Funding and Financing for Impact
Learn how the innovative use of financial tools—including participatory grantmaking, investments, and more—creates access to opportunity for immigrants, refugees, and the communities they join.
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Fund Partners with Village Capital on Accelerator Program to Advance Climate Justice for Migrants and Communities of Color
WES |
Seeking 10-12 early-stage startups supporting immigrants, refugees, and communities of color disproportionately impacted by climate change Village Capital, with support from the World Education Services (WES) Mariam Assefa Fund, today launched an accelerator program for startups creating inclusive solutions for immigrants, refugees, and communities of color disproportionately impacted by climate change in the United […]
New Grants to Au Coeur de l’Enfance, Béati Foundation, and Solidarity Across Borders to Support Immigrants and Refugees in Quebec
WES |
The WES Mariam Assefa Fund is excited to announce C$600,000 in grants to organizations working to support immigrants and refugees in Quebec. This new funding is supporting Au Coeur de l’Enfance and Solidarity Across Borders in their efforts to address the barriers that some of the most underserved newcomers face in Quebec. A grant is […]
WES Mariam Assefa Fund Announces New Impact Investments to Unlock Homeownership for Underserved, Black Communities
WES |
The World Education Services (WES) Mariam Assefa Fund today announced two new impact investments totaling US$750,000 in Blackstar Stability and the Dearfield Fund for Black Wealth, both of which leverage homeownership as a tool to help Black and underserved communities build generational assets and bridge the racial wealth gap. Homeownership is key to building […]
Six trust-based practices to help investors shift power to communities
Smitha Das |
Advancing equity and impact requires rethinking how we invest. In this ImpactAlpha article, Smitha Das, WES’ Senior Director of Investments, shares six trust-based investment practices that shift power to investee partners and communities. From redefining risk to leveraging participatory investment models, these practices help create a more equitable and just economy.
Announcing New Grants to Support New York City Asylum Seekers
WES |
The WES Mariam Assefa Fund is excited to announce $230,000 in grants to seven New York-based organizations that support asylum seekers. The funding will enable these groups to strengthen their work on the ground responding to the significant increase in asylum seekers arriving in New York over the past year. The recipients are Adama Bah, […]
Meet Léa Tienou-Gustafson, the Fund’s New Senior Director
WES |
On January 17, the WES Mariam Assefa Fund welcomed our new Senior Director, Léa Tienou-Gustafson. Léa comes to us from the Chicago non-profit Heartland Alliance, where she served as director of refugee and immigrant community services, supporting over a thousand refugees and immigrants annually. Léa has more than 15 years of experience working with and […]
How Talent Beyond Boundaries is Supporting Economic Mobility for Refugees in Canada
WES |
Talent Beyond Boundaries (TBB) matches refugees abroad with career opportunities in Canada, Australia, and the United Kingdom. TBB works directly with governments around the world to open up skilled migration pathways to refugees. Through a grant from the WES Mariam Assefa Fund, TBB is collaborating with Jumpstart Refugee Talent (Jumpstart), a national, refugee-led organization that […]
What Inspired Our Team in 2022
WES |
As the year winds down, the WES Mariam Assefa Fund team is reflecting on the extraordinary organizations, leaders, and efforts that inspired us. In 2022, we funded a total of 66 organizations across the United States and Canada, including 39 brand-new partners, who are increasing access to opportunity, building wealth, shifting power, and advancing justice […]
A Racial Equity and Immigrant Justice Partnership with Echoing Green: Meet the Fellows
WES |
Earlier this year, the WES Mariam Assefa Fund announced a $1.5 million partnership with Echoing Green to launch the Racial Equity and Immigrant Justice initiative, a fellowship to support immigrants and refugees of color in the United States and Canada. Through Echoing Green’s fellowship program, the initiative is supporting 19 Fellows — six brand-new Fellows, […]
Fund Ambassadors Grow a Community of Philanthropic Giving at WES: Announcing New Donations
WES |
In 2019, the WES Mariam Assefa Fund launched the Fund Ambassador program, which engages staff from across WES to develop skills in philanthropy and identify mission-aligned organizations to receive Fund donations. This month, we celebrate the accomplishments of the third cohort of Fund Ambassadors, made up of WES employees across multiple departments. The Fund Ambassadors […]
Building the New High Road: Report on U.S. Immigrants and Workforce Development
WES |
Immigrants and refugees play a crucial role in the U.S. workforce, especially in growth industries including tech and healthcare, yet they continue to be overrepresented in low-wage occupations. With a desire to learn more about the efforts to address this gap by supporting more inclusive employer practices, the WES Mariam Assefa Fund launched an open […]
Fund for Workforce Equity Selects Inaugural Grantees to Center Workers and Learners of Color
WES |
Today, the Fund for Workforce Equity, a new pooled investment fund led by Workforce Matters, announced 15 organizations that will each receive grants of up to $75,000 for initiatives that center the perspectives of workers and learners of color in designing or implementing workforce policies and programs. The grantees – workforce development organizations from across […]
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