Program areas at ISAAC of Northern Colorado
Need-Based Community Grants/Program Areas: The Emergency Immigration Fund (EIF) is a project first established in August 2017 to support immigrant, asylum-seeking and refugee households facing hardships and with less access to traditional forms of assistance and credit. The emergencies include personal family situations, natural disasters, accidents, immigration-related crises or the death of a loved one. All EIF grants are need-based, charity support which address systemic barriers and inequities in our broader community for some of our most vulnerable community members.
Leadership and Professional Development Training - Through our Cultivamos and Adelante programs we provide education, training, support and professional development opportunities for immigrant youth, young adults, and their parents. This includes a summer fellowship program, a community leadership training program, work authorization support, and grants for those wishing to create a small business or engage in licensing or skills-building. The program provides need-based financial grants and connection to resources for mentoring, training and onsite learning.
Immigration Support Grants - Grants to support legal, filing or professional fees for an immigration case. This fund prioritizes several categories of vulnerability: youth, victims of crimes, single parents facing financial hardship, the elderly, and those in need of an immediate intervention or court motion to stop a deportation or family separation. We work with a network of lawyers and nonprofits provided that the attorney meets our criteria of being in good standing with AILA and charging set fees at 70% market value. We prioritize work with pro bono legal offices and private attorneys who have dedicated significant time in their careers to immigration advocacy and community-based clinics/support. This support includes legal/professional fees for emergency immigration cases, forensic medical evaluation, support for DACA renewals and first-time application filing fees, USCIS filing fees and direct legal fees, initial legal consult fees, and support for unaccompanied migrant minors who qualify for Special Immigrant Juvenile Status due to abuse or neglect and a well- founded fear of return to their country of origin.
Other program expenses include quarterly community empowerment resource workshops attracting an average of 250-300 immigrants and asylum seekers to learn about community health, small business support, education opportunities and legal resources; Newcomer Support providing winter gear and hygiene products to approximtely 100 middle and high school youth each fall; trainings and conflict mediation support for small landlords and tenants (approximately 60 attendees per event), education forums and trainings for faith communities and fellow organizations/agencies focused on reducing community barriers and creating mutual understanding.
ISAAC is also the fiscal sponsor for El SueƱo Latino, an affiliated program started in 2022 to serve the needs of immigrant communities in South Larimer County. The project's goal is to create a more unified and connected community through advocacy, direct service, recreational belonging, and community development. The program's 2023 income expenses are reflected in these consolidated financial statements.