USCIS Citizenship and Integration Grant Program
USCIS is excited to announce the FY 2010 Citizenship and Integration Grant Program, a $7 million initiative that will support the expansion of citizenship preparation programs in communities across the country.
United States citizenship is one of the most important ways for immigrants to become fully vested members of this country and although the decision to pursue this goal is a very personal one, the benefits of citizenship run deep. Citizenship not only creates new opportunities for hundreds of thousands of individuals each year, it also strengthens the very fabric of our nation.
For many, the naturalization process can seem overwhelming. Through this funding we seek to expand preparation programs to ensure that those who are committed to the goal of becoming a U.S. citizen receive the support they need to be successful. Expanded opportunities and additional resources in communities will allow immigrants to improve their English language skills and knowledge of U.S. history and government as they prepare for the naturalization application and interview process.
In 2009, we awarded a total of $1.2 million in grants to 13 organizations that serve immigrants across the country. These grant recipients are promoting the rights and responsibilities of citizenship through new opportunities for civics-based English and citizenship instruction and naturalization preparation assistance - impacting nearly 70,000 lawful permanent residents (LPRs) in 11 states.
Building on the success of the 2009 program, we will offer two competitive grant opportunities this year. The first will strengthen locally-based citizenship preparation programs. The second will increase the capacity of members or affiliates of national, regional, or statewide organizations to offer citizenship services in underserved communities. An estimated 50 awards are expected and recipients will be announced in September 2010. To learn more about both announcements, please visit www.uscis.gov/grants.
The application package is available at http://www.grants.gov/. Please continue to check our grants page for updates and additional information.
It is our honor to support eligible, aspiring citizens and the many organizations that serve them. We hope this program provides the mechanism and support for new resources and expanded citizenship assistance in communities nationwide.
Rebecca S. Carson
Chief, USCIS Office of Citizenship
Labels: Citizenship
posted by USCIS Blog Team @ 3:15 PM
34 Comments
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34 Comments:
Why wouldn't USCIS use that money to educate its own staff so they can keep current?
The visa dates for India and China are stagnant, why should Indians and Chinese pay for EAD, AP ETC. and their renewal, when they are victims of USCIS'S INEPTNESS?
Funding to external agencies is not a priority task of USCIS by any means. USCIS is yet to clear the backlogs on immigration petitions.
USCIS must divert the funds to hire few more employees to expedite the immigration process and make the application process more smoother for prospective applicants.
Base on the premises that the USCIS has taken the initiate to launch an Intergration Grant Program of such, allowing various private agencies the opportunity to apply and obtain said Grant, is a milestone implemented by the USCIS under the directive of Commissioner Mayorkas and his Staff of competent employees. I am of the opinion that they will be successful in expediting this Program and may I also extend my personal thanks and appreciation to you all and hope this Program enables those who are in search of a better life be fulfill.
The first benefit of a US citizen is to bring his family is to live in the US. Why is it taking so long for a Married son or daughter of a US citizen to get approved. My Married daughter is my flesh and blood and should not be treated differently. Please speed up this process my grand kids need a proper education.
USCIS is a very unorganised Dept. and they are giving false information to nearly everyone about the approval times of their applications. I have ran 2000 reciept numbers through their case status site and it was very interesting how they could approve most of the petitions in just a few days span. Yet most are still not processed. I suspect the approval notices are just a sham to make the paper work look good. Congress needs to investigate the practice that they use to process the petitions. I hope they cannot trace this because I like many others are simply afraid of them. They have the power to make a person life miserable. I know they have made mine miserable. If someone with the authority were to check they would see there is a very big problem with them
Visa bulletin for Married children of U.S. citizen have been stagnant for a long time. Since there is no way to know when visas might be available for this particular category, it drives us crazy because we can not make any plans regarding schooling for kids or use other immigration channel. I think it would be better if somehow the government can let us the petitioner know how long it would take for the visa to become available for this category after the application has been approved. Unlike other family petitions, F3 seems to have no regular pattern with its visa availability date. I have had the application in for 9 years now, but still waiting for the visa to become available. We really need to streamline this process just like other categories. I believe it used to take about 3-5 years for F3 category, but now I am not even sure if visa will be available in 10 years with the way it has been moving along.
So you guys have enough time on your hands to write blogs but somehow end up wasting valuable visa numbers because of workload. You are causing a lot of anxiety and suffering to legal immigrants that are trying to do everything by the book. I guess the only way to get your attention is to sneak in here and then act like you own the place. Just remember this, what goes around comes around. You can bury your head in the sand and act like its not your fault but that does not mask the truth. A silent observer to wrongdoing is as much guilty as the perpetrator.
IS USCIS DOING ANYTHING ABOUT PENDING I-730 APPLICATIONS AT CIS IN NEW DELHI, INDIA. MY PETITION IS PENDING SINCE 2007 .I DONT UNDERSTAND WHY AM I BEING FORCED TO LIVE AWAY FROM WIFE AND LITTLE KIDS.WHAT IS THE USE OF THIS CATEGORY IF THE BENEFIT IS NOT BEING GIVEN TO THE DESERVING?
It seems very sad that some Immigrant Categories do not seem to actually exist except in "theory". Although I greatly sympathize with posters here who are waiting in the 3rd or fourth preference category, it does not appear this is a realistic vehicle for Immigration to the US for members of many oversubscribed categories. It appears that LPR's with family members seem to actually come in before other folks who have waited years on the list and then the LPR's family members contribute to the backlog of those folks who have been patiently waiting?
It doesn't seem fair to hold out the promise of an Immigrant VISA but not be able to deliver it in a fair and timely manner.
It also seems we should do something with our Mexico neighbors to take the pressure off our border and partner with them to improve their own country.
I am now in Ukraine. But I would like to obtain U.S. citizenship. Can I get it?
That is very good comment you shared.Thank you so much that for you shared those things with us.Im wishing you to carry on with ur achivments.All the best.
I'm from Turkey. I wanna be US cisizen. what can i do? :S
USCIS must divert the funds to hire few more employees to expedite the immigration process and make the application process more smoother for prospective applicants.
Yason
The USCIS should definitely use that money to educate their own staff on rules and regulations to help speed up the immigration process. The application process currently is ridiculous, maybe that's why we have so many people over here illegally.
My case is outside processing time and NO IS RESPONDING TO ME BY GIVING ME THE CORRECT INFORMATION! I dont understand how can the USCIS employees be so impolite, unorganized and rude! I have paid them several hundred dollars to process my case and after waiting 8 months I do not know any status to my case! When I email or call them, they say I need to stop calling until 3 months I hear from them.. IS THERE NO ONE TO OVERSEE USCIS?
I dont know why I am forced to stay seperate from my husband and USCIS is doing nothing about it even when my case is outside processing time! WHO SHOULD I COMPLAIN THEIR WRONGDOINGS TO?
I HAVENT MET EVEN ONE PERSON WHO IS HAPPY WITH USCIS!
USCIS must divert the funds to hire few more employees to expedite the immigration process and make the application process more smoother for prospective applicants.
ДСП
Your website is really cool and this is a great inspiring article. Thank you so much.
This is a very good grant program for immigrants, its very important to encourage and support eligible, aspiring citizens.
Confident people generally find official processess reasonably easy to negotiate, but complex systems can cause extreme anxiety and stress - particularly when applicants are unsupported, with poor information and unhelpful staff.
Good grant program for those coming into the country and wanted to become citizens, these are the morals and standards that this country was built on
Become a US Citizen- is one one of the great gift some can have. Thanks.
That is very good comment you shared.Thank you so much that for you shared those things with us.Im wishing you to carry on with ur achivments.All the best.
It's good to see that the government is making available grants such as these to people who really need them. Hopefully this trend will continue going forward into the future.
i am Greek and i also want to be American citizen. i wonder about how can i be US citizen ??
i also wonder about being US citizen. whic way i should follow?
I feel this is a great thing the government is doing for immigrants coming to America, by helping them get citizenship in our country. Because everyone should have the opportunity to live free.
To become an US Citizen it's a great gift some one could have in this world.
Is it possible to serve in the U.S. military as a foreigner and if yes, will it speed up the citizenship process?
my cousine brother is in the U.S.can this help me to get a U.S citizenship?can these grants help me?
There is too much 'red tape' in the USCIS as in just about every government agency and people's lives are affected by this every day. It's time for things to change by putting in a streamlined operation for managing the lines of great people waiting to become citizens.
Very good written post. It will be useful to anyone who employess it, including yours truly :) . Keep up the good work – looking forward to more posts.
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