ATLANTA – Dec. 12, 2014 –Welcoming America today announced a plan to expand locally driven efforts to better integrate and leverage the talents of new Americans and eligible immigrants as a way to promote economic development in cities across the country. The expansion is supported by $1 million from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.
City leaders are sitting up and taking notice of the entrepreneurial energy of new Americans and their impact on job creation and the local economy. Immigrants are disproportionately likely to start a business. More than 40 percent of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children (as of 2010). Welcoming America aims to ensure that all U.S. cities and counties have an immigrant-focused welcoming policy agenda that builds on the strengths of immigrants in their communities. Currently, the organization supports a national network of nearly 50 municipal governments that are committed to advancing an immigrant-friendly agenda in partnership with the community.
With Knight Foundation funding, Welcoming America will expand its work with municipal governments and local organizations to help new Americans and eligible immigrants better integrate and contribute to their communities. The organization will convene, network and provide technical assistance to local governments to help them develop welcoming policy agendas and programs in collaboration with the larger community. The Welcoming Cities and Counties program will further connect participating city and county governments to work together to share best practices.
“These innovative efforts are at the leading edge of a growing movement that recognizes immigrants as assets,” said David Lubell, founder and executive director of Welcoming America. “Knight Foundation and Welcoming America understand that for cities to compete in a 21st-century economy, they must take full advantage of their most important resource: their people. This means giving cities the tools to welcome new Americans who are starting businesses and providing essential skills, talents and perspectives.”
“A growing number of community leaders are recognizing that New Americans and immigrants are a largely untapped pool of talent that can play an essential role in the economic growth of their cities,” said Carol Coletta, Knight Foundation vice president for community and national initiatives. “By expanding opportunities for these groups and forging connections between the government and residents, Welcoming America is providing cities with the resources they need to be successful, while helping to create stronger, more engaged communities that are invested in our democracy.”
Partners in the grant will include Americas Society/Council of the Americas and the Partnership for a New American Economy, which will assist in providing support and engaging the business sector in the initiative. In addition, the National Partnership for New Americans will help cities advance citizenship efforts for eligible immigrants as a way to encourage greater community attachment and participation from these groups.
New Knight Foundation support to Welcoming America is being announced as more than 20 of the nation’s leading immigrant-friendly cities gather in Los Angeles this weekend as part of a Welcoming Cities and Counties Initiative convening, hosted by Welcoming America and sponsored by Western Union.
For more information on Welcoming America, visit welcomingamerica.org
About Welcoming America
Welcoming America is an award-winning national nonprofit that helps communities across the country reach their full economic and social potential by becoming welcoming towards all their residents, including immigrants. Welcoming America brings together a broad network of non-profits and local governments from across the U.S. and strengthens their work with the know-how, tools and incentives they need to transform their communities. Welcoming America envisions an inclusive nation, in which all people, including immigrants, have the opportunity to reach their greatest potential, engage with their community, and fully contribute their talents – expanding prosperity and well-being for all.
About the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation
Knight Foundation supports transformational ideas that promote quality journalism, advance media innovation, engage communities and foster the arts. The foundation believes that democracy thrives when people and communities are informed and engaged. For more, visit KnightFoundation.org.
Contacts:
Guen Han, Development and Communications Manager, Welcoming America, 404-592-5621 ext. 308, [email protected]
Anusha Alikhan, Director of Communications, Knight Foundation, 305-908-2677, [email protected]