For funders & partners
A youth-first organization with deep community roots.
KARA Foundation serves Korean American youth and families, and their King County neighbors, through cultural education, hands-on food workshops, mentorship and leadership development. Every program is always free. This page gathers what grantmakers and partners usually ask for.
At a glance
- Legal name
- Korean American Restaurant Association
- Public name
- KARA Foundation
- Status
- Washington nonprofit corporation; 501(c)(3) public charity
- EIN
- 41-4947499
- Washington UBI
- 606 137 964
- Tax-exempt since
- March 6, 2026
- Fiscal year
- January 1 – December 31
- Registered address
- 100 N Howard Street, Suite R, Spokane, WA 99201
- Service area
- King County, Washington
- Who we serve
- Korean American children, teens and families, including immigrant parents and Korean-speaking grandparents; open to families of every background
- Cost to families
- Always free
- Stage
- Pilot delivered for 15 families in Bellevue; about four youth and family programs a year planned
What makes KARA different
Taught by tradition-bearers: Korean American restaurant owners and hospitality professionals, not outside instructors.
Intergenerational by design: kids, parents and grandparents take part together, in Korean and English.
Youth leadership built in: teens move from participant to volunteer to crew lead.
Always free, so cost never keeps an immigrant or low-income family away.
Programs and who they serve
“Piloted” means delivered once; “Planned” means not yet delivered. We’ll update status and results as programs run.
| Program | Who takes part | Need it meets | What participants gain | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonmat Saturdays | Kids, from toddlers up, with a parent or grandparent | Few hands-on, family-centered ways to learn Korean food culture | Kitchen skills, cultural pride, time together across generations | Piloted Bibimbap, 15 families, Bellevue |
| KARA Roots: Korean Food Heritage Festival Shoreline, April 2027, with a youth program in Bellevue | Youth, families, restaurant owners, artists and neighbors of every background | Neighbors rarely meet Korean traditions through the people who keep them | Authentic cultural experience and community connection | Planned |
| Youth Volunteer Crew | Teens | Teens need meaningful service and leadership roles | Service hours, leadership experience, a reference | Planned |
| Mentorship | Teens and young adults | Limited access to role models in food, hospitality and business | Career insight, confidence, a trusted adult | Planned |
| Youth entrepreneurship | Older youth | Few practical paths into business and hospitality careers | Business, marketing, legal basics, restaurant operations; running a festival booth | Planned |
| Founder Stories | Restaurant families; teen interviewers | Immigrant restaurant histories are being lost | A preserved record; teens gain interviewing skills | Planned |
What a grant makes possible
Because every program is free, grants pay directly for families’ seats at the table. One example of scale:
A $[AMOUNT] grant funds [NUMBER] free Sonmat Saturday workshops, reaching about [NUMBER] King County families over [MONTHS] months.
Cost of one workshop
Restaurant owners volunteer their time as instructors, so grant dollars go to materials and access, not teaching fees.
How we’ll measure progress
Documents
- IRS determination letter (PDF)
- EIN letter (PDF)
- Articles of incorporation (PDF)
- Form W-9 (PDF)
- First-year program plan and budget
- Child safety and safeguarding policy
- Nondiscrimination statement
Leadership
All of KARA’s leadership is based in Washington.
Talk to us
For grants, institutional partnerships and site visits.
Francis Woo, Executive Director
francis@karausa.org