Matching Grant ProgramAs a partner agency of the US Committee for Refugees (USCRI), our parent organization, the International Institute of Connecticut (IIC) implements the federal Matching Grant program in Connecticut. The Matching Grant Program is a public-private partnership funded through the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) at the Department of Health and Human Services. The main aim of the program is to help eligible clients to attain economic self-sufficiency within 120 days of their date of eligibility for the program without accessing public cash assistance. Participants in the program are newly arrived refugees, asylees or victims of human trafficking.
Open Enrollment for Matching Grant Program The International Institute of Connecticut is now seeking applicants for the Matching Grant Program. If you are a refugee, asylee, Cuban/Haitian entrant, victim of trafficking, Amerasian, or hold a Special Immigrant Visa (SIV), IICONN can provide you with maintenance and cash assistance, as well as employment services, as you strive to become self-sufficient. Applicants must be enrolled within 31 days of being granted asylum or certification — so don't hesitate to contact Harrison Kessler, MG Coordinator (203) 336-0141 or hkessler@iiconn.org. For further information read our Matching Grant flyer >
Underpinning the Matching Grant (MG) program is the conviction that the key to any newly-arrived person’s success in the United States is his or her ability to achieve long-term economic self-sufficiency. Through the MG program, IIC, in collaboration with partner agencies, provides the necessary support and resources for clients to find quality job opportunities and begin their new lives in the United States as empowered, contributing members of their communities.
The MG public/private partnership relies on the ongoing support demonstrated by members of the local community through their generous in-kind donations, volunteer time, and cash donations. For every dollar received from private sources two dollars is matched in federal funding. These funds are used to provide clients with maintenance and cash assistance for food, housing, and other items as well as services needed following their arrival in the US. MG funding support includes cultural orientation; customized job search assistance and job skills training; ESL training; connecting clients with employers in need of their skills; interview preparation and interpretation services where necessary. Upon successful job placement, IIC offers follow -up with employers and employees as needed and trains employers to increase their understanding of the culture and customs of their employees. The MG program has a demonstrated success at giving clients the tools and confidence needed to secure long-term, suitable employment in the United States.
Over 70 percent of the federal Matching Grant program’s participants become economically self-sufficient within their first six months following resettlement.
What Does Economic Self-Sufficiency Mean?
Economic self-sufficiency is achieved when a client or member of his/her family is earning a total income at a level which enables the family to support itself without the receipt of public and Matching Grant funds.
What Services Does the IIC Provide?
IIC’s staff and dedicated volunteers, along with the significant support the program receives from members of the local community, help Matching Grant participants achieve financial self-sufficiency through assistance with the following services:
Who Is Eligible? To be eligible applicants must:
How Can I Apply for the MG Program?
Individuals who believe they are eligible for the MG program should contact IIC as soon as possible. Persons who have already accessed public cash assistance may not be eligible. Persons who received asylum more than 31 days prior to lodging their application may be ineligible. Read our Matching Grant flyer >
Please contact the Director of Refugee Services at (203) 336-0141 or at amanning@iiconn.org
The Match Grant program relies on contributions from the community. For each $1 of cash or in-kind assistance donated to the program and/or its clients, the Federal Government provides a match of nearly $2!
Please contact an IICONN Matching Grant Program officer at (203) 336 0141, or at matchgrant@iiconn.org