Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees - GCIR

Community colleges have become an important force for change in adult basic education. They are playing an expanding role in meeting the educational and vocational needs of immigrants and refugees, especially those facing the dual challenge of earning a degree or certificate while learning English.

Funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, this handbook calls attention to the vital importance of community colleges in meeting the educational and vocational needs of immigrants and refugees, especially those facing the dual challenge of earning a degree or certificate while learning English. By profiling exemplary programs, the handbook makes a strong case that community colleges are key partners in efforts to address poverty, improve educational and job opportunities, and engage immigrants in civic life. It also recommends a wide range of funding strategies that are suitable to foundations of varying sizes and interest areas.

With one out of five households in the United States speaking a language other than English at home, and more than 18.4 million foreign-born residents over the age of five speaking English less than very well, overcoming language barriers has become an increasingly vital element to emergency preparedness. Recent natural disasters-Hurricane Katrina, flooding in the Midwest, and the Southern California wildfires-illustrate the need for emergency response and public health systems to improve their outreach and services to immigrants, refugees, and other limited English proficient (LEP) residents who may be isolated, have little knowledge of emergency resources, and fear interacting with local public agencies. Published by the Annie E. Casey Foundation and GCIR, this report offers a framework for how local governments can incorporate LEP residents into the emergency planning process, increase their preparedness, and develop capacity in key public agencies to communicate with and serve these residents.

Cross-cultural and interfaith alliances are key components of the PICO experience. However, as microcosms of society, cross-sector tensions can seep into their member congregations, stirring debate and creating moments of frustration. This article explores the steps some PICO affiliates in California have taken to help its member congregations build trust between disparate groups.

This article details the steps taken by PICO affiliate North Valley Sponsoring Committee in 2001 to help immigrants become citizens in Northern California.  Following their success, their program was emulated in Los Angeles.  It is now being adapted again in five Bay Area counties in California where seven PICO affiliates are joining forces to train 350 volunteers, mobilize 45,000 people, help 5,000 legal permanent residents apply for citizenship, and provide advanced leadership training to 500.  What all three campaigns have in common is this one overarching goal: to help immigrants integrate and be effective in addressing local policy issues.

This funders' guide provides a road map for building and strengthening immigrant civic integration infrastructure in local communities to assist the more than 8.5 million lawful permanent residents presently eligible to become citizens, the 2.8 million who will soon gain eligibility, and the estimated 12 million undocumented newcomers who may be able to apply for legal status and citizenship should Congress adopt federal immigration reform in the future. The guide delineates steps to identify community needs, resources, and opportunities; describes high-quality, ESL programs and strategies for improving instruction; offers an overview of the citizenship application process and recommends strategies for supporting naturalization-related efforts; and demonstrates how collaboration among funders can increase the availability of quality ESL instruction, legal services, and naturalization assistance.

Integration Potential of California's Immigrants and Their Children: New Estimates of Potential New Voters at the State, County, and Legislative District Levels.

This report provides never-before-published estimates of naturalized citizens, naturalization-eligible citizens, and U.S.-citizen children of immigrants for all counties and state legislative districts of California, with breakout data on the countries and regions where the immigrants were born and the race of their citizen children. The findings underscore the critical need for integration policies to incorporate the sizable population of immigrants-both naturalized and naturalization-eligible-and their U.S.-citizen children who will soon turn 18 years of age. These newcomers play a vital role in the current and future vitality of California.

Commissioned by the Zellerbach Family Foundation, this report discusses the scope and capacity of nonprofit groups that provide immigration-related legal services in the 38 counties of Northern California. Based on survey findings, it makes the case for greater philanthropic and public investment in immigration legal services.