$5M in Grants for City-Led Naturalization Partnerships

The National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA) and the New Americans Campaign (NAC) are offering a $5 million challenge grant to promote naturalization in the U.S. Called the “America is Home” Initiative, the program aims to help municipalities and community partners encourage U.S. citizenship among eligible immigrants and increase naturalization application rates.

The initiative will re-grant funds through Cities for Citizenship (C4C) to 45 partnerships between municipalities and community organizations across the country. Two-year challenge grants of $25,000 or $40,000 a year will be issued annually to launch innovative, local citizenship campaigns. The grants will be distributed in 2018, 2019 and 2020 and will support partnerships between community-based organizations and mayors’ offices to support new and emerging naturalization efforts in cities across the nation.

C4C America is Home was formally announced by Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, C4C co-chair, during the U.S. Conference of Mayors 86th Annual Meeting’s opening press conference.

“By empowering eligible residents to go naturalize, we help all residents become more integrated in our city social and economic fabric. We know that they will need to receive the knowledge, tools and support necessary to guide them as they learn and apply for U.S. citizenship,” said Garcetti.

A 2014 study by C4C, a network of 42 cities and counties, found that naturalized immigrants achieve an increase in earnings from eight to 11 percent. With 9 million eligible for citizenship, the potential increase to the economy is an estimated $52 billion.

Citizenship unlocks better opportunities and a greater sense of security for our communities and our cities…I am encouraged that the America is Home Initiative will extend these benefits, supporting city leaders’ efforts to help new Americans naturalize,” said New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, C4C co-chair, in NPNA and NAC’s prepared statement.

“In Anaheim, new citizens are helping us build a stronger, more connected city where residents, regardless of where they are born, are connected by the shared experience of being Americans,” said Anaheim, California, Mayor Tom Tait.

Learn more about America is Home grants on PartnershipforNewAmericans.org.