Grants for Immigration and Refugee Services Organizations
Immigration and refugee services grants fund organizations that assist newcomers to the United States — refugees, asylum seekers, special immigrant visa holders, undocumented immigrants, and naturalized citizens. These organizations provide legal services, English language instruction, employment services, case management, cultural orientation, citizenship preparation, and emergency assistance. Federal funding for refugee resettlement and immigration services has shifted substantially in recent years based on refugee admissions caps and policy changes, making it essential for immigrant-serving organizations to maintain a diversified funding base across federal, state, and private sources. This guide covers the major funding streams.
Federal Grant Sources for Refugee and Immigration Services
Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) — HHS
ORR is the primary federal agency funding refugee resettlement and services. Its major programs include:
- Voluntary Agency Matching Grant Program: Funds intensive case management and employment services for newly arrived refugees through cooperative agreements with national resettlement agencies (IRC, World Relief, Church World Service, USCRI, LIRS, CWS, USCCB, ECDC, HIAS). Local affiliates of these agencies access matching grant funding through the national organization.
- Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) and Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA): Administered by state refugee programs; nonprofits contract with states to deliver services.
- Preferred Communities Program: Competitive grants to organizations serving refugees with complex needs including disabilities, trauma, and large family sizes.
- Refugee Agricultural Partnership Program: Grants for agricultural employment and training for refugees.
- Ethnic Community Self-Help Program: Capacity-building grants to ethnic community-based organizations serving their own refugee communities.
State Department — Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration (PRM)
PRM funds international humanitarian assistance and domestic refugee programs through cooperative agreements with international NGOs and domestic resettlement agencies. For domestic organizations, PRM funding primarily flows through national resettlement agencies, not directly to local nonprofits. Establishing an affiliation with a national resettlement agency is the primary pathway to PRM-funded programs for local organizations.
Department of Justice — EOIR Legal Access Programs
DOJ's Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) funds legal orientation programs and legal representation for immigrants in removal proceedings through cooperative agreements. The Legal Orientation Program (LOP) provides group legal information to detained individuals. The Vera Institute of Justice manages several DOJ-funded programs that subgrant to local legal services organizations. Contact EOIR's Office of Legal Access Programs for current cooperative agreement opportunities.
USCIS — Citizenship and Integration Grant Program
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services funds the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program, which provides competitive awards to nonprofits offering citizenship preparation and English language instruction. Grants range from $100,000 to $400,000 per award year. USCIS posts solicitations on Grants.gov; organizations must serve permanent residents who are eligible to naturalize. Awards fund instructors, materials, application assistance, and outreach.
HUD — Fair Housing and Community Development Programs
HUD's Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) funds education and outreach activities to immigrant communities about fair housing rights. HUD's Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds administered by local governments include eligible activities serving immigrant populations such as public services, language access improvements, and fair housing counseling.
Foundation Grants for Immigrant-Serving Organizations
Private foundations have stepped in significantly as federal funding for immigration services has fluctuated. Key private funders include: the Ford Foundation for immigration policy and integration work; the Carnegie Corporation of New York for immigrant civic integration and education; the W.K. Kellogg Foundation for immigrant family economic security; the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation for immigrant health access; the Unbound Philanthropy for immigration policy reform and integration; and the Oak Foundation for refugee policy and integration. Many community foundations have responded to local demographic changes by adding immigration and refugee services to their grant portfolios. The Chan Zuckerberg Initiative has also been active in immigrant education and economic mobility.
Eligibility and Application Tips
- Resettlement agency affiliation: For organizations seeking ORR refugee resettlement funding, affiliation with one of the nine national voluntary agencies is typically required. Affiliation provides access to federal funding streams and technical assistance, but comes with operational requirements around staffing, caseloads, and data systems.
- Language access documentation: Demonstrate your capacity to serve clients in their native languages. Document the languages your staff speaks and your interpretation protocols. Funders of immigrant services prioritize organizations with genuine language capacity, not just language access through telephone interpretation.
- Immigration legal services: If your organization provides legal representation in immigration proceedings, document attorney licensure, BIA accreditation (for non-attorney representatives), and your malpractice insurance. Funders of legal services programs scrutinize organizational credentialing carefully.
- Data privacy policies: Immigrant clients — particularly undocumented individuals — have legitimate privacy concerns. Document your data privacy and confidentiality policies in grant applications. Funders recognize this as a client trust issue, not just a compliance matter.
Find Immigration and Refugee Service Grants with FindGrants
Federal immigration funding is complex and frequently changes with federal policy. Private foundation immigration grantmaking is similarly dynamic. FindGrants.io continuously indexes grant opportunities for immigrant-serving nonprofits across ORR, USCIS, DOJ, HUD, and private foundations. Enter your organization profile and instantly see which grants match your programs, populations, and geography — so you can focus on applications, not research.