Matching Grant Program

The past year marked the 21st anniversary of the Matching Grant program. In those twenty-one years, more than two million refugees arrived in the U.S., and some 450,000, or 20 percent of all refugees, have participated in the Matching Grant program.

The Matching Grant program, funded by Congress since 1979, provides an alternative approach to State-administered resettlement assistance. The program’s goal is to help refugees attain self-sufficiency within four months after arrival, without access to public cash assistance. Participating agencies agree to match the ORR grant with cash and in-kind contributions. Twenty percent of their match must be in cash.

From its inception until mid-1996, ORR matched Voluntary Agency (volag) funding dollar for dollar for up to $1,000 per client. From mid-1996 until 1999, ORR matched each dollar of agency contribution of cash or in-kind services with $1.40 of Federal funds, with a maximum Federal contribution of $1,400 per refugee.

In 1999, ORR announced significant changes in the Matching Grant program. Beginning with the second trimester, ORR raised the Federal contribution to $2 per $1 of agency cash and in-kind services with the maximum Federal contribution of $2,000 per refugee. Furthermore, ORR directed volags to raise the weekly cash allowance to adult refugees from the existing $20 per week to $50 per week per adult, or the maximum amount that would not disqualify a refugee from Medicaid benefits.

While ORR was preparing the supplemental awards, the crisis in the Balkans led to an unanticipated increase in refugee arrivals from Kosovo. ORR responded with an addendum to the Matching Grant program to enable agencies to serve Kosovar refugees in the Matching Grant program. These changes resulted in ORR increasing overall funding for the Matching Grant program to an annual budget of $49 million. This amount was offset by slightly more than $6 million of unexpended funds resulting from the dramatic decline in arrivals from the Former Soviet Union anticipated by the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS).

During FY 2000, ORR made additional changes to the Matching Grant program. These included Cuban/ Haitian entrant enrollment at any time during the first 31 days of eligibility and the provision of cash allowance through the first 120 days of the program. Funding was increased to $55 million, enough to serve more than 27,000 refugees, entrants, and asylees in 228 sites in 122 cities around the country.

The Matching Grant program is characterized by a strong emphasis on community participation in the refugee resettlement process. Volunteers and in-kind donations are coupled with goods and intensive services to attain self-sufficiency during the first four months. ORR requires participating agencies to provide maintenance (food and housing), case management, and employment services in-house. Additional services, such as English language training and vocational training, may be provided in-house or arranged through referral to other programs. Refugees in the Matching Grant program may use publicly funded medical assistance, such as Refugee Medical Assistance or Medicaid.

Refugees from the Soviet Union and its successor republics had been the primary beneficiaries of the program after its commencement in 1979. With the decline in arrivals from the former Soviet Union, the Matching Grant Program has served an increasingly diverse population. During FY 2000, its participants arrived from the former Soviet Union, Kosovo, Southeast Asia, Bosnia, Ethiopia, Somalia, Iraq, and a host of other countries.

As with the Wilson/Fish and State-administered programs, Matching Grant voluntary agencies work with ORR staff to establish goal plans to measure continuous improvement in client outcomes. Because the program emphasizes family self-sufficiency (independence from cash assist-ance), goal plans measure the proportion of cases that are self-sufficient at four months after arrival in the U.S. and self-sufficiency retention after 180 days. Goal plans establish self-sufficiency and retention goals for individual participants as well as cases. Goals are also established for individual refugees in terms of job placements, wages, and health benefits. Summaries of the progress reports of the nine participating agencies follow, with all data reported over the calendar year.

Church World Service (CWS) received $2,440,000 to enroll 1,220 refugees in 19 sites. CWS actually enrolled 1,234 refugees, with 82 percent of the families achieving self-sufficiency in Calendar Year (CY) 2000. The primary groups were Bosnians and Cubans. The largest sites were Miami, Florida; Richmond, Virginia; Greensboro, North Carolina; and Houston, Texas. New sites for the Matching Grant program included Atlanta, Georgia; Grand Rapids, Michigan; and Lancaster, Pennsylvania. The inclusion of Cuban parolees in the Matching Grant program resulted in significant growth in Miami's office.

CWS	Cases			Individuals
Self-sufficient (120 days)1	370	75 %	922		83 %
Self-sufficient (180 days)	269	98%	750		99 %
Entered Employment			660		85 %
Average Hourly Wage Health Benefits2			$7.51 501		76 %

Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM) received $2,140,000 to serve 1,070 refugees in the Matching Grant program. EMM enrolled 904 refugees at 18 sites, with 788 refugees reaching self-sufficiency by the 180^th day. The largest ethnic groups served were Bosnian and Sudanese.

EMM	Cases		Individuals
Self-sufficient (120 days)	285	89 %		766	89 %
Self-sufficient (180 days)	276	97 %		788	98 %
Entered Employment				409	85 %
Average Hourly Wage Health Benefits				$7.58 323	82 %

Ethiopian Community Development Center (ECDC) received $920,000 in CY 2000 to serve Matching Grant clients. ECDC ultimately enrolled only 329 refugees into Matching Grant, the shortfall due to low arrivals for the year. Their network was comprised of four sites in CY 2000: Houston, Texas; Chicago, Illinois; San Diego, California; and Arlington, Virginia. The major ethnic groups served arrived from the Sudan, Ethiopia, Bosnia and Somalia.

ECDC	Cases		Individuals
Self-sufficient (120 days)	126	73 %		273	82 %
Self-sufficient (180 days)	160	95 %		315	91 %
Entered Employment				163	81 %
Average Hourly Wage Health Benefits				$7.48 142	93 %

Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) requested $9,000,000 to support activities in CY 2000, carrying forward $2,542,200 in expended 1999 funds to serve 4,500 clients. In late 2000, ORR awarded a supplemental grant to serve additional clients. HIAS ultimately served 4,681 clients in the Matching Grant program, the vast majority from the successor republics of the former Soviet Union, supplemented by 542 refugees from Iran and Bosnia. Of those refugees, 1,412 were completely self-sufficient after six months in the U.S. Sixty-five communities participated in the Matching Grant program, a decline of three from the number that participated in 1999. New York City, San Francisco, and Los Angeles enrolled the largest number of participants.

HIAS	Cases		Individuals
Self-sufficient (120 days)	782	39 %		1,653	37 %
Self-sufficient (180 days)	681	89 %		1,412	86 %
Entered Employment				1,024	33 %
Average Hourly Wage Health Benefits				$9.49 44	60 %

HIAS is unique in the Matching Grant program in that it places virtually its entire eligible refugee population in the Matching Grant program, thereby extending services to many refugees who find it difficult to obtain employment within the four-month time frame.

Immigration and Refugee Services of America (IRSA) received $6,614,000 to resettle 3,307 refugees at thirteen sites in CY 2000. This was a dramatic increase over 1999 when the program served 1,800 in ten sites. IRSA ultimately enrolled 3,351 clients in Matching Grant with no additional Federal dollars. The most dramatic change came in Miami as the program enrolled 1,242 clients of the newly eligible Cuban parolee population. Of the 3,046 participants who completed 120 days, IRSA reported 2,854 (94 percent) reached self-sufficiency.

IRSA	Cases		Individuals
Self-sufficient (120 days)	1252	91 %		2,854	94 %
Self-sufficient (180 days)	975	99 %		2,249	98 %
Entered Employment				1,756	91 %
Average Hourly Wage Health Benefits				$6.80 1,054	65 %

International Rescue Committee (IRC) received an initial grant award of $5,930,000 to enroll 2,965 clients, continuing its growth in the program. By the end of the year, 2,975 new arrivals were enrolled in the program, and 2,199 became self-sufficient by the end of the 120-day period. Sixteen sites participated in the Matching Grant program. At the largest site in Miami, Florida, 786 clients enrolled in the program.

IRC	Cases		Individuals
Self-sufficient (120 days)	976	86 %		2,199	87 %
Self-sufficient (180 days)	898	99 %		2,153	99 %
Entered Employment				1,398	82 %
Average Hourly Wage Health Benefits				$8.08 912	70 %

Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) received $8,014,000 to serve 4,007 clients in CY 2000. This included the carry-over of $3 million in unexpended funds from 1999. LIRS enrolled 3,997 clients during the year, 3,327 of whom became self-sufficient within 180 days.

LIRS	Cases		Individuals
Self-sufficient (120 days)	1,139	86 %		3,090	86 %
Self-sufficient (180 days)	1,165	96 %		3,327	95 %
Entered Employment				1,715	88 %
Average Hourly Wage Health Benefits				$7.74 1,376	86 %

The United States Catholic Conference (USCC) received $16 million to serve 8,000 clients at 50 sites. USCC ultimately enrolled 7,730 clients in CY 2000. Of 7,488 reaching the 120^th day after arrival, 6,576 reached self-sufficiency. The number of self-sufficient participants rose to 7,315 by the end of 180 days.

USCC	Cases		Individuals
Self-sufficient (120 days)	2,849	87 %		6,576	88 %
Self-sufficient (180 days)	2,867	96 %		7,315	97 %
Entered Employment				3,996	81 %
Average Hourly Wage Health Benefits				$7.51 3,137	82 %

World Relief Corporation (WRC) received $3,200,000 to resettle 1,600 refugees in its ten affiliate sites. WRC enrolled 1,571 refugees. Of 1,410 clients reaching 120 days, 1,311 were self-sufficient by the 120-day mark. The largest ethnic groups served were Eastern European and African refugees. Tampa and Ft. Worth were their largest sites. Miami rejoined the Matching Grant program after a one-year hiatus to serve 200 Cuban entrants. Jacksonville, Florida and Seattle, Washington joined the program this year.

WRC	Cases		Individuals
Self-sufficient (120 days)	474	92 %		1,311	93%
Self-sufficient (180 days)	429	97 %		1,264	98 %
Entered Employment				696	88 %
Average Hourly Wage Health Benefits				$7.35 543	84 %