LOS ANGELES — This week the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) awarded approximately $10 million in grants to 40 organizations in 25 states to help prepare lawful permanent residents (LPRs) for naturalization.
Of the $10 million, a grant of $250,000 has been awarded to each organization:
- Access California Services, Anaheim, Calif.
- Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA), Los Angeles
- Pars Equality Center, Sherman Oaks, Calif.
The fiscal year (FY) 2021 grants, which run through September 2023, provide funding to organizations that prepare LPRs for naturalization and promote civic integration through increased knowledge of English, U.S. history, and civics. USCIS received support from Congress through appropriations to make these funding opportunities available to communities.
USCIS awarded the grants through two competitive funding opportunities. The first funding opportunity supports organizations that provide citizenship instruction and naturalization application assistance to LPRs.
The second funding opportunity supports organizations that provide extended integration services to LPRs who have entered the U.S. as refugees or who have been granted asylum.
Through these grant opportunities, we seek to expand the availability of high-quality citizenship throughout the country under the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program.
The Citizenship and Integration Grant Program has awarded approximately $112 million through 513 competitive grants to immigrant-serving organizations in 39 states and the District of Columbia since it began in 2009. Now in its 13th year, the program has helped more than 290,500 LPRs prepare for citizenship.
For additional information on the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program for fiscal year 2021, visit www.uscis.gov/grants.
For more information on USCIS and its programs, please visit uscis.gov or follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
– USCIS –