Fiscal Year 2024 Citizenship and Integration Grant Program

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)

Program Requirements

To be eligible for funding, you must provide the following types of services under the program: 

1. 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.
      
2. 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 Applicants

Eligible entities include:

• City or township governments;
• County 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
• State governments.

Eligibility Criteria

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.

Not Eligible

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.

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

Eligibility Requirements

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.

Proposals must include:

• 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:

• County governments
• City or township governments
• State 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

Not Eligible

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.