At Knight Foundation we believe that informed and engaged communities are stronger and healthier communities. That’s why we support the idea of motivating green card holders to take the final step toward citizenship. Studies show that naturalized citizens become more engaged in their communities, and their increased earning power strengthens America’s economy.

The last few weeks have seen a surge of news coming from the non-partisan New Americans Campaign. The effort, known as NAC, is a naturalization initiative targeting green card holders, which Knight has started with five partner foundations and more than 100 nonprofits. I want to point out some of the news that highlights the innovative and non-partisan nature of the campaign.

Former president George W. Bush delivers remarks on immigration 

Interview with Tony Lu, co-developer of CitizenshipWorks app

Mega Workshop helps green card holders begin citizenship process

Miami Citizenship Mega Workshop video

Just yesterday I returned from the recently opened George W. Bush Presidential Center in Dallas, where the Bush Institute held an event co-sponsored by Knight and the Carnegie Corp. to honor America’s immigrant heritage. The former president delivered the keynote remarks before 20 new citizens who took the oath of allegiance to the United States and received their certificates of naturalization. One thing he said really stood out to me: “We’re a nation of immigrants, and we must uphold that tradition, which has strengthened our country in so many ways.”

Indeed, helping green card holders become citizens is not just about helping individual immigrants; it’s about strengthening all of us together, as a nation. The president’s words powerfully conveyed how important it is that we focus on a non-partisan approach to innovation in citizenship and naturalization.

Three panel discussions held after the ceremony focused on the contributions immigrants make to our economy and our country. Eric Cohen, NAC’s chief executive, participated in a panel that focused on the economic impact of immigrants. He said: “Why is it there are 8.5 million people who are eligible to apply, and [only] between 750,000 and 850,000 are applying annually? … It is too hard to apply; there is a fear of applying; it is too expensive. All of these are factors that work against our economy.”

Just this Monday, the Wall Street Journal reported on NAC in an article with the headline “Turning Permanent Residents into Citizens.” The story precisely summarized how NAC seeks to use technology and process innovation to help green card holders overcome barriers to naturalization such as poor English language skills, fear of the complex application process and the application fee of $680 (a green card renewal, due every 10 years, costs just $450).

Removing those barriers and making the process less intimidating is part of our effort. A couple of weeks ago we reported about one of NAC’s citizenship “mega workshops” in Miami. These mass events are like nothing I’ve ever seen before. Imagine hundreds of volunteer lawyers meeting with a thousand or more green card holders inside a giant gymnasium, all within a few hours on a single day. The atmosphere couldn’t be more different from the traditional one-on-one encounter in a lawyer’s office. These mega workshops aim to help more people file their citizenship applications in less time.  To get a sense of the experience and the buzz at the event, check out the video in this post on Knight Blog. These workshops are great examples of process innovation.

I’m also proud to report on last week’s launch of the CitizenshipWorks mobile app for iOS and Android. Knight Foundation is the chief funder. Tony Lu, one of the app’s developers, says its combination of features is unique, integrating citizenship eligibility tools, such as a “trips calculator” and a document checklist; a legal directory; and study aids.

Those resources are immensely helpful for people navigating the path to citizenship. For example, green card holders who want to become citizens have to list every trip they’ve taken abroad on their applications. Imagine if you had to list every trip you’ve taken over the past five years. It would be a nightmare, especially if you didn’t keep systematic records. This is where the trips calculator can help.

Lastly, I want to point you to a moving recent opinion column about the Bethlehem Project, a NAC-funded initiative, published in the Miami Herald. In the piece an employee of the InterContinental Miami describes the hotel’s support for employees with green cards who want to become citizens. Their assistance includes giving employees time off, holding English classes and hosting naturalization events on company premises. It’s part of an effort with deep historical roots. The Bethlehem Project gets its name from Bethlehem Steel, which in 1915 was one of the first companies to offer free English instruction to immigrants in its workforce. It was a model for its time, and that’s what the New Americans Campaign wants to be now.

It’s also why there is so much Knight-supported activity around naturalization. The actions may be different, but they share three important common denominators: new processes, new technologies and new collaborations. And there is an overarching goal to make our communities stronger by helping increase a very special category of very engaged residents: new Americans.

To learn more visit the New Americans Campaign’s website.

Damian Thorman, national program director at Knight Foundation