The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced the expansion of the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program. This program aims to provide funding for citizenship preparation programs across the nation, promoting civic integration and helping immigrants on their path to naturalization.
With up to $25 million in grants available, the program supports initiatives that enhance English language skills, U.S. history knowledge, and civics education among noncitizens. In addition to traditional citizenship and English classes, the 2023 grants encourage innovative approaches to better prepare immigrants for naturalization.
The program offers various grant opportunities:
- Citizenship Instruction and Naturalization Application Services: This grant supports organizations providing citizenship instruction and assistance with naturalization applications. USCIS expects to award up to 55 organizations with grants of up to $300,000 each for two years.
- Community and Regional Integration Network Grant: This grant focuses on individualized programming to specific immigrant populations, including refugees, asylees, Cuban or Haitian entrants, Special Immigrant Visa holders, trafficking victims, and survivors of abuse. USCIS plans to award up to three organizations grants of up to $300,000 each for two years.
- Regional Hub Program: This grant aims to build community and organizational capacity by creating or expanding citizenship networks and providing technical assistance to network members. Up to four grants of up to $1 million each will be awarded for two years.
- Innovations in Citizenship Education Program: This grant supports creative approaches to citizenship preparation and integration. Up to 14 organizations may receive grants of up to $250,000 each for two years.
Since 2009, the USCIS Citizenship and Integration Grant Program has provided $132 million through 579 grants, benefiting over 300,000 immigrants across 39 states and the District of Columbia. The application deadline for the 2023 grants is July 28, 2023, with award recipients expected to be announced in September 2023.
