assistance, and rental assistance program navigation.
• Free Tax Help (VITA Program) Free tax preparation through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program for individuals earning $69,000 or less, persons with disabilities, and limited English-speaking taxpayers, with IRS-certified volunteers providing electronic filing in multiple languages.
• The Language Bank Interpretation and translation services providing simultaneous and consecutive oral interpretation for court hearings, medical visits, and conferences, plus written translations recognized by legal courts and government agencies across Cantonese, English, Hindi, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese at competitive quote-based rates.
• Aging and Disability Services Information and assistance for older adults and people with disabilities, including housing support, translation, benefits, transportation, food, in-home care, health and wellness referrals, plus escort services for seniors to medical appointments, banks, and grocery shopping.
• Computer Literacy Training Basic computer skills training covering hardware components (CPU, ROM, RAM), software applications including Microsoft Office, web browsers, and search engines, helping community members develop essential digital literacy for employment.
• ESL Class Free primary and advanced English as a Second Language classes for adults, improving reading and writing skills to support success at City College of San Francisco or in job searches.
• Food Bank Program Free weekly food distribution serving over 260 low-income immigrant households every Friday morning, operated as an official San Francisco Food Bank partner site with volunteer-driven loading, packing, and distribution of fresh and shelf-stable groceries.
• Job Placements and Employment Training Comprehensive employment services for low-income immigrants including ESL classes, vocational training, career counseling, job readiness workshops, interview skills, resume preparation, and direct job placement with local partner employers in healthcare, caregiver, hospitality, construction, and technology sectors.
• Immigration Services Immigration assistance including naturalization and citizenship application help, document preparation for permanent residency, and USCIS inquiries, with multilingual staff in English, Vietnamese, Cantonese, Mandarin, and other Chinese dialects.
• Utilities Assistance (TEAM and CHANGES Programs) Consumer education programs including TEAM (Telecommunication Education and Assistance in Multiple-Languages), which helps resolve phone company complaints, and CHANGES, which helps limited-English speakers understand PG&E bills and apply for gas and electrical discounts.
• Community Advocacy Community advocacy programming including voter registration, leadership development, networking, community capacity building, workshops on advocacy techniques, public speaking, and media relations for the Southeast Asian American community.
• TET Festival Annual Vietnamese Lunar New Year (TET) festival uniting families across generations, preserving Vietnamese culture, providing a platform for local businesses, and fostering youth leadership and community service opportunities for the San Francisco Bay Area.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 3,000 business clients assisted in 30+ years
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

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

• San Francisco Food BankcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSEACC is selected as an official free food distribution site by the San Francisco Food Bank, distributing food to 260+ low-income immigrant households weekly.
• Office of Civic Engagement & Immigrant Affairs (OCEIA)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerGovernment partner focused on immigrant affairs and community engagement.
• San Francisco Board of SupervisorscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSEACC partnered with the Board of Supervisors, particularly Supervisor Chris Daly of District 6, to establish the San Francisco Little Saigon Commercial and Business District in 2005, spanning the Larkin corridor from Golden Gate Avenue to Geary Boulevard.
• San Francisco Metropolitan Medical SocietyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare industry partner supporting the business survey initiative.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Self-Help Federal Credit Union: Community development financial institution providing small business loans, housing counseling, and financial services to underserved communities. Comparable as a CDFI serving similar borrower demographics with parallel programmatic offerings.
• Asian Americans for Equality: NYC-based nonprofit offering housing counseling, small business lending, immigration services, and ESL to Asian immigrant communities. Directly comparable in service mix and immigrant-focused community development model, though NYC geography.
• Accion Opportunity Fund: Community development financial institution providing small business loans up to $100K, coaching, and resources to underserved small business owners. Comparable CDFI model with a small business lending focus serving similar borrower demographics.
• Mission Asset Fund: San Francisco-based nonprofit CDFI providing zero-interest loans and financial services to low-income immigrant families. Operates a similar nonprofit microloan + technical assistance model in the same Bay Area market as SEACC.
• Asian Resources Inc. Sacramento-based nonprofit serving Southeast Asian and other immigrant communities with employment, housing, immigration, and translation services. Closest in mission/ethnic focus and service breadth to SEACC within California.
• Grameen America: National nonprofit microfinance organization providing small business loans to low-income entrepreneurs, including immigrants. Directly comparable microloan + technical assistance model for underserved borrowers.
• Asian Law Alliance: San Jose-based nonprofit providing immigration legal services, language access, and community advocacy to Asian immigrants in Santa Clara County. Comparable in Bay Area geography, Asian immigrant focus, and immigration/legal services mix.
• Centro Legal de la Raza: Oakland-based legal aid and community services nonprofit serving low-income immigrant communities in the Bay Area. Comparable in Bay Area geography, immigrant services focus, and community-based service delivery model.
• Chinese for Affirmative Action: San Francisco-based Asian American advocacy and community services organization serving Chinese and broader Asian immigrant communities. Comparable in Bay Area footprint, multilingual service delivery, and immigrant integration programming.

Broad incumbents

• International Rescue Committee: Large international nonprofit providing refugee resettlement, immigration, employment, and community integration services. Comparable refugee resettlement origins and immigrant support missions, but operates at significantly larger scale across many geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/southeast-asian-community-center

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

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 SOUTHEAST ASIAN COMMUNITY CENTER