The state of Washington is home to over 943,000 immigrants and receives the 8th most refugees of any U.S. state. The state’s immigrant communities--particularly undocumented immigrants--were especially vulnerable to the health and economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, yet they were excluded from federal relief funds and many other formal relief efforts.

Last year, several Washington immigrant rights groups demanded the governor devote more than $100 million in funding for urgent economic relief for the state’s immigrant communities.

They won.

The effort was impressive not only for its scale--one of the largest such funds in the nation--but also for being implemented in close partnership with directly impacted communities. Using a participatory grant making model and drawing on the expertise of several community-based organizations, the Washington COVID-19 Immigrant Relief Fund was driven by and for immigrant communities. This model allowed the Relief Fund to reach more than 100,000 immigrants in just a few months, delivering resources to a population often left out of philanthropic efforts. It also allowed immigrant organizing groups to extend and deepen their reach, creating a unique opportunity to build the power of undocumented immigrants and strengthen the state’s immigrant rights movement infrastructure.

Please join this panel of funders and immigrant rights leaders to reflect upon the lessons learned from the WA COVID-19 Immigrant Relief Fund and how the recent growth of rapid relief funds create opportunities for funders to leverage long-term power building for social change.

When: Thursday July 29 from 12:30-2:00pm

Where: Please RSVP to receive zoom link

This event is convened by Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network (WAISN) and co-hosted by the Group Health Foundation, the Marguerite Casey Foundation, Philanthropy Northwest, the Satterberg Foundation, Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrant & Refugees and the Seattle Foundation.

Moderated by Jonathan Jayes-Green, Vice President, Marguerite Casey Foundation

Presenters will include:

Steven Cole-Schwartz, Vice President of Programs, Group Health Foundation
Brenda Rodriguez Lopez, Executive Director, WAISN

Other Speakers to be Announced Soon!