FY 2023 Citizenship and Integration Grant Program: Innovations in Citizenship Preparation | DHS 23 CIS 010 004

Opportunity Information: Apply for DHS 23 CIS 010 004

The FY 2023 Citizenship and Integration Grant Program: Innovations in Citizenship Preparation is a discretionary grant opportunity from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), administered through USCIS and its Office of Citizenship and Public Engagement (OCPE). The program is built around the idea that becoming a U.S. citizen is one of the most important milestones in an immigrant's long-term integration, and that the naturalization process itself helps people build practical knowledge of English, U.S. history, and civics. By supporting organizations that help lawful permanent residents prepare for citizenship, the grant aims to strengthen community integration and help future citizens understand both the rights and the responsibilities that come with naturalization.

At a high level, the broader Citizenship and Integration Grant Program (CIGP) focuses on expanding access to high-quality citizenship preparation services nationwide. USCIS frames this as both a service and a public good: when immigrants can access effective instruction and accurate guidance, they are better positioned to navigate the naturalization process, participate civically, and integrate socially, culturally, and economically in their communities. The notice highlights the track record of the CIGP since its launch in 2009, reporting more than $132 million awarded through 579 competitive grants across 39 states and Washington, D.C., with more than 300,000 lawful permanent residents supported in preparing for citizenship over the program's 15-year history.

What makes this specific funding track different is its emphasis on "Innovations." Instead of primarily funding standard citizenship classes or conventional service delivery models, the Innovations in Citizenship Preparation opportunity is meant to develop, test, and share new approaches that remove common barriers to naturalization and expand access to citizenship education. The underlying expectation is that grantees will not only deliver services, but also experiment with creative solutions, learn what works, and help spread effective practices that other communities and organizations can replicate. The scope is intentionally broad and includes strategies that encourage civic, linguistic, economic, and cultural integration, as long as they are tied to improving citizenship preparation and reducing obstacles that prevent eligible immigrants from successfully naturalizing.

The grant opportunity aligns itself with several federal priorities and policy frameworks. It explicitly supports Executive Order 14012 on restoring faith in legal immigration systems and strengthening integration and inclusion efforts for new Americans, and it ties into the DHS Strategic Plan for Fiscal Years 2020-2024 by emphasizing integration, inclusion, and pathways to citizenship. It is also framed as consistent with DHS and USCIS mission goals by promoting education on citizenship rights and responsibilities and by helping immigrants understand how to apply for naturalization, while staying within the authorized practice of immigration law.

In practical terms, the opportunity (Funding Opportunity Number DHS 23 CIS 010 004) provides grant funding under CFDA 97.010 in the Community Development activity category. The posted award ceiling is $250,000, and USCIS anticipated making 14 awards under this competition. The application window listed a creation date of June 9, 2023, with an original closing date of July 28, 2023.

Eligibility is intentionally wide compared to many specialized federal grant programs. Eligible applicants include state, county, and city or township governments; special district governments; independent school districts; public and state-controlled institutions of higher education; federally recognized Native American tribal governments and other tribal organizations; public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities; and nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status (other than institutions of higher education), as well as private institutions of higher education. In the narrative description, USCIS also emphasizes that the Innovations track is designed to be open broadly to public, nonprofit, and for-profit institutions of all sizes, reflecting the goal of attracting new ideas and models from a wide range of capable organizations.

Overall, this funding opportunity is best understood as a federal investment in experimentation and scaling of better citizenship-preparation pathways. It is meant for organizations that can identify real-world barriers to naturalization in their communities, pilot creative and practical ways to address them, and contribute lessons learned back to the larger field so that more lawful permanent residents can successfully prepare for U.S. citizenship.

• The Department of Homeland Security, Office of Procurement Operations - Grants Division in the community development sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "FY 2023 Citizenship and Integration Grant Program: Innovations in Citizenship Preparation" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 97.010.
• This funding opportunity was created on Jun 09, 2023.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jul 28, 2023 No Explanation. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $250,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 14 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, County governments, City or township governments, Special district governments, Independent school districts, Public and State controlled institutions of higher education, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized), Public housing authorities/Indian housing authorities, Native American tribal organizations (other than Federally recognized tribal governments), Nonprofits having a 501(c)(3) status with the IRS, other than institutions of higher education, Private institutions of higher education.

Apply for DHS 23 CIS 010 004

[Watch] Creating a grant proposal using the step-by-step wizard inside the applicant portal: