The Citizenship and Integration Program is a competitive grant program for non-profit and public organizations that prepares lawful permanent residents for citizenship and promotes immigrant civic integration. The primary purpose of the grant program is to expand high-quality citizenship preparation services. USCIS will offer up to $10 million of grant monies to qualified organizations. To be eligible for the funding, your organization must provide citizenship instruction and naturalization application services.
Citizenship Instruction Criteria:
- Must enroll a minimum of 200 non-duplicate lawful permanent residents in citizenship classes with a minimum of 40 hours of instruction over the two year period of the grant;
- Citizenship faculty must have at least one year of experience teaching citizenship or English as a Second Language (ESL) to adult students;
- Must use a nationally normed standardized test of English proficiency in order to properly place students in classes and assess their progress; and
- Provide at least 40 hours of citizenship instruction over an 8-15 week class cycle for students that are at or below the NRS high intermediate level.
Naturalization Application Services Criteria:
- Provide naturalization screening;
- Must prepare and submit a minimum of 200 naturalization forms (N-400) with accompanying Form G-28, Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Representative over the two year grant period;
- Provide ongoing case management; and
- Must use a BIA accredited representative or an attorney who is an employee of your organization who must sign each Form N-400 as the preparer, submit Form G-28 with each Form N-400, and mail the naturalization application to USCIS on behalf of the client. (You may use pro bono attorneys in addition to the staff attorney or BIA representative).
Applications for the 2015 fiscal program are due May 15, 2015. For more information and complete filing instructions on the FY 2015 Citizenship and Integration Grant Program, visit http://www.uscis.gov/grants or email the USCIS Office of Citizenship at citizenshipgrantprogram@uscis.dhs.gov