PARSA Foundation Awards $300K Grant to IAAB

The grant will enable IAAB to expand its programming by funding a new office and paid staff.

Over the past five years, IAAB has grown year over year with an all volunteer staff operating in multiple locations.

The PARSA grant leverages a remarkable track record in providing leadership development training to Iranian American youth towards a sustainable future in community service.

IAAB addresses the most current and relevant issues facing the Iranian diaspora by cultivating a safe environment for the exchange of ideas from various members of the community through programming that:

• Promotes awareness of the Iranian culture and community;
• Cultivates leadership in the Iranian diaspora community, with a specific focus on the younger generation; and
• Connects Iranians across borders wherever they may be.

This grant is the fifth grant PARSA CF has given to IAAB in four years, demonstrating our confidence in IAAB to empower and encourage Iranian youth to become active contributors to the Iranian-American community and society at large.

PARSA CF was one of the first organizations to recognize the potential of this rising nonprofit and support its mission by raising the profile of IAAB through publicity, film, newsletters and other communications.

With the support of a 2008 PARSA grant, IAAB launched its weekend leadership gathering for college and graduate students, known as the Student Summit. IAAB is the first Iranian-American organization to develop such a student gathering to share ideas, develop a national network of student leaders and make shared plans.

IAAB has created a wide range of other successful programs including:

• International Conference on the Iranian diaspora
• “Transform/Nation,” exhibitions of Iranian and Iranian diaspora art held simultaneously in Tehran and Washington, D.C.
• Project Connection, an online resource for students, created in conjunction with the Iranian Studies Group at MIT, to help students find internship opportunities in Iran
• High School Essay Contests to help students explore issues that most affect them
• Seminars on Bam-related earthquake relief efforts that engaged diaspora and international organizations

PARSA CF’s goal in working with small non-profits such as IAAB has been to give them the flexibility to focus on developing strong and impactful programming rather than devoting nearly all of their resources to fundraising.   With the help of PARSA CF’s network of Iranian-American philanthropists, IAAB has been able to provide the community with innovative projects that meet the rapidly changing needs of the Iranian-American community.