Citizenship and Integration Grant Program (Citizenship Instruction and Naturalization Application Services - CINAS)

Citizenship and Integration Grant Program (Citizenship Instruction and Naturalization Application Services - CINAS) is sponsored by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The goal of this program is to expand the availability of high-quality citizenship preparation services for lawful permanent residents (LPRs) across the nation.

It aims to provide opportunities for immigrants to gain the knowledge and skills necessary to integrate into American society. Activities include making citizenship instruction and naturalization application services accessible to low-income and underserved LPR populations.

Fiscal Year 2024 Citizenship and Integration Grant Program | USCIS Fiscal Year 2024 Citizenship and Integration Grant Program The information on this page is out of date. However, some of the content may still be useful, so we have archived the page. On April 24, 2024, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services began accepting applications for a competitive funding opportunity under the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program.

Through this opportunity, USCIS will offer up to $10 million in competitive funding for organizations that help prepare immigrants for naturalization and promote civic integration through increased knowledge of English, U.S. history, and civics.

Citizenship Instruction and Naturalization Application Services (CINAS) This opportunity is for public or nonprofit organizations that prepare immigrants for citizenship by offering both citizenship instruction and naturalization application services.

Funding Opportunity: DHS-24-CIS-010-002 Application Deadline: June 21, 2024 (no extensions) Estimated Number of Awards: Up to 40 Anticipated Funding Amount: Up to $10 million Performance Period: Two years (comprising two budget periods, each lasting one year) Anticipated Award Date: September 2024 Maximum Grant Award: Maximum grant award is $300,000 ($150,000 for the first year and an anticipated $150,000 for the second year) To be eligible for funding, you must provide the following types of services under the program: Citizenship instruction to prepare lawful permanent residents (LPRs) for the naturalization test and interview.

Your program must include: The provision of at least 40 hours of citizenship instruction over a 10- to 12-week class cycle with managed enrollment to at least 120 students at the National Reporting System for Adult Education (NRS) low beginning to advanced (NRS Levels 2-6); A curriculum that includes all components in the USCIS Sample Curriculum found at uscis.

gov/citizenship : Instruction in U.S. history and government for test preparation and the promotion of civic integration; Activities that promote civic and linguistic integration; Civics-based ESL instruction in reading, writing, and speaking for the naturalization test, naturalization process, and required integration activities; Instruction on the naturalization interview and Form N-400; and Instruction on the rights and responsibilities of citizenship.

Instruction primarily delivered in English on the naturalization process and eligibility interview; The use of a nationally normed standardized test of English proficiency and the CASAS Citizenship Assessment to place and assess progress of all students enrolled under this program (at least 80% of post-tested students must demonstrate educational gains as shown by improved standardized test scores); The use of a current adult citizenship textbook that aligns with the skill level of the students in the class (published textbooks only; we will not accept compilations of worksheets or handouts); all students must be issued a textbook for their own personal use to keep; and The use of citizenship teachers who have degrees in education (K-12 Social Studies, History, TESOL or Adult Education) or who have at least one year of experience as the lead teacher in a class for adult immigrants.

Naturalization application services, within the scope of the authorized practice of immigration law, to support LPRs in the naturalization application and interview process.

Programs must: Provide naturalization eligibility screenings; Prepare and submit Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, with Form G-28, Notice of Entry of Appearance as Attorney or Accredited Representative, over the two-year period of performance for at least 120 immigrants; Provide ongoing case management; Prepare students for the naturalization interview; and Use a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) accredited representative (partial accreditation is acceptable) or an attorney who is an employee of the applicant’s organization or the sub-awardee organization.

Attorneys and accredited representatives must sign Form N-400 as the preparer and submit Form G- 28 with each Form N-400 filed under this grant. Organizations may also use grant funding to: Have an accredited representative or licensed attorney appear with clients at the naturalization interview; and File other naturalization-related forms or documents (such as Form N-648, Medical Certification for Disability Exceptions), if applicable.

Eligible entities include: City or township governments; Independent school districts; Native American tribal governments; Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) IRS status, other than institutions of higher education; Public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; Special district governments; and To be eligible for this program, applicants must meet the below requirements: Applicants must be an organization with public or non-profit status; The applicant or sub-applicant must have at least one year of experience in the past three years providing citizenship instruction in a classroom setting that follows a curriculum and uses a citizenship textbook; and The applicant or sub-applicant must have at least one year of experience in the past three years providing naturalization application services within the authorized practice of immigration law to clients, and must: Be recognized by the DOJ and employ at least one DOJ-accredited representative employee (partial accreditation is acceptable) with experience providing clients with naturalization representation; or Have at least one attorney on staff as a paid employee with experience in providing clients with naturalization representation.

Organizations are not eligible to receive funding under this opportunity if they are: A for-profit law firm or attorney in private practice; A current awardee or sub-awardee under the FY 2023 Citizenship and Integration Grant Program Citizenship Instruction and Naturalization Application Services Grant (funding opportunity DHS-23-CIS-010-002) or Community and Regional Integration Network Grant (DHS-23-CIS-010-003).

If DHS determines at any point during the review process that an application does not meet these eligibility requirements, we will remove the application from further consideration. On May 15, 2024, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services began accepting applications for a new competitive funding opportunity under the Citizenship and Integration Grant Program: the Citizenship and Integration Training Academy (CITA).

CITA, a technical assistance grant, will provide up to $2. 6 million in competitive funding to public or nonprofit organizations that have not received previous grant funding from USCIS. Through this grant opportunity, USCIS will provide funding and rigorous training to enable organizations to establish new high-quality citizenship programs.

Through the CITA grant, USCIS continues to fulfill President Biden’s charge in Executive Order 14012 (Restoring Faith in Our Legal Immigration Systems and Strengthening Integration and Inclusion Efforts for New Americans) to “eliminate barriers in the naturalization process” and “make it more accessible to all eligible individuals.

” USCIS also continues to pursue its goals under the Interagency Strategy for Promoting Naturalization to address the needs of remote, isolated, and/or vulnerable populations by equipping more organizations to serve these communities.

Citizenship and Integration Training Academy (CITA) In the first year of the CITA grant, USCIS will provide 12 months of rigorous, mandatory virtual training for grant recipient staff to impart the requisite technical skills, knowledge, and capacity to establish and implement a high-quality citizenship education program for lawful permanent residents (LPRs).

During the second and third years, USCIS staff will closely follow and support program implementation and will also provide technical assistance to grant recipients. This grant also offers an optional component for funded organizations to pursue and establish a naturalization application services program staffed by two Department of Justice (DOJ)- accredited representatives .

Funding Opportunity: DHS-23-CIS-010-005 Application Deadline: July 12, 2024 (no extensions) Estimated Number of Awards: Up to 7 awards Anticipated Funding Amount: Up to $2.

6 million Performance Period: Three years Anticipated Award Date: September 2024 Maximum Grant Award: Maximum grant award is $400,000 To be eligible for funding, applicants must demonstrate a minimum of one year of experience within the past three years providing adult education, English as a second language (ESL) instruction, or other services to adult immigrants.

Applicants must also demonstrate extensive knowledge of the community they propose to serve.

Community Needs Assessment: A description of the geographic boundaries of the community to be served; data on the estimated size of the LPR population in the community; the need for citizenship education services (and naturalization application services, if applicable) within the defined geographic area; information on other local citizenship providers and the services they offer.

Demonstrated Organizational Capacity: A detailed description of the applicant’s interest in and ability to create a citizenship program, including information on the organization’s experience working with adult immigrants, the organization’s experience providing adult education (if applicable), and specific staff members with skills or experience in these areas.

Statement of Intent to Establish a Naturalization Application Services Program, if applicable: All applicants must indicate in their application if they intend to establish a tandem naturalization application services program, including the pursuit of DOJ recognition and accreditation under this grant.

Eligible Applicants include: City or township governments Special district governments Independent school districts Public or state-controlled institutions of higher education Indian/Native American tribal governments (federally recognized) Indian/Native American tribal organizations (other than federally recognized) Indian/Native American tribally designated organizations Public/Indian housing authorities Nonprofits with 501(c)(3) IRS status, other than institutions of higher education Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) Tribally controlled colleges and universities (TCCUs) Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian serving institutions Organizations are not eligible to receive funding under this opportunity if they are: For-profit law firms or attorneys in private practice Currently funded under the USCIS Citizenship and Integration Grant Program Previous USCIS grantees, whether as a primary grant recipient, subrecipient, or contractor If DHS determines at any point during the review process that an application does not meet these eligibility requirements, we will remove the application from further consideration.

For additional information and updates on the FY 2024 Citizenship and Integration Grant Program, visit uscis. gov/grants or email the USCIS Office of Citizenship at citizenshipgrantprogram@uscis. dhs.

gov . Please direct all media inquiries to the USCIS Office of Public Affairs at 202-272-1200. Since it began in FY 2009, USCIS has awarded $155 million through 644 competitive grants to immigrant-serving organizations in 41 states and the District of Columbia.

The program has helped more than 350,000 immigrants prepare for citizenship. Through this grant opportunity, USCIS seeks to expand the availability of high-quality citizenship preparation services and to provide opportunities for immigrants to gain the knowledge and training necessary to promote their integration into the fabric of American society.

Increased learning opportunities and additional citizenship instruction resources in communities will help immigrants improve their English language skills, increase their knowledge of U.S. history and government, and gain the tools to become successful citizens and meet their responsibilities as U.S. citizens.

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