A practical guide to grants for refugee resettlement agencies and organizations, federal ORR programs, foundations, and how to compete for funding.
2025–2026 STATUS UPDATE: ORR made major program changes in 2025–2026. Refugee Cash Assistance (RCA) and Refugee Medical Assistance (RMA) eligibility was reduced from 12 months to 4 months in March 2025. Beginning FY 2026, ORR Refugee Support Services (RSS) formula grants are awarded only to states — no longer to non-state nonprofit replacement designees (ACF DCL 25-04). ORR has also been organizationally realigned. Verify at acf.gov/orr.
Refugee resettlement and integration is funded primarily through the federal Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) with substantial state-administered partnerships, plus a growing foundation funder base supporting integration, employment, and advocacy.
TL;DR: Quick Answers
- Who funds refugee services? ORR (part of ACF), State Department PRM, HRSA, DOL, foundations, community foundations.
- Who can apply? National resettlement agencies and affiliates, state refugee programs, mutual assistance associations (MAAs), nonprofits.
- What gets funded? Reception and placement, social services, employment, health, education, integration, advocacy.
- What’s the biggest opportunity? ORR programs (R&P, Match Grant, Social Services, ELT, etc.) plus state-administered programs.
Federal Funding
Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), part of ACF.
- Reception and Placement (R&P) via national resettlement agency partnerships (jointly with State Department PRM).
- Match Grant Program for employment-focused early integration.
- Refugee Social Services and Targeted Assistance.
- English Language Training (ELT).
- Refugee School Impact and Refugee Youth.
- Cuban-Haitian Entrant Program.
- Unaccompanied Children programs.
- Survivors of Torture Program.
- Refugee Health Promotion.
State Department PRM for international refugee response and U.S. resettlement.
HRSA for refugee health.
DOL workforce programs.
State Programs
Most ORR funding flows to state refugee coordinators who re-grant to local agencies, see pass-through grants. Your state refugee program is the operational doorway.
Foundation Funders
- Open Society Foundations.
- Welcoming America (intermediary).
- Pierce Family Foundation.
- Unbound Philanthropy.
- MacArthur Foundation.
- GHR Foundation.
- Pierce Family Foundation.
- Community foundations in resettlement communities.
- Faith-based foundations historically active.
What Gets Funded
- Reception, housing, and early services.
- English language and education.
- Employment and workforce.
- Health (mental and physical).
- Youth services.
- Legal services.
- Integration and community engagement.
- Advocacy and policy.
- Survivor services (trafficking, torture).
Tips for a Competitive Application
- Coordinate with state refugee coordinator. Many doorways flow through them.
- Show partnership with national agencies if applying as affiliate.
- Demonstrate cultural and linguistic competency.
- Address trauma-informed approaches explicitly.
- Plan for reporting with strong client confidentiality.
How Grantboost Helps
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Read next:
- ACF Grants: A Guide to Administration for Children and Families Funding
- Grants for Immigrant-Serving Organizations
- USAID Grants: A Guide to International Development Funding
Further Reading
- ACF Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR)
- State Dept Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration
- HIAS
- Grants.gov (federal funding portal)
Disclaimer: Grant programs, eligibility rules, deadlines, and policies vary by region and change frequently. The information in this article is for general informational purposes only and may not reflect the current rules in your area. Always consult a local grant writer or qualified expert in your region for advice specific to your organization, project, and jurisdiction.