The Asian Women Giving Circle (AWGC) is currently accepting applications for its 2025 Request for Proposals (RFP) funding cycle. AWGC supports projects led by Asian American women or gender-expansive individuals in New York City that use arts and culture to advance social justice and catalyze awareness and action on critical issues affecting Asian American women, girls, gender-expansive individuals, and families. The grant aims to spotlight authentic narratives and experiences within these communities while fostering progressive social change.

The grant program anticipates awarding 8 to 10 project grants, contingent on available funding. The maximum grant amount per project is $8,000. All artistic disciplines, including cross-disciplinary work, are eligible, provided they incorporate the arts in a meaningful way and demonstrate women’s and gender-expansive people’s leadership and central role in the project. While the program primarily supports New York City-based projects, exceptions may be made for projects of exceptional merit outside this geographic scope.

Eligible applicants include both 501(c)(3) organizations and individual artists. Artists and collectives without 501(c)(3) status must apply under a fiscal sponsor that is a registered 501(c)(3) organization. Proposals must clearly articulate the project's theory of social change, impact strategy, and how success will be measured. The grant funds must be allocated to a specific project and cannot support general operating costs, capital campaigns, endowments, financial shortfalls, or projects primarily for personal artistic expression without social justice impact.

Applications will be evaluated based on multiple criteria, including leadership by Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) women or gender-expansive individuals, the integral relationship between arts and social change, potential to influence public consciousness, impact on critical issues such as human rights and gender-based violence, commitment to NYC-based communities, feasibility of project execution, and artistic or social intervention creativity. Applications are reviewed by AWGC members, followed by a vote from the broader donor community.

The deadline for submission is February 21, 2025, at 11:59 PM EST. Late applications will not be considered. Award notifications will be made in June 2025. All applications must be submitted through the Ms. Foundation for Women’s grants portal. Applicants must create an account on the portal to access, save, and submit their proposals. Supporting documentation, including a project budget, organizational budget (for nonprofits), and fiscal sponsorship agreement (if applicable), must be uploaded in PDF format.

For inquiries regarding the RFP, applicants may contact grants@asianwomengivingcircle.org. For technical assistance with the grants portal, applicants should reach out to grantsmanagement@ms.foundation.org. The Ms. Foundation for Women is located at 1 Willoughby Square, Suite 2000, Brooklyn, NY 11201, and can be reached by phone at 212-742-2300 or via email at info@ms.foundation.org.