CACF Statement on the NYS Senate and Assembly One-House Budgets
NEW YORK, New York (March 17, 2025) --- The Coalition for Asian American Children and Families (CACF) appreciates the work of the work of the New York State Senate and New York State Assembly to restore $30 million in funding to the AAPI Equity Budget for the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community in the One-House Budget. This funding is a starting point to address the needs of New York State’s growing AAPI population, which remains the fastest growing group in New York State. We are urging the Governor, Speaker, and Majority Leader to maintain this allocation of $30 million in the final budget to support nonprofits working on the ground in our communities on essential health, language access, and culturally responsive programming that holistically addresses anti-Asian hate.
CACF continues to be committed to the advocacy and fight for culturally responsive and linguistically competent programs and services that greatly impact marginalized communities. In Fiscal Year 2022 alone, community based organizations served over 650,000 New Yorkers across the state because of Equity Budget funding. Our Equity Budget Coalition supports AAPI-led and-serving community-based organizations that provide critical and life-affirming services across New York State. We know that this restoration of funding is still but a step toward true budget parity and equity. We hope to continue to grow our funding pool to fully support and resource the many AAPI-led and serving organizations that continue to fill the gaps in services by state governments and agencies.
“As co-leaders of the Equity Budget Coalition – a diverse group of over 130 AAPI-led and -serving organizations across New York State — we have seen firsthand just how much our community’s need for culturally responsive support has grown in recent years,” said Anita Gundanna and Vanessa Leung, Co-Executive Directors of Coalition for Asian American Children and Families (CACF). “The AAPI Equity Budget is a holistic investment in New York State’s Asian American and Pacific Islanders which not only focuses on lifting up our communities while also strengthening the culturally responsive and linguistically accessible resources our AAPI-led and -serving community-based organizations provide to New Yorkers each day. We are particularly heartened to see the both One-House Budgets continue investments in CACF’s AAPI Community Development Fund, the SUNY Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Leadership Institute, and CUNY’s Asian American/Asian Research Institute (AAARI). Our coalition is grateful to the Senate and the Assembly for taking these critical steps in the New York State Budget.”
“As a steering committee member of the AAPI Equity Budget Coalition (EBC), Adhikaar commends the New York State legislature and the entire AAPI Equity Budget Coalition (EBC) on our collective win of securing $30 million for the FY26 one house budget. This investment is a testament to the power of grassroots and community-based organizations like ours, which have long been on the frontlines, responding to the urgent needs of our communities,” said Narbada Chhetri and Cynthia Saxena, Co-Executive Directors of Adhikaar for Human Rights and Social Justice. “For Nepali-speaking immigrant workers and families, this funding is critical- it ensures that community organizations like Adhikaar have the resources to provide life-saving services, expand culturally and linguistically accessible programming, while continuing to advocate for systemic change. We thank our legislative champions for their unwavering commitment to keeping our communities safe, healthy, and empowered. Together, we rise, and today we take a moment to reflect and celebrate this achievement as part of the critical work we do to build a more just and equitable present and future for Nepali-speaking and the broader AAPI community.”
“As a proud member of the Equity Budget Coalition, the Arab-American Family Support Center (AAFSC) is committed to providing culturally and linguistically competent, multi-generational social services to underserved immigrant communities,” said Mark Foggin, Interim Executive Director of AAFSC. “Recent federal funding freezes and policy changes jeopardize immigrant communities and the nonprofits they depend on — eliminating protections for immigrants, escalating enforcement actions, and restricting access to critical services. In these challenging times, we are heartened to see both One-House Budgets continue investments in CACF and AAF’s AAPI Community Development Fund. As a recipient of the AAPI Community Development Fund, this funding is critical to ensuring the safety and well-being of AAPI families through our programming. We are deeply grateful to the Senate and the Assembly for taking these critical steps in the New York State Budget.”
“New York State’s AAPI population has grown significantly – not just in numbers but in diversity as well,” said John J. Chin, Interim Dean of the CUNY Asian American/Asian Research Institute (AAARI). “As our communities evolve and grow, culturally competent and linguistically accessible services are more vital than ever. We also need reliable, high-quality research to increase visibility for AAPI communities and highlight both their contributions and challenges. We are especially grateful to our champions, State Senator John Liu and Assemblymember Grace Lee, for ensuring the state budget supports the programs, services, and research needed to strengthen and uplift our communities.”
“This crucial funding from the State Legislature has made a major impact, helping ensure that some of our most vulnerable residents are secure and have access to essential resources,” said Thomas Yu, executive director of Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE). “It has enabled AAFE to work with tenants to keep them safe in their homes, bolster community safety programs, provide access to food and affordable healthcare and build camaraderie and understanding between neighbors. We are grateful to our elected officials and community partners for their advocacy in Albany and across the state to extend this important funding initiative.”
“AAPI communities continue to face rising incidents of hate crimes, discrimination, and mental health crises, yet resources remain limited. The proposed funding will ensure that culturally competent crisis response services are available, that community-led safety initiatives are strengthened, and that AAPI organizations like BFB have the resources to foster long-term economic and social development.New York’s strength lies in its diverse and resilient communities,” said Yan Liu, Executive Director of Bridges from Borders. “By including this funding in the One-House Budget, we take a critical step toward ensuring safety, equity, and opportunity for all. Bridges from Borders urges lawmakers to uphold these commitments and invest in a more inclusive and just future."
"All across New York State, our diverse and fast-growing AAPI communities are supported by important organizations that focus on community safety, food insecurity, mental health, civic engagement, child care, afterschool programs, and more. We are pleased to see the inclusion of $30 million for the AAPI Equity Budget in both One-House Budgets in order to continue supporting the AAPI-led and AAPI-serving community based organizations that provide these critical services which uplift and empower our communities,” said Wayne Ho, President & CEO of the Chinese-American Planning Council, Inc.
"With deep uncertainty from the federal government, it is imperative that we provide support to the AAPI community. It's why I'm grateful to both state legislative houses for allocating $30 million for the AAPI Equity Budget,” said Communities Resist Executive Director Nick E. Smith. “This funding is critical for providing much-needed resources to AAPI New Yorkers, including legal services and housing assistance. I look forward to seeing this allocation included in the final state budget."
“The AAPI Equity budget has been a crucial resource for addressing service gaps for AAPI individuals with disabilities and their families. This funding has particularly enabled us to develop training programs and individualized assistance that empower AAPI parents and young adults with disabilities to thrive in their communities,” said Dr. Young Seh Bae, founder and Executive Director of Community Inclusion & Development Alliance (CIDA). “We extend our gratitude to the Senate and the Assembly for their support of this essential budget, which sustains vital services for the children and families we serve.”
"Homecrest Community Services applauds the Senate and Assembly Majority for their continued investment in New York’s AAPI community. The inclusion of $30 million in the one-house budget is a crucial step toward equity for historically underserved and underfunded populations,” said Wai Yee Chan, President & CEO of Homecrest Community Services. “This critical investment strengthens community-based organizations like ours, allowing us to expand vital social services, reach more individuals—including those served by our new Sunset Park center—and provide culturally and linguistically accessible support for both Asian and Hispanic communities. By addressing long-standing systemic disparities, these funds empower us to meet the growing needs of our communities. We urge the Senate and Assembly to sustain and expand these investments so that AAPI New Yorkers receive the resources and support they rightfully deserve. Thank you for your commitment to our communities."
"The news that the NYS Assembly has matched the NYS Senate's budget of $30M for the AAPI Equity Budget community programs are good news." said Don Hong, President of UA3, Inc. "As one of the 130 organizations providing life changing programs, UA3 will be able to continue to provide fresh culturally appropriate vegetables and essential food to our thousands of our vulnerable residents. We are also providing many other essential services, including nutritional, public safety and other workshops to educate and combat health and wellness equity issues. Our efforts through the AAPI Equity Budget Coalition Campaign mean that, even in difficult times, our legislators recognize the important work being done for AAPI equity and care. While we hoped for more, we will now link arms with our legislators to prevent any reductions during the upcoming budget negotiations with the Governor, the Majority Leader, and the Speaker."
For more information, please email Lakshmi Gandhi, CACF’s Senior Communications Coordinator, at lgandhi@cacf.org.
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