Washington, D.C. – U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has announced the expansion of the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program, aimed at providing essential funding for citizenship preparation programs across the nation. The program, now accepting applications, will allocate up to $25 million in grants to prepare immigrants for naturalization and enhance civic integration through English language, U.S. history, and civics education. This year’s grants also welcome creative and innovative approaches to empower immigrants on their path to becoming American citizens.

USCIS Director, Ur M. Jaddou, stated, “Through our Citizenship and Integration Grant Program, we are committed to increasing integration services, such as English language, U.S. history, and civics instruction, to noncitizens on their journeys to becoming American citizens. Additional funding opportunities will enable organizations to reach more communities and ensure noncitizens have access to the tools and resources needed for citizenship education.”

The Citizenship and Integration Grant Program aims to extend high-quality citizenship and integration services throughout the country through the following grant opportunities:

1. Citizenship Instruction and Naturalization Application Services: This grant opportunity will support public or nonprofit organizations offering both citizenship instruction and naturalization application services to lawful permanent residents (LPRs). USCIS plans to award up to $300,000 each to 55 organizations for a two-year period. The application deadline is July 28, 2023.
2. Community and Regional Integration Network Grant: Formerly known as the Refugee and Asylee Integration Services Grant, this opportunity now includes organizations serving a wider range of vulnerable populations. USCIS will award up to $300,000 each to three public or nonprofit organizations that provide individualized programming to immigrants, including those admitted under the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program, granted asylum, or admitted as Cuban or Haitian entrants. The application deadline is also July 28, 2023.
3. Regional Hub Program: This grant aims to enhance community and organizational capacity for preparing LPRs for citizenship. Recipients will establish or expand citizenship networks and provide technical assistance to network members offering citizenship instruction and naturalization application services. USCIS anticipates awarding up to four grants, with each grant reaching up to $1 million for a two-year period. Applications are due by July 28, 2023.
4. Innovations in Citizenship Education Program: USCIS will fund organizations fostering creative approaches to preparing immigrants for naturalization and promoting civic, linguistic, and cultural integration. This program invests in initiatives that overcome barriers to naturalization and increase access to citizenship education and preparation services. USCIS expects to award up to $250,000 each to 14 organizations for two years. The application deadline is July 28, 2023.

Since 2009, the USCIS Citizenship and Integration Grant Program has awarded $132 million through 579 grants to immigrant-serving organizations. These grants have provided citizenship preparation services to over 300,000 immigrants in 39 states and the District of Columbia. For Fiscal Year 2023, USCIS has received support from Congress through appropriations to make these funding opportunities available, with award recipients to be announced in September 2023.