What to Look Forward to at the 2020 National Immigrant Integration Conference

Friday December 4, 2020

Every year, leaders, advocates, and organizations that support immigrants and refugees across the United States gather at the National Immigrant Integration Conference (NIIC). The NIIC is organized by the National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA), one of the WES Mariam Assefa Fund’s grantee …

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Inclusive Action for the City Discusses Lending in a Pandemic

Wednesday December 2, 2020

By Maribel Garcia + Andrea Avila, Inclusive Action for the City  This piece originally appeared on Inclusive Action’s website on November 18, 2020 and is cross posted here with permission. Inclusive Action is a grantee partner of the WES Mariam Assefa Fund.  It’s …

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Opportunity Challenge Spotlight Video: Worker Cooperatives

Monday November 30, 2020

In early March, the Opportunity Challenge, a joint grantmaking initiative of the WES Mariam Assefa Fund and the Tarsadia Foundation, sought to identify solutions to create an inclusive economy in the U.S.—one that addresses the supports that immigrants need to achieve economic mobility.  …

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Fund Awards First Grants in Canada; Committing $1.9M CAD to Create More Equitable Systems for Immigrant and Refugee Workers

Monday November 23, 2020

TORONTO – November 23, 2020 – The WES Mariam Assefa Fund, the philanthropic arm of World Education Services (WES), today announced its first grants in Canada. The Fund is awarding C$1.9 million to six organizations that are building stronger career pathways for immigrants and …

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Opportunity Challenge Spotlight Video: Enablers of Economic Mobility

Friday November 13, 2020

In September, the WES Mariam Assefa Fund announced the 12 awardees of the Opportunity Challenge, chosen out of an applicant pool of 470 organizations. The Opportunity Challenge is a joint grantmaking initiative launched by the Fund and the Tarsadia Foundation to identify solutions …

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Partner Perspectives: Erica Bouris of the International Rescue Committee on the Financial Volatility of COVID-19 and Its Impact on Low-Income Families

Wednesday November 11, 2020

From just about any vantage point, 2020 has been a volatile year. A global pandemic has led to more than a million deaths worldwide—and caused massive economic disruption. In the United States, the murder of George Floyd by Minneapolis police led to a …

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Developing the Fund’s Strategy in Canada: What We’ve Learned and What’s Ahead 

Monday November 9, 2020

The WES Mariam Assefa Fund launched in the U.S. in 2019 as the only philanthropic initiative focused exclusively on economic inclusion and mobility for immigrants and refugees in North America. Our intent was always to extend our work beyond the U.S. and into …

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Lessons Learned: Best Practices for Applying to an Open Grant Challenge

Wednesday November 4, 2020

The Opportunity Challenge—the WES Mariam Assefa Fund and Tarsadia Foundation’s first ever open-call grant challenge—resulted in 400+ submissions from organizations offering a diverse range of solutions and innovations that support the success of immigrants and refugees in the United States. In September, after …

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Opportunity Challenge Spotlight Video: Inclusive Career Pathways

Wednesday October 28, 2020

In September, the WES Mariam Assefa Fund announced the 12 awardees of the Opportunity Challenge, chosen out of an applicant pool of 470 organizations. The Opportunity Challenge is a joint grantmaking initiative launched by the Fund and Tarsadia Foundation to identify solutions that support the success of …

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Opportunity Challenge Spotlight Video: Financial Access & Inclusion

Tuesday October 20, 2020

In early March, the Opportunity Challenge, a joint grantmaking initiative of the WES Mariam Assefa Fund and the Tarsadia Foundation, sought to identify solutions to create an inclusive economy in the U.S.—one that addresses the supports that immigrants need to achieve economic mobility. In September, we were thrilled to announce the 12 awardees of …

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Thank you for your interest in the WES Mariam Assefa Fund. We’ll share updates on the Fund’s efforts, what we’re learning, and opportunities through our email list.