For Immediate Release:
February 1, 2011

Contact:
Allistair Mallillin, Saffron Circle Grants Committee
410-446-7167
grants@saffroncircle.org

Asians Supporting Asians
Saffron Circle Kicks of Fifth Year of Grant Giving

Boston, February 1, 2011 - Saffron Circle, a giving circle of multi-generational and multi-ethnic Asians in greater Boston, is pleased to announce that it will be accepting applications for its fifth year of grant making. Launched in May 2006, Saffron Circle is committed to supporting Massachusetts-based organizations and programs that address the needs of Asian communities in the Commonwealth. It is the first Asian giving circle in the Boston area and only the third Asian giving circle in the United States.

Over the past five years, Saffron Circle has utilized individual membership dues and foundation support to leverage over $52,000 in grants to 14 nonprofit organizations in Massachusetts that serve the Asian community. Last year’s grants funded a range of creative and innovative projects focusing on the underserved Asian communities outside of the Greater Boston area, including civic engagement efforts among immigrant and refugee populations, an academic and social enrichment program for at-risk youth and the preservation of the Asian traditions and culture through performance art.

Saffron Circle has a continued commitment to support Asian communities throughout Massachusetts. More than ever, we know that our mission—Asians supporting Asians—is essential to the health of the Commonwealth’s residents, as immigrant communities have been disproportionately hurt by the economic downturn. Saffron Circle will make every effort to keep giving levels as high as possible despite the ongoing fiscal crisis.

Through its grant application and review process, Saffron Circle hopes both to raise awareness of community needs and to learn how it may better support organizations that address these needs. Grants will target both emerging and established organizations and programs serving Asians throughout Massachusetts. Proposals are due on March 14, 2011, and grants will be announced in May 2011, during Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Funding guidelines and more information about the Saffron Circle can be found at www.saffroncircle.org.

Saffron Circle is a group of multi-generational, multi-ethnic Asians committed to creating positive social change in the greater Boston Asian community. Members come together to support social change by pooling resources, sharing talents, and learning about issues and giving opportunities. Each member has the opportunity to participate in grant making and in developing the giving circle. Saffron Circle currently has over 30 members and is a donor-advised fund at the Boston Foundation. Membership is Saffron Circle’s greatest asset and we are recruiting civic-minded individuals to be a part of the organization’s endeavors.

Please see www.saffroncircle.org/membership/join/html for more information.