Applications for two funding opportunities under the Citizenship and Assimilation Grant Program are now being accepted by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Mandated by cCongress and funding with appropriations, these grant opportunities will give up to $10 million in grants for citizenship preparation programs in different communities across the country.
The goal of USCIS is to expand the availability of high-quality citizenship and assimilation services with the following grants:
- Citizenship Instruction and Naturalization Application Services: This will fund up to 33 organizations that offer both citizenship instruction and naturalization application services to lawful permanent residents.
- The Refugee and Asylee Assimilation Program: This will fund up to six organizations to provide individualized services to lawful permanent residents who came to the country under the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program or were granted asylum.
The competitive grant opportunities are open to organizations that prepare lawful permanent residents for naturalization and promote civic assimilation through increased knowledge of English, United States history, and civics. Applications for both these grants are due by August 31.
When making the final award decisions, USCIS will consider different program and organizational factors. This includes past grantee performance. USCIS expects to announce the award recipients in September 2020 as long as agency staff are available to review the applications and oversee the program. If not, the grant program could be impacted or even terminated for the fiscal year.
All funded grant recipients are required to enroll in E-Verify as a regular employer. This must be done within 30 days of receiving the award. They must also remain as a participant in good standing with E-Verify the entire time of the grant performance. Those who are funded will be required to verify all new hires at locations performing work on the program or activity that is funded under the grant. New this year, there is a prerequisite that applicants and sub-awardees certified under the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) are required to comply with all SEVP requirements when they apply.
Those who want to apply for a grant can do so here. Individuals with further questions should not hesitate to contact our firm for assistance.
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The Law Offices of Cheryl R. David practices immigration law throughout NYC. Immigration is a sensitive issue, which is why you should consider a compassionate, experienced, and aggressive immigration attorney who will guide you every step of the way. If you have questions about your particular matters regarding immigration please do not hesitate to contact our office to discuss your circumstances and options.