Asialink

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: £406,000+ in grants (plus £122,000 for Bible distribution, £123,000 for social development)
• Grant Recipients: 26 projects across 17 Asian countries
• Geographic Focus: Asia (unreached people groups)
• Application Process: No public application process - invitation/selection only
• Total Income: £1,180,559 (2024)

Contact Details

Address: Northwich Business Centre, Meadow Street, Northwich, Cheshire CW9 5BF

Phone: 01606 227394

Email: info@asialink.org

Website: www.asialink.org

Overview

ASIALINK (Charity Number 327165) was founded in 1986 as a Christian mission agency connecting churches in the UK, Ireland, and other countries with ministry among unreached peoples of Asia. With annual income of £1.18 million and charitable expenditure of £1.08 million, ASIALINK operates on the principle that “nobody reaches Asians better than Asians.” The organization focuses on empowering indigenous church planters, evangelists, and local organizations rather than sending UK missionaries. Their strategic approach centers on three main areas: Scripture translation and distribution, empowering local workers, and providing humanitarian aid. The organization is driven by the reality that over 3 billion people remain unreached by the gospel, with over 75% living in Asia with no Bible, no local church, and no Christian witness.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

ASIALINK does not operate public grant programs. Instead, they provide ongoing support to indigenous partners they have identified and selected:

• Indigenous Worker Support: £406,000 distributed across 26 projects in 17 Asian countries
• Bible Distribution: £122,000 for translation, printing, and distribution
• Social Development: £123,000 towards 9 initiatives in 7 Asian countries
• Material Support: Provision of resources such as motorbikes (15 provided across 7 countries) and winter kits (600 to Mongolian children)

Through their 'Challenge 25' initiative, they supported 25 new workers across 11 countries.

Priority Areas

ASIALINK focuses exclusively on:

• Gospel Ministry: Supporting evangelists and church planters among unreached Asian people groups
• Scripture Access: Bible translation, printing, and distribution in areas with limited access
• Disciple-Making: Training and nurturing local evangelists within their communities
• Humanitarian Aid: Relief to marginalized communities, combined with gospel sharing
• Indigenous Leadership: Empowering local believers to lead and impact their communities

What They Don't Fund

As a Christian mission agency focused on their own selected partners:

• Organizations outside of Asia
• Projects not centered on Christian evangelism or discipleship
• External organizations they have not identified and vetted
• General humanitarian work without explicit gospel ministry component
• Secular educational or development projects

Ready to write a winning application for Asialink?

Our AI helps you craft proposals that match their exact priorities. Save 10+ hours and increase your success rate.

Get Free Beta Access

Governance and Leadership

Trustees: 3 trustees (names available on Charity Commission register)

Staff: 14 employees (no employees receive benefits over £60,000)

Volunteers: 5 active volunteers

Governance: Established by Declaration of Trust dated 10 June 1986, amended by supplemental deed dated 26 January 1999

Key Operating Principles: According to their materials, ASIALINK “exists and operates by the grace of God” and takes “responsibility of stewarding all resources entrusted to us very seriously.” The organization emphasizes being “creative, timely and effective” with resource use.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

ASIALINK does not have a public application process. They do not accept unsolicited applications from organizations seeking funding.

The organization operates by identifying and selecting indigenous workers, church planters, and organizations in Asia that align with their mission. Funding decisions are made by trustees based on their strategic priorities and ongoing relationships with partners in the field.

Partner Selection Approach

Based on available information, ASIALINK:

• Proactively identifies indigenous workers and organizations in Asia
• Focuses on workers who disciple local churches, reach unreached people groups, provide relief to marginalized communities, and distribute Christian literature
• Prioritizes indigenous leadership: “We believe that nobody reaches Asians better than Asians”
• Operates “inside the culture, empowering local believers to lead and impact in every sphere of life”
• Provides ongoing support rather than one-time grants

Application Success Factors

Since ASIALINK does not accept external applications, organizations cannot directly apply for funding. However, understanding what ASIALINK values in their partners is instructive:

What ASIALINK Prioritizes:

1. Indigenous Leadership: They explicitly state their belief in supporting Asian believers reaching their own people. Western or non-Asian organizations would not align with this model.

1. Gospel-Centered Work: All funded activities combine practical aid with explicit Christian evangelism and discipleship. Pure humanitarian work without gospel ministry does not fit their model.

1. Unreached Focus: ASIALINK targets “unreached people groups” - communities with no Bible, no local church, and no Christian witness.

1. Grassroots Impact: They support “grassroots discipleship programmes” and workers embedded in local communities rather than large institutional projects.

1. Holistic Ministry: Projects that combine social development (relief for poor and marginalized groups) with gospel sharing align with their approach.

Recent Funding Examples:

While specific project names are not publicly detailed, their impact reporting shows they fund:

• Church planters and evangelists in communities with no Christian presence
• Bible translation and distribution projects
• Social development initiatives that serve as platforms for gospel sharing
• Training programs for local evangelists
• Material support (motorbikes, winter kits) that enables ministry work

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Not Applicable for External Applications: ASIALINK does not accept unsolicited applications or operate as a traditional grant-maker open to external organizations.

• Relationship-Based Model: They work exclusively with partners they have identified and selected, typically indigenous workers and organizations in Asia.

• Indigenous Focus is Absolute: Only Asian-led initiatives would potentially align with their stated philosophy that “nobody reaches Asians better than Asians.”

• Gospel Ministry is Non-Negotiable: All funded work must center on Christian evangelism, church planting, or discipleship - humanitarian work alone is insufficient.

• Long-term Partnership Over One-time Grants: Their model appears to emphasize ongoing support relationships rather than discrete project grants.

• Unreached People Groups Priority: Focus is explicitly on areas with no existing Christian witness, not strengthening existing churches.

• Not Suitable for UK Organizations: As they fund work in Asia by Asian believers, UK-based organizations seeking funding would not fit their model.

References

• Charity Commission Register: https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=327165
• ASIALINK Official Website: https://www.asialink.org/
• ASIALINK “What We Do” page: https://www.asialink.org/about-us/what-we-do
• ASIALINK “Our Impact” page: https://www.asialink.org/about-us/our-impact
• NGO Explorer - ASIALINK: https://ngoexplorer.org/charity/327165
• OSCAR (Overseas Service to Christian Agencies Resource): https://oscar.org.uk/agencies/asialink