Applications Now Open: 2025 AGI Wellness Grant
Wellness doesn’t look the same for everyone. For some, it’s cooking with family. For others, it’s art supplies, counseling sessions, or reconnecting with loved ones. And yet, too many young people struggle to access support—1 in 3 youth face mental health challenges (Annie E. Casey Foundation, 2025), and among AANHPI high schoolers, 34% reported depression in the past year (CALBHBC Policy Brief, 2024).
At Asian Girls Ignite (AGI), we believe every Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) girl and gender-expansive youth should have the chance to define what wellness means for themselves.
That’s why we’re excited to continue the tradition of the AGI Wellness Grant. Now in its second year, four students will each receive $500 to support their self-care journeys.
Why This Grant Matters
The AGI Wellness Grant began in 2024 with a generous $2,000 donation from community member Yen Chau of NineFold, LLC. NineFold is a woman- and BIPOC-owned consulting firm that helps communities and organizations reflect and build more equitable strategies. Yen invited AGI to use the funds however we wanted, and together with our Youth Leadership Collective (YLC), we shaped what became the inaugural Wellness Grant.
From the beginning, the goal was clear: to center the wellness and self-care of our students. Last year’s submissions showed us how powerful this could be.
That’s why the AGI Wellness Grant continues in 2025: to celebrate the many ways AANHPI students care for themselves, honoring each definition of self-care as valid and powerful.
Wellness Grant Details
Who Can Apply
The grant is open to Colorado middle school and high school AANHPI girls and gender-expansive youth who have attended at least two AGI events during the 2024–2025 school year, including:
Community gatherings
Middle School Program
High School Program
Summer program
How to Apply
Students are invited to share their story in one of three formats:
Written essay (approx. 500 words)
Video essay (max. 5 minutes)
Voice recording (max. 5 minutes)
Your submission should answer this question:
How do you define self-care, and how would you use $500 to support your well-being?
Examples from 2024 grantees:
Investing in counseling sessions, art supplies, and reading resources.
Buying ingredients and tools to cook with family and connect with cultural traditions.
Traveling to visit a sibling and strengthen family relationships.
Key Dates
Sunday, October 12, 2025 by Midnight: Applications Due*
Friday, November 14, 2025: All applicants are notified
Saturday, December 6, 2025: Grantees and their families are invited to attend to our Holiday Social to receive their award
*Submissions will be held in confidence by staff and reviewers. Depending on what is described, submissions may need to be approved by a parent or guardian.
Panel of Reviewers
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Yen Chau, is an independent consultant working with community and philanthropic organizations. When she’s not supporting learning and strategy, she’s in the kitchen or exploring and travelling with her family. Her favorite wellness practice is to be outside camping somewhere with no cell signal.
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Christina Ifurung is a multidimensional human who plays many roles in this lifetime. Currently, she owns an energy medicine practice rooted in her Filipina Ancestry called Kapwa Healing. At Kapwa Healing she works with individuals and groups around compassion healing using traditions of her culture and sound healing. She has had the privilege and honor to hold sound baths for AGI many times and has learned so much from the girls simply sitting in sound baths with them. When she is not in her passion work - she is busy being a mama to two busy boys Neo (9) and Ezra (14 months) while also balancing wife-hood to her husband, Caleb. She is a Scorpio, a Projector (human Design), an Enneagram 2, and a reality TV show junkie. I am excited to be on the AGI Wellness Grant Panel.
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Hi! My name is Katie B. (she/her) and I am a senior at Colorado Academy. I have been a part of Asian Girls Ignite since 2020, doing everything from participating in the Youth Leadership Collective to serving as a Summer Camp Guide. I am so excited to review applications for the Wellness Grant this year!
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Hello! My name is Saige Ju (she/her) and I am a biracial Korean and Caucasian American. I was an AGI student for about 5 years before I graduated high school. I am currently a sophomore at UCLA studying microbiology, immunology and molecular genetics with a double major in Spanish. My favorite self care/ wellness practices are exploring LA with my friends, creating new dance choreography, going to see Broadway shows with my family and online shopping on prime day (haha!). I am thrilled to have been given the opportunity to review AGI wellness grant submissions!
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As the first generation to the US after the Vietnam War, and the 7th of 14 children, I understand the struggles Asian families faced living in two worlds with different expectations and goals. My Dad passed when I was 15, forcing me to grow up and take care of my mom and 7 younger siblings. I escaped the pressure to marry at a young age because I wanted to achieve MY goals and dreams instead. With a Bachelors in Business Management, Masters in Human Services and Public Administration, and a second Masters in Finance and Accounting, I am a proud public servant in law enforcement, and running two businesses of my own.
Apply Today
If you’re a Colorado AANHPI girl or gender-expansive youth in grades 6–12 who attended at least two AGI events this school year, we invite you to apply. Submissions are due by October 12, 2025.
Your story matters. Your wellness matters. And we’re ready to celebrate YOU!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Does my submission have to be a certain length?
A: Submissions can be submitted in the form of a written statement (approx. 500 words), a video (5 min max), or a voice recording (5 min max).
Q: How will I receive my scholarship funds?
A: Students will be rewarded $500 prepaid gift card.
Q: Who will be reviewing submissions and choosing recipients?
A: Your submissions will be reviewed by a panel of 5 impartial Reviewers. The panel of Reviewers can consist of students (who did not apply for a scholarship), AGILC members, past storytellers, board members, and AGI supporters in the community.
Q: Why is AGI doing this?
A: AGI is passionate about supporting student wellness. It brings us great joy to bring you joy. We love getting to know more about you and love learning about your self-care/wellness activities and rituals. What activities help you feel grounded and connected to yourself? We want to know!
About ASIAN GIRLS IGNITE
Founded in October 2020, Asian Girls Ignite is a non-profit organization that provides educational programs for AANHPI girls and gender-expansive youth to celebrate their individual and collective power. We use storytelling to empower the next generation to write their futures in their own voice. Our programs and events nurture social-emotional learning to help our students grow in resilience, empathy, and self-awareness.
