The City of Dallas Office of Welcoming Communities and Immigrant Affairs (WCIA) has partnered with the Open Society Foundations (OSF) and Communities Foundation of Texas to establish the Emma Lazarus Resilience Fund, a public-private effort that will distribute $500,000 to nonprofits that provide direct financial assistance to immigrant/refugee individuals and families who are otherwise ineligible for federal COVID-19 relief programs.
Grant funds are to be used to distribute one-time financial assistance to immigrant and refugee families who are the most vulnerable and have been most impacted by COVID-19. Funds should be distributed as a one-time support of $500 directed to smaller families or families with more access to resources, and up to $1,000 in one-time support to larger families or families with less access to additional resources. Priority should be given for immigrant families who have been severely financially impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, including those who are out of reach of federal relief programs, as well as for immigrant workers who play a vital role in the city’s economy. Nonprofit grantees will submit a report that includes the number of families served, country of origin, residency in Dallas, languages spoken, occupation/employment industry demographics and zip codes served.
Application is now open
The Emma Lazarus Resilience Fund application opened on Monday, August 3rd, and will close on Friday, August 21st. To access the application and apply, click here.
Note: You will need to create a login for our online grant application system if you don't yet have one.
You may use the PDFs of the application form below as a reference as you prepare your responses, but you MUST submit the application through the online form.
Preview PDF application here (English)
Preview PDF application here (Spanish)
To apply for Emma Lazarus Resilience Fund grant funding, your organization must meet the following eligibility requirements:
- have a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt designation from the Internal Revenue Service
- at least 75% of the population served must reside in Dallas County
- already manage programs that are providing assistance to immigrants and refugees during the pandemic
Church and religious organizations’ programs that are focused on evangelism are not eligible.
Applications should be completed on the portal and submitted by 11PM on August 21, 2020. Any applications received after the deadline will not be considered.
Requests will be reviewed by CFT staff as well as a subcommittee of members from the City Office of Welcoming Communities and Immigrant Affairs and community advisors. Applicants will be notified if more information is needed regarding their funding request. All agencies will be notified about grant decisions by October 1, 2020.
About The Emma Lazarus Resilience Fund
The Emma Lazarus Resilience Fund is named after the American poet, whose words, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” appear inscribed in bronze plaque on the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty. Click here to learn more about The City of Dallas Office of Welcoming Communities and Immigrant Affairs (WCIA).
If you have questions about the application process, please contact grants@cftexas.org or 214-750-4216.