How intergroup relationships build community: Four success stories
Fund to Foster Belonging grantees have brought together immigrants and non-immigrants to build community-wide belonging since 2021. This year, we supported four grantees whose projects bridged immigrant, refugee, and U.S.-born communities through shared initiatives. Their efforts demonstrated how local bridge-building work between different groups — also known as intergroup bridging — can successfully create connections,…
Read MoreFrom crisis to cornerstone: How welcoming is creating stability and belonging for this community foundation
Local institutions, like community foundations, can stopgap migration crises by leveraging their local knowledge, resources, and leadership. In this guest post, Valerie Carlin, the chief impact officer at Aspen Community Foundation, highlights how community foundations can go beyond short-term crisis response to build a lasting foundation for belonging and welcoming. In our rural community in…
Read MoreBuilding inclusive communities: Welcoming resources for community foundations
As community foundations increasingly recognize the importance of fostering diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging, they are discovering that welcoming is a key dimension of this work that is often overlooked. Also known as immigrant inclusion, welcoming refers to the constellation of practices and policies that create environments where immigrants and refugees are embraced into the…
Read MoreThe Role of Policy in Cultivating More Welcoming Communities
What is the role of policy — particularly at the local and state level — in helping integrate veterans, immigrants, and formerly incarcerated people into their communities?
Read MoreMeeting the Moment: Welcoming in Challenging Times
This webinar explores how communities can respond to the increasing challenges of disinformation and scapegoating, particularly targeting immigrant communities.
Read MoreLanguage Access Fundamentals
If you are just starting to establish a language access program within your community, organization, or government and want a refresher on basic-level topics, this is designed for you. Part 1: Presentation In part one, participants engaged in discussion and activities to understand the meaning and impact of language access and gain practical skills so…
Read MoreAnnouncing Rural Welcoming Initiative 2024 participants, peer learning partnerships
Welcoming America is thrilled to announce the 10 participants of the Rural Welcoming Initiative (RWI) for 2024: Brattleboro Development Credit Corporation – Brattleboro, Vermont Catholic Charities of East Tennessee & HOLA Lakeway (partner participants) – Morristown, Tennessee City of Garden City – Garden City, Kansas City of New Ulm – New Ulm, Minnesota City of…
Read MoreWelcoming takes root in the south: How one Florida community fosters safety and language access
Words and intentions aren’t enough to create a community where everyone belongs. Residents of Gainesville and Alachua County, Florida know how much effort it takes to make their home a more welcoming place to live. “To be a welcoming community means that you have policies in place which become everyday behaviors and actions, in turn,…
Read MoreOrganizing 101: How nonprofit advocates can bring local government along for the welcoming journey
If you’ve ever wondered why key leaders aren’t at the table in your community’s welcoming coalition, the answer may be that your table isn’t big enough. With over 15 years of working with local governments and nonprofits, Welcoming America has seen many local nonprofits lead a community’s welcoming efforts. Many of these advocates have built…
Read MoreChampioning the Power and Potential of ‘Natural Helpers’: A Guide
Natural Helpers programs recognize the crucial role immigrant and refugee leaders fulfill as informal “helpers’’ in their communities by formalizing, supporting, and expanding their capacity for civic leadership. This guide presents promising practices from interviews with Natural Helpers program coordinators and lessons learned from the Natural Helpers communities of practice convened by Welcoming America. Three…
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