The WES Mariam Assefa Fund
Practicing trust-based philanthropy, the WES Mariam Assefa Fund supports organizations that drive opportunity, community integration, and access to good work for immigrants in the U.S. and Canada.
About Us
Through grantmaking, co-funding partnerships, and support beyond the check, we work closely with organizations and leaders that are focused on ensuring more equitable access to good work for immigrants and refugees. We also seek to shift power to local communities and community leaders who are addressing systemic barriers and building strong ecosystems.
404
awards allocated
$42m
in grants distributed
170
organizations supported across Canada & the U.S.
$58m
in additional co-funding mobilized as of February 2026
The WES Mariam Assefa Fund
Our Approach
WES envisions a world where immigrants have equitable and expanded access to good work — jobs that pay a living wage, that recognize education and skills earned anywhere, and that support people’s long-term goals and aspirations. The Fund partners with organizations who share our commitment to building inclusive, equitable economies. Together with these grantee and funder partners, the Fund seeks to create a collaborative and sustainable network of organizations seeking to ensure that immigrants can thrive in U.S. and Canadian communities and workplaces.
Funding Philosophy
Less than 2 percent of foundation funding in the U.S. goes to pro-immigrant groups and less than 1 percent goes to women of color, according to the National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy. We seek to address that gap by deploying our own funds, partnering with co-funders, and influencing the larger philanthropic community to expand their investment in these areas.
Our First Five Years
WES launched the Fund in 2019 with $US30 million in seed funding and a desire to deepen the organization’s impact through meaningful investment and philanthropy. ”The Fund at 5” report from 2024 highlights the impact of the Fund’s grantee partners and the lessons learned in its first five years of building a trust-based philanthropy that seeks to advance inclusive workplaces and communities, equitable economies, and opportunities for all.
Our History
Since 1974, WES has helped nearly millions of individuals achieve their academic and career goals. But despite this progress, systemic barriers to immigrant success and economic inclusion remained stubbornly in place. The WES Mariam Assefa Fund honors the organization’s former CEO, Mariam Assefa, who led WES for 38 years, making it into the leading social enterprise it is today. Through our funding, we expand the ways that WES helps people learn, work, and thrive in new places and helps society recognize the value of people’s education and experience.
Insights
