Federal
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
07/05/22
08/05/22 11:59 PM EST
Grants to USA government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and Tribes for creative projects and programs to help new immigrants prepare to become United States citizens. Applicants are advised to complete required registrations well in advance of the deadline. Funding is intended for innovative approaches to preparing immigrants for naturalization and encouraging the civic, linguistic, and cultural integration of immigrants into their communities. USCIS will consider applications for all types of citizenship preparation innovations. The most successful applicants will propose innovations that address an existing challenge within the citizenship preparation field and will include key performance indicators related to attaining U.S. citizenship.
OoC is charged with promoting instruction and training on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship. USCIS recognizes that naturalization is a key milestone in the civic integration of immigrants. Naturalization requirements, such as knowledge of English and U.S. history and government, encourage civic learning and build a strong foundation upon which immigrants can fully integrate into society. Through preparing for naturalization, immigrants gain tools to become successful citizens and meet their responsibilities as United States citizens.
The goal of the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program is to expand the availability of high-quality citizenship preparation services for immigrants across the nation and to provide opportunities for immigrants to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to integrate into the fabric of American society.
Educating future citizens is a core component of the Citizenship and Integration Grant program. Citizenship education provides immigrants with the skills and knowledge they need to prepare for citizenship, including instruction in English as a Second Language (ESL), U.S. history and government, and the naturalization process. Citizenship education programs have always faced challenges, such as student recruitment and retention, hiring qualified instructors, and tracking long-term program success. The COVID-19 pandemic magnified these challenges and created new hurdles to preparing immigrants for citizenship.
Simultaneously, the pandemic greatly accelerated change and innovation across nearly every sector. Many citizenship education programs have developed new and innovative ways of preparing students for citizenship. Similarly, welcoming communities are experimenting with creative ways to re-engage and reconnect with both immigrant and native-born populations.
Accordingly, USCIS is launching a special initiative – Innovations in Citizenship Education – designed to amplify innovation. USCIS will award innovations grants to organizations that foster creative approaches to preparing immigrants for naturalization and encouraging the civic, linguistic, and cultural integration of immigrants into their communities.
Examples of potential innovations include, but are not limited to:
A. Innovations that engage hard-to-reach populations,
B. Innovations in Citizenship preparation,
C. Innovations that build the capacity of other immigrant-serving organizations,
D. Innovations that support the digital access and digital literacy,
E. Innovations that develop new citizenship education tools or resources that can be shared nationally.
For Allowable Costs, see page 14 of the NOFO in Attached Files below.
GrantWatch ID#: 204362
$2,000,000
Up to 40; The total number of awards will be determined based on the proposals received.
Maximum grant award is $250,000 ($125,000 for the first year and $125,000 for the second year)
- Period of Performance: 24 months
- Projected Period of Performance Start Date(s): 10/01/2022
- Projected Period of Performance End Date(s): 09/30/2024
Before starting your grant application, please review the funding source's website listed below for updates/changes/addendums/conferences/LOIs.
USCIS Program Office (Office of Citizenship):
- Send all questions to citizenshipgrantprogram@uscis.dhs.gov.
- USCIS Office of Citizenship staff will respond within five business days.
DHS Grants Office: Send all questions to the Grants Officer at CISMailbox@hq.dhs.gov
For a hard copy of the full NOFO, please write or fax a request to:
Jacqueline Greely
Grants Officer
CISMailbox@hq.dhs.gov
Fax: 202-447-5600
If you use assistive technology and are unable to access any materials on Grants.gov, please email the Support Center at support@grants.gov.
Applications will be processed through the Grants.gov portal. If you experience difficulties accessing information or have any questions, please call 1-800-518-4726.
DHS-22-CIS-010-004
USA: Alabama; Alaska; Arizona; Arkansas; California; Colorado; Connecticut; Delaware; Florida; Georgia; Hawaii; Idaho; Illinois; Indiana; Iowa; Kansas; Kentucky; Louisiana; Maine; Maryland; Massachusetts; Michigan; Minnesota; Mississippi; Missouri; Montana; Nebraska; Nevada; New Hampshire; New Jersey; New Mexico; New York City; New York; North Carolina; North Dakota; Ohio; Oklahoma; Oregon; Pennsylvania; Rhode Island; South Carolina; South Dakota; Tennessee; Texas; Utah; Vermont; Virginia; Washington, DC; Washington; West Virginia; Wisconsin; Wyoming
Grants to USA Tribes, IHEs, local and state agencies, and nonprofit organizations to develop and support volunteer programs in local communities. Applicants are advised that required registrations may take several weeks to complete. Funding is intended for programs that
Grants to Oregon nonprofit organizations, government entities, and K-12 schools for neighborhood and community improvement projects in eligible regions. Funding is intended for projects that focus on underserved populations, improve the environment, preserve wildlife, e
Grants to Colorado school districts to address attendance and truancy-related issues among students. Funding is intended to reduce the incidence of suspension and expulsion. Eligible uses of funding include program development costs, salaries, and benefits, as well as t
Grants to Montana nonprofit organizations and government agencies for projects to decrease and prevent pollution throughout the state. Applicants are advised that required registrations must be completed prior to submitting a grant application. Funding is intended for t
Grants of up to $30,000 to Washington agencies, businesses, individuals, and organizations to preserve official historic city landmarks and properties in eligible areas. Applicants must contact program staff prior to applying. Funding is intended for projects focusing o
Grants of up to $10,000 to California nonprofit arts organizations for public arts and cultural programming in eligible locations. New applicants must attend a grant application workshop prior to submitting an application. Funding is intended for direct costs associated
Grants to Massachusetts nonprofit organizations for programs and projects that benefit local communities. Applicants must submit a letter of intent prior to submitting a full proposal. Priority funding is intended to address the needs of low-income youth, children, and
Grants to USA and Canada nonprofit charitable organizations to impact public policy in a variety of national and international issues. In previous years, grants have been awarded for general operations and project support to think tanks, national councils, judicial orga
Grants to New York and Pennsylvania families living in eligible areas and caring for a child with cancer to offset expenses related to the child's cancer treatments. Funding is intended to cover costs not covered by health insurance, including travel costs, housing, and
Grants of up to $20,000 to Michigan nonprofit organizations for innovative arts programs and projects that reflect community diversity and enhance the local quality of life in eligible locations. Funding is intended to increase access to culture and arts for businesses,
204362_INNOVATIONS_FY2022_NOFO_v3_FINAL_06242022.pdf