Asian American Law Fund
of New York, Inc.

NEW: 2009 Community Service Internship Program

Overview and Mission

The Asian American Law Fund of New York, Inc. (“AALFNY” or the “Fund”) was established by the Asian American Bar Association of New York (“AABANY”) in 1993 to support non-profit, charitable and education purposes within Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). Though it has an independent Board, the Fund (formerly known as The AABANY Foundation, Inc.) remains affiliated with AABANY and continues to work in close coordination with AABANY on fundraising and pro bono programs. Contributions to the Fund are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by law.

The express purposes of the Fund, as set forth in its charter, include the following:

To promote public good through programs designed to eliminate prejudice and discrimination and to defend human and civil rights;
To disseminate information and provide assistance to community groups, including without limitation, Asian American victims of crime;
To educate the public on the issues of Asian Americans through public discussion groups, forums, panels, lectures, or other similar programs;
To develop and encourage cooperation with governmental agencies and other community associations to eliminate prejudice and discrimination;
To sponsor programs to promote understanding among ethnic groups in New York;
To plan and implement programs to encourage community understanding of legal processes and governmental agencies; and
To conduct any and all lawful activities which may be necessary, useful, or desirable for the furtherance, accomplishment, or attainment of the foregoing purposes.

The Fund’s initial primary activity was to sponsor and operate the Asian Crime Victims Project, whose purpose was to increase communication between hate crime victims and the criminal justice system, provide direct services (case status information, transportation, social service agency referrals, assistance with filing for crime victim’s compensation) to hate crime victims, educate the public at large, including members of the Asian community, as to how to respond to occurrences of hate crimes and generally to combat the perpetration of hate crimes. Since the termination of the Asian Crime Victims Project, the Fund’s core program has been the Community Service Internship Award Program, the purpose of which is to encourage law students to use their legal knowledge and training to assist the Asian American Community in New York and to foster commitment by law students to public service to the Asian American community in New York. AALFNY seeks to expand its Community Service Internship Award Program as well as to support new initiatives as part of its educational and charitable mission. To that end, plans are underway to increase the Fund’s fundraising efforts, the proceeds of which will be used to expand the breadth and depth of its programs and to further the pro bono activities within the New York Asian American community.

Funding Guidelines for External Programs

While the Fund will continue to fund internally generated programs, including pro bono activities conducted by its affiliate, AABANY, the Fund now seeks to identify and support external programs whose educational and charitable missions are consistent with those of the Fund. The following are AALFNY’s funding guidelines for external programs.

AALFNY will only fund U.S.-based Section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations and programs that do not carry on any activities not permitted to be carried on by a corporation exempt from Federal income tax under Section 501(c)(3) of the Code. AALFNY is not formed for pecuniary profit or for financial gain and no part of its assets, income or profit shall be distributed or inure to the benefit of any private individual.

The primary geographic scope of coverage will be the Greater New York Metropolitan Area.

Grants are generally made annually, but AALFNY may make multi-year grants.

Grants will generally not exceed $5,000 per year.

AALFNY will review grant proposals on a rolling basis over the course of a year.

AALFNY will give primary consideration to grant proposals for:

Program-specific activities
Public interest internship funding
Program development projects

AALFNY will not fund:

Private foundations
For profit organizations
Organizations which, in their constitution, bylaws or practices discriminate against persons or groups on the basis of age, race, national origin, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation, political affiliation or religious belief
Political or lobbying activities
Debt reduction

Application Process

1. Organizations wishing to receive a solicitation for a grant proposal from AALFNY should submit a letter of inquiry, preferably one page but no more than two pages in length. A letter of inquiry is “submitted” only when it has been received by the persons identified in Paragraph 2 of “Contact Information” below. The letter of inquiry should be signed by the organization’s Executive Director or an officer of that organization holding a comparable office and address the following:

    * Brief description of organization, including objectives
    * Statement of the organization’s needs and the amount requested from AALFNY
    * Proposed use of proceeds of any grant or gift received from AAFLNY
    * Proposed mode of acknowledgment or recognition of any grant or gift made by AALFNY

The letter of inquiry should be accompanied by a copy of the organization’s most recent financial statements, audited if available, evidence of the organization’s Section 501(c)(3) tax-exempt or not-for-profit status, a list of the organization’s Board of Directors and management. Letters of inquiry and related attachments should be submitted by mail, courier or email.

2. If, following review, AALFNY’s Board reacts positively to a letter of inquiry, AALFNY will contact the organization to solicit a formal grant proposal on the “New York/New Jersey Area Common Application Form” prepared by the New York Regional Association of Grantmakers (downloadable at www.nyrag.org). Fully completed grant proposals must be submitted to AALFNY within 30 days following the issuance of a positive response to a letter of inquiry. A grant proposal is “submitted” only when it has been received by the persons identified in Paragraph 3 of “Contact Information” below. Grant proposals and related attachments should only be submitted by mail or courier. Electronic grant proposals and incomplete grant proposals will not be accepted.

Contact Information

Asian American Law Fund of New York
c/o Sylvia Fung Chin, Esq.
White & Case LLP
1155 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10036

OFFICERS

President
Andy Chen, Esq.
e-mail: andy.chen@rbccm.com

Vice President
Lynnette C. Sarno, Esq.
e-mail: lsarno@ny.seyfarth.com

Secretary
My Chi To, Esq.
e-mail: mcto@debevoise.com

Treasurer
Sylvia Fung Chin, Esq.
e-mail: schin@whitecase.com

Directors

Alec Chang, Esq.
e-mail: achang@skadden.com

Rockwell J. Chin, Esq.
e-mail: RChin@dhr.state.ny.us

Huhnsik Chung, Esq.
e-mail: hchung@ealaw.com

Richard Koo, Esq.
e-mail: rkoo@klsllaw.com

Paul D. Nguyen, Esq.
e-mail: pnguyen43@gmail.com

Kenneth K. Yoon, Esq.
e-mail: kyoon@brownrudnick.com