149. Kyung Yoon, President & CEO of KACF, on Disrupting Philanthropy, Funding Grassroots Solutions, and Building Economic Security
Update: 2025-07-24
Description
What does it mean to be a philanthropist in a community that historically hasn’t seen itself that way? What if associations not only advocated for their members, but also mobilized them to give, together?
In this episode of Associations Thrive, host Joanna Pineda interviews Kyung Yoon, President and CEO of the Korean American Community Foundation (KACF). Kyung discusses:
- How KACF was born out of a dinner conversation among Korean American professionals who wanted to give back to their community.
- The impact of the “model minority” myth on Korean and Asian American communities, and how it can obscure real needs.
- How KACF started with a grassroots “Dollar a Day” campaign to fund grants to Korean American nonprofits.
- Why KACF chose to become a community foundation and what that means for how they raise and distribute funds.
- How KACF has distributed over $17 million in grants since its founding in 2002, including over $3 million last year alone.
- The broad range of issues KACF funds to build economic security, from food insecurity to housing, health, and domestic violence.
- KACF’s commitment to systemic change, not just direct service, funding advocacy, and policy change efforts.
- How the Giving Summit engages the Korean American community in thoughtful, intentional philanthropy.
- How receiving a grant from MacKenzie Scott validated KACF’s work and expanded its impact.
- Kyung’s vision for a future where Korean Americans see themselves as funders and philanthropists with the power to uplift their own communities.
References:
- Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
- https://uppbeat.io/t/zoo/clarity
- License code: RQWZMZXYSBVT16ZW
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