New round of grants to support implementation of comprehensive welcoming plans in U.S. communities

WASHINGTON—National nonprofits American Immigration Council (recently merged with New American Economy) and Welcoming America announce a new level of support through Implementation Technical Assistance and seed grant funding for six communities as part of Round IV of the Gateways for Growth Challenge (G4G):

• Columbus, Ohio
• Gainesville, Fla.
• Lancaster County, Neb.
• Minneapolis, Minn.
• Dodge City, Kan.
• St. Paul, Minn.

As part of the Round IV G4G challenge, each of these communities led a year-long strategic planning process and brought together leaders across multiple sectors - including government, business, non-profit, faith, and education - to create welcoming plans. Each community will receive up to $20,000 toward implementing these welcoming plans that prioritize strengthening equity through language access initiatives, access to workforce opportunities for all residents (including immigrants), and increased social cohesion.

To ensure successful implementation, the American Immigration Council and Welcoming America will continue to coach communities for the next six months providing individual technical assistance, cohort-wide calls, and resource referrals.

“After an extensive planning process, we’re thrilled to continue working alongside these communities as they transition into implementing their strategic plans,” said Mo Kantner, director of state and local initiatives at the American Immigration Council. “We look forward to supporting the continued investment in their communities.”

“We’re excited to be part of community efforts that are taking their welcoming values to the next level,” said Molly Hilligoss, network director of Welcoming America. “By implementing welcoming plans, these communities are prioritizing inclusion for all residents, including immigrants.”

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For more information, contact:

Maria Frausto, American Immigration Council, [email protected], 202-507-7526; or Lola Pak, Welcoming America, [email protected], 470-236-0129.

About Gateways for Growth

The Gateways for Growth Challenge (G4G) is a competitive opportunity for localities to receive research support and technical assistance from the American Immigration Council — having recently merged with New American Economy — and Welcoming America to improve immigrant inclusion in their communities. Learn more: https://gatewaysforgrowth.org/