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Grantmaking

Immigrant-Led Organizations Fund

Immigrant-Led Organizations Fund

Immigrant-Led Organizations Fund

The Immigrant-Led Organizations (ILO) Fund supports immigrant flourishing in Maine. We fund and strengthen the ecosystem of nonprofit, community-based organizations led by and serving Maine’s immigrants, refugees, asylees, migrant farm workers, and those who are undocumented.

Current Grantees

Purpose

The work of the Immigrant-Led Organizations (ILO) Fund is rooted in a vision of immigrant flourishing in Maine and seeks to ask and answer these questions, in community:

  • What does it mean for Maine to be welcoming to new Mainers?
  • What does immigrant flourishing require?
  • How can we support the dynamic and diverse ecosystem of immigrant leaders and immigrant-led organizations that are doing that work?

The ILO Fund answers these questions by:

  • Providing unrestricted, multi-year grant support to immigrant-led and immigrant-serving organizations;
    • Each year, the ILO Fund provides approximately $500,000 in multi-year, unrestricted grants to a new cohort of immigrant-led and immigrant-serving organizations. Since 2018, the ILO Fund has made more than $2M in grants to over 40 ILOs.
  • Centering and prioritizing immigrant visions, voices, and leadership in all aspects of this program;
    • This includes in the grantmaking process, the internal staffing of the ILO program, the Community-Led Needs Assessment, and the Immigrant-Led Community Advisory Committee.
  • Highlighting and celebrating the diversity of work being led by ILOs across Maine.
  • Strengthening and deepening the ties and connections among and between immigrant communities, leaders, and organizations;
  • Engaging and connecting the broader community to these organizations, building relationships that can sustain their work moving forward.

Additional efforts within the Immigrant-Led Organizations Program include Community-Led Needs Assessment, a Technical Assistance Program and a Resource Hub.

Grant Amount & Funding Levels

The ten (10) organizations selected for the 2024 ILO Fund cohort will receive unrestricted, general operating grants of $45,000 paid out over three (3) years, $15,000 per year.

In addition, these organizations are invited to participate in a series of peer learning, training, capacity-building, and community outreach activities over the course of their 3-year grant period, from August 2024 through August 2027.

Eligibility

To be eligible for the 2024 Immigrant-Led Organizations Fund, applicant organizations are: 

  • Working exclusively or primarily in Maine
  • Programming primarily serves and supports immigrant communities
  • An immigrant-led organization, group, or coalition

To establish immigrant-led status, organizational applicants are required to meet at least two out of three of the following for at least the past two years:

  1. Immigrant key staff leaders of the organization - 50% of board and staff are reflective of the community
  2. Immigrant members on Board of Directors - 50% or more in governing decision-making roles
  3. Immigrant activists - 50% or more of on the ground, community interfacing staff/volunteers

How to Apply

Applications for the 2024 Immigrant-Led Organizations Fund closed May 31st at 11:59pm.


See all of our ILO grantees