America is Home Initiative
ABOUT AMERICA IS HOME
The Cities & Counties for Citizenship (CC4C) “America is Home” Initiative is a four-year, $5 million challenge grant program to help municipalities and community partners encourage U.S. citizenship among eligible immigrants and increase naturalization application rates.
Our nation has always been a home to those seeking freedom, opportunity, and refuge from persecution. These new Americans have pursued their American Dreams; helped to build our nation; and continue to contribute with their hard work. When immigrants naturalize they make an affirmative decision to study English, U.S. history and government, and swear allegiance to our Constitution. Naturalized citizens have higher income, generate more taxes, connect with their neighbors more easily, and assume their full rights and responsibilities in this country, to proudly say “America is Home”. The CC4C “America is Home” initiative is a program of Cities & Counties for Citizenship, administered by the National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA) and offered in cooperation with the New Americans Campaign (NAC). NPNA and NAC are two organizations that are leaders in our nation in promoting U.S. citizenship.
The CC4C “America is Home” Initiative:
Provides two-year challenge grants of two tiers: $25,000 or $40,000 annually.
Encourages partnerships of community-based organizations (and / or labor organizations) with Mayors and Municipalities.
Requires local funding to match the challenge grants, and long-term sustainability.
Requires the participation of Municipalities to sign on to Cities & Counties for Citizenship (CC4C)
Build the “learning community” of Cities & Counties for Citizenship (CC4C)
Provides scholarships for grantees to attend the Annual CC4C Municipal Gathering at NPNA’s National Immigrant Integration Conference (NIIC).
Increases citizenship outreach and application rates among lawful permanent residents (LPR’s), including AAPI communities.
Develops effective naturalization outreach and communications plans
Has three rounds of grant-making, with two-year grants awarded, beginning in 2018, 2019, and 2020. If an application is not funded in the current year, applicants will be invited to re-apply in the following year.
WHO CAN APPLY?
Applicants should be a community-based organization with 501(c)(3) status or a labor organization partnering with the local Mayor’s office. Cities that participate must be current members of Cities & Counties for Citizenship (CC4C), OR new municipalities that are committed to join CC4C that year.
HOW TO APPLY:
The CC4C America is Home is currently not accepting applications.
About Cities & Counties for Citizenship (CC4C) Initiative
NPNA is a co-founder of the Cities & Counties for Citizenship (CC4C) initiative, a major national initiative aimed at increasing citizenship among eligible U.S. permanent residents and encouraging cities across the country to invest in citizenship programs. CC4C is a growing network of currently 86 cities and counties that is chaired by New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, and Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, with coordination run by the National Partnership for New Americans and the Center for Popular Democracy. Citi Community Development is the founding corporate partner who first invested in CC4C in 2014.