Fiscal Year 2022 Citizenship and Integration Grant Program

The first opportunity is for public or nonprofit organizations that prepare immigrants for citizenship by offering both citizenship instruction and naturalization application services.

Funding Opportunity:                        DHS-22-CIS-010-002

Application Deadline:                         August 5, 2022 (no extensions)

Estimated Number of Awards:       Up to 42

Anticipated Funding Amount:        Up to $13.8 million

Performance Period:                           Two years (comprising two budget periods, each lasting one year) 

Anticipated Award Date:                   September 2022

Maximum Grant Award:                    Maximum grant award is $300,000 ($150,000 for the first year and $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 immigrants 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 high intermediate levels (NRS Levels 2-5);
• A curriculum that includes all components in the USCIS Sample Curriculum found at uscis.gov/citizenship (PDF, 232.17 KB), including:
  • Instruction in U.S. history and government for test preparation and the promotion of civic integration;
  • Activities that promote civic and linguistic integration;
  • ESL instruction in reading, writing, and speaking for the naturalization test, naturalization process, and to conduct required integration activities; and
  • Instruction on the naturalization interview and Form N-400;
  • 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 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; and
• The use of citizenship teachers who have degrees in education (K-12 Social Studies, History, TESOL or Adult Education) and/or who have at least one year of experience teaching adult immigrants.

2. Naturalization application services, within the scope of the authorized practice of immigration law, to support immigrants 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 2-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 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; and
• The applicant or sub-applicant must have at least one year of experience in the past three years providing direct service citizenship instruction in a classroom setting that follows a curriculum and uses a citizenship textbook. 
• 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 2021 Citizenship and Integration Grant Program (funding opportunities DHS-21-CIS-010-003 and DHS-21-CIS-010-002); or
• Sub-applicants to the Regional Hub Grant (DHS-22-CIS-010-001).

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.

The second opportunity is for organizations that provide extended integration services to the following: immigrants who were admitted or entered the United States as refugees, asylees, Cuban or Haitian entrants; individuals admitted on a Special Immigrant Visa; victims of human trafficking and criminal activity; and abused spouses, children, and parents under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).

Funding Opportunity:                        DHS-22-CIS-010-003

Application Deadline:                         August 5, 2022 (no extensions)

Estimated Number of Awards:      Up to six

Anticipated Funding Amount:       Up to $1.2 million

Performance Period:                          Two years (comprising two budget periods, each lasting one year) 

Anticipated Award Date:                  September 2022

Maximum Grant Award:                   Maximum grant award is $300,000 ($150,000 for the first year and $150,000 for the second year)

Program Requirements

To be eligible for funding, organizations must provide the following types of services directly, or in conjunction with a sub-applicant:

1. Develop an individualized integration plan for each program participant who will receive services, including those who have identified naturalization as a goal and those who are not yet ready to apply for naturalization and may require interim services to attain the skills and knowledge required for successful citizenship. Organizations should assess each program participant for English language level and naturalization eligibility, offer to enroll each participant in the appropriate ESL or citizenship class, and provide them with information on the naturalization process and what steps they need to take to prepare for naturalization. This naturalization-focused assessment will serve as the foundation of the individual integration plan, with services and referrals tailored to the specific skills, needs and literacy level of the individual. Organizations must include a sample of the proposed integration plan template with their application and must propose to serve a minimum of 90 program beneficiaries.
2. Integration services (or referral to integration services) that address the specific needs identified in the program participant’s individual integration plan. Organizations must offer access to a range of services designed to foster long-term integration tailored to the specific needs of the target population. These services may include:

• Community orientation and settlement information;
• Referrals to and interactions with local government and public institutions;
• Referrals to employment training; and
• Referrals to appropriate sources of information for updating or renewing previously held foreign professional credentials when applicable.

Organizations may propose other services based on the identified needs of the community they propose to serve.

3. Civics-based literacy instruction, civics-based ESL instruction and citizenship instruction to give enrolled clients the skills and knowledge needed to prepare for citizenship. Organizations should serve students through civics-based literacy and/or civics-based ESL instruction if their English level is not at the appropriate level for citizenship instruction classes. Organizations may directly provide this instruction or use a partner to provide these classes. They must propose to enroll a minimum of 90 program participants in the civics-based literacy, civics-based ESL, or citizenship classes.
4. Naturalization application services within the scope of the authorized practice of immigration law at no cost to the enrolled program participant. Organizations must propose to provide a minimum of 60 naturalization eligibility screenings and submit a minimum of 60 N-400 applications on behalf of enrolled program participants. They cannot provide naturalization application services to individuals who have not received other services under this grant. Applicants or sub-applicants may provide these services.

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:

• Be an organization with public or nonprofit status.
• Demonstrate experience with, and extensive knowledge of the particular community they propose to serve and must describe how the proposed program design will address the identified integration needs of this population.
• Demonstrate a network of local service providers that they have established an ongoing relationship with for the provision of any proposed integration services that will not be provided directly by the applicant.
• At least one year of experience in the past three years providing direct service citizenship instruction in a classroom setting that follows a curriculum and uses a citizenship textbook.
• 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 Fiscal Year 2021 Citizenship and Integration Grant Program (funding opportunities DHS-21-CIS-010-003 and DHS-21-CIS-010-002); or
• Sub-applicants to the Regional Hub Grant (DHS-22-CIS-010-001).

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.

The third opportunity is for organizations that foster creative approaches to preparing immigrants for naturalization and encouraging the civic, linguistic, and cultural integration of immigrants into their communities. USCIS will consider applications for all types of citizenship preparation innovations. The most successful applicants will propose innovations that address an existing challenge within the citizenship preparation field and will include key performance indicators related to attaining U.S. citizenship.

Funding Opportunity:                        DHS-22-CIS-010-004

Application Deadline:                         August 5, 2022 (no extensions)

Estimated Number of Awards:      Up to 60

Anticipated Funding Amount:       Up to $2 million

Performance Period:                          Two years (comprising two budget periods, each lasting one year) 

Anticipated Award Date:                  September 2022

Maximum Grant Award:                   Maximum grant award is $250,000 ($125,000 for the first year and $125,000 for the second year)

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;
• State governments;
• Small businesses; and
• For-profit organizations other than small businesses.

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.

The fourth opportunity is designed to fund regional or statewide citizenship networks that build capacity among their affiliates/members to provide direct citizenship preparation services to immigrants. Applicants are expected to serve as a hub for communication and information sharing on citizenship preparation among their affiliates/members and within the broader community.

Funding Opportunity:                         DHS-22-CIS-010-001

Application Deadline:                          August 5, 2022 (no extensions)

Estimated Number of Awards:       Up to 10

Anticipated Funding Amount:        Up to $3 million 

Performance Period:                           Two years (comprising two budget periods, each lasting one year) 

Anticipated Award Date:                   September 2022

Maximum Grant Award:                     Maximum grant award is $1 million ($500,000 for the first year and $500,000 for the second year)

Program Requirements

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

• The principal applicant must:
  • Serve as a hub for communication and information sharing on citizenship preparation among their affiliates/members and within the broader community.
  • Select a minimum of three sub-applicants based on (a) an initial assessment of their need for, and potential to benefit from, the capacity building and technical assistance services provided by the principal applicant; and (b) the demonstrated need for expanded citizenship preparation services for immigrants in the sub-applicants’ communities. 
  • Include a detailed list of potential network members who are not sub-applicants but who are involved in citizenship support and promotion work in the geographically delimited region.
  • Create a Program Development Plan tailored to each sub-applicant’s identified needs, which details how the sub-applicant will gain the technical knowledge and ability to develop or expand and enhance a direct citizenship preparation program and the capability to effectively manage the program in the future.
  • Provide ongoing capacity building and technical assistance to sub-applicants during the implementation of the Program Development Plans. 
  • Provide overall programmatic and fiscal management of all grant-funded activities, including management of sub-applicants’ performance and outcomes based on their Program Development Plans. 
  • Conduct ongoing and final program evaluations, including tracking and reporting data.
• The sub-applicant must develop or expand and enhance a direct citizenship preparation program in conjunction with the principal applicant.
• Proposed sub-applicant services must include the following mandatory components:
  • Citizenship Instruction Services: Educational services that provide enrolled immigrants with the skills and knowledge needed to prepare for citizenship, including instruction in English as a Second Language (ESL), U.S. history and government, and the naturalization process; and
  • Naturalization Application Services: Within the scope of the authorized practice of immigration law, organizations assist qualified program participants in preparing and submitting Form N-400, Application for Naturalization, preparing for the naturalization interview, and providing on-going case management.

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

• The applicant must be an organization with public or nonprofit status.
• The principal applicant must have recent experience providing capacity building and technical assistance to organizations, as well as the ability to provide subject matter expertise and support on developing adult ESL and citizenship preparation services. This may include Adult Learning and Literacy Resource Centers funded at the federal, state, municipal, or county level as well as other federal, state, or professional development entities that have as their mission the joint planning and coordination of adult education services at the local, regional, and/or state levels.
• The principal applicant must be a national, regional (multi-state), statewide, multi-county or metropolitan area organization with an identified headquarters or central office from which network-wide activities are planned, controlled, and managed. 
• The principal applicant’s organization must demonstrate a relationship with sub-applicants and proposed network members and include detailed plans for how such activities are carried out. 
• Sub-applicants are required to demonstrate experience with, and extensive knowledge of the community they propose to serve and must describe how the proposed program design will address the specific needs of this community.

Not Eligible

• Current awardees and sub-awardees under the FY 2021 Citizenship and Integration Grant Program (funding opportunities DHS-21-CIS-010-002 and DHS-21-CIS-010-003) are not eligible to receive funding under this funding opportunity.
• Regional Hub sub-applicants may not separately apply separately as the primary applicant under any of the FY 2022 Citizenship and Integration Grant Programs, as sub-applicants are potentially eligible for the Regional Hub grant based on their demonstrated need for capacity building and support developing or expanding citizenship preparation services.