The Montgomery County Asian American Health Initiative (AAHI), a program under the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), has awarded $1.5 million in grants to 14 community programs. The funding from the Healthy Communities Fund will support culturally and linguistically appropriate health and social support services for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities in the county.

The AAPI community in Montgomery County makes up 15 percent of the population. AAPI residents come from diverse cultural, linguistic and socioeconomic backgrounds, making tailored health and social support services essential to meet the diverse needs of this community. 

This is the third year AAHI has administered the Healthy Communities Fund with the Primary Care Coalition (PCC). In past years, AAHI and partner organizations reached more than 15,300 individuals and hosted 835 community events and facilitated over 16,000 hours of volunteer service, valued at more than $400,000. 

“Our County’s diversity is one of our greatest strengths, and it is essential that we support culturally relevant services for our Asian American and Pacific Islander communities,” said County Executive Marc Elrich. “The Healthy Communities Fund is a vital resource that enables us to collaborate with trusted community organizations to deliver services that effectively reach and impact these communities. We are committed to ensuring every resident in Montgomery County has access to meaningful and supportive health care.”

AAHI introduced several process enhancements to increase equity and strengthen the capabilities of applicant’s this year. The improvements included strategy consultations for interested applicants, an applicant interview phase and consultations with a data expert for awardees to support outcome measurement and reporting. These steps aimed to increase the capacity of organizations to apply, advocate for funding effectively and create systems to track their impact. 

26 proposals were submitted, requesting more than $2.9 million in funding and 14 received grants to provide services from October to June 2025. 

The following organizations received funding:

• American Diversity Group – $142,260.00
• Asian American LEAD – $117,790.84
• Chinese American Community Health Services – $123,053.00
• Chinese Culture and Community Service Inc. – $149,500.00
• Hepatitis B Initiative of Washington, D.C. Inc. – $109,023.05
• Islamic Center of Maryland – $66,030.00
• Korean Community Service Center of Greater Washington – $148,528.80
• Manna Food Center, Inc. – $125,685.62
• Maryland Vietnamese Mutual Association, Inc. – $147,807.59
• Montgomery County Muslim Foundation – $50,000.00
• Muslim Community Center, Inc DBA “MCC Medical Clinic” – $45,000.00
• Philippine Nurses Association of Metro DC – $47,180.00
• Small Things Matter, Inc. – $87,741.10
• Vietnamese American Services – $140,400.00

For more information about the Healthy Communities Fund, visit the AAHI website.