SILVER SPRING, Maryland — Fifteen CLINIC affiliates were among the 40 organizations in 19 states that received a funding award through the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Citizenship and Assimilation Grant Program. USCIS received more than 90 applications for the highly competitive grant program.

The two-year grants announced Sept. 24 will provide up to $250,000 for support citizenship classes, naturalization application assistance and assimilation services. The program has helped more than 200,000 permanent residents prepare for citizenship over the last 10 years.

Of the 15 CLINIC affiliates that received a grant from USCIS, 10 are Catholic legal immigration programs:

• Catholic Charities Diocese of Rochester (New York)
• Catholic Charities of Central Texas (Austin)
• Catholic Charities of Galveston-Houston
• Catholic Charities of Los Angeles
• Catholic Charities of Syracuse
• Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Stockton (California)
• Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Worcester (Massachusetts)
• Catholic Charities San Bernardino & Riverside (California)
• Catholic Migration Services (Brooklyn, New York)
• Hope CommUnity Center (Apopka, Florida)

The remaining five are community-based legal immigration programs:

• Coptic Orthodox Charities (Clearwater, Florida)
• Ecumenical Ministries of Oregon (Portland)
• Hispanic Unity of Florida (Hollywood, Florida)
• La Casa de Don Pedro (Newark, New Jersey)
• Tacoma Community House (Washington)

This year, USCIS funded a new initiative for extended assimilation services to refugees and asylees. One CLINIC affiliate, Catholic Charities of Syracuse, New York, was among the four grantees that received assimilation grants.