The WES Mariam Assefa Fund is championing the rights of immigrants and refugees in the United States and Canada. Throught the Elevating Migrant Leadership: Building Inclusive Futures program, they are supporting projects that help give a voice to the voiceless.

Seven grantees will receive $100,000 over 2 years as well as access to capacity building and peer learning. Letters of Intent are due by March 25, 2024. Select applicants will be invited to submit a full proposal, due in June 2024.

Eligibility

This grant is open to 501(c)3 nonprofit organizations or organizations with a fiscal sponsor who:

• Operate in the United States
• Have a mission focused on assisting immigrants and refugees
• Directly serve immigrants, refugees, or migrants who identify as Asian/Asian American/Pacific Islander, Black/African/African American, Latino/Latin American, Middle Eastern, and/or Indigenous
• Have an operating budget of $3 million or less

Focus Areas

Submitted projects must focus on two of the following areas:

• Narrative building – utilizing the voices and perspectives of immigrants, refugees, and migrants to change the prevailing narrative
• Experiental learning – increasing the leadership capacity of immigrants, refugees, and migrants through applied learning experiences
• Mentorship – forging relationships with mentors to provide guidance and introductions to networks

Evaluation Criteria

• Goal and Program Alignment – does the project include two of the three focus areas and further the overall program goals?
• Network Development for Leadership – are opportunities provided for community members to build relationships and learn from one another?
• Representative Leadership – are members of the community and their lived experiences represented among organizational leadership?
• Community-Informed and Democratic Approach – is feedback from the community welcome and used to shape the work?
• Learning & Impact – does the organization adapt to changing community needs?