U.S. State Department Recognizes Bolshoi Ballet Academy Summer Intensive with a Grant! Russian American Foundation has been selected for the highly prestigious NSLI for Youth Program which allows RAF to send 10 students on an all expense paid summer intensive to Moscow combining Russian language, cultural immersion and Bolshoi Ballet Academy training!

The Russian American Foundation (formerly Russian American Arts Foundation) was founded in 1997 to encourage interest in and understanding of Russian heritage among all communities in the US, as well as to promote reciprocate interest in American heritage among global communities of the former Soviet Union. Over the years RAF's mission and activities expanded to additionally incorporate:

• Promoting economic and social development, progress and well being within the Russian speaking community in the New York area and the greater United States.


• Promoting a better understanding and acceptance of the Russian speaking community among the various other communities of the New York area and the greater United States.


• Engaging in activities which assist the Russian speaking community of the New York area and the greater United States in preserving their heritage, culture and language.

Today, the goal of RAF's activities and programming is to facilitate a better understanding of the global Russian speaking community and to assist the New York Russian speaking community in achieving a better standard of life while preserving ties to its heritage. RAF's activities are grouped under two divisions: The Russian American Arts Foundation and The Russian American Health Coalition.