New Vision Foundation Awarded Grant to Break Down Barriers to Economic Advancement for Immigrants & Refugees in Rural Communities

New Vision Foundation is the recipient of a grant by Jobs For the Future (JFF), Ascendium, and World Education Services (WES) Mariam Assefa Fund, a group of funding organizations working together to advance economic inclusion for immigrants, refugees, and migrant workers in rural areas. NVF is one of 10 newly-selected members of the Rural Immigrant Success Exchange (RISE), an ambitious two-year initiative that will convene a cohort of organizations working across the country to break down barriers to education, training, and employment for immigrant and refugee workers residing in rural communities.

The 10 RISE finalists were selected through a highly competitive and comprehensive application process, yielding more than 100 initial applications across the US. The competitive nature of the process demonstrates the growing need to support immigrants, refugees, and migrants living in rural communities and working in low-income jobs. Across the country, immigrants play a key role in rural communities facing economic decline, an aging workforce, and youth migration away from these geographies. Yet current research shows a too often unstable and unsafe entry point forimmigrants, refugees, and migrants in rural areas, making access to quality jobs and economic advancement a significant challenge.

New Vision Foundation will use the new funding to scale and expand our existing rural Minnesota tech education and training programs located in Wilmar and St. Cloud, Minnesota. Many of the youth in our rural programs come from immigrant and refugee families. With the support of JFF and its partner organizations; Ascendium and the World Education Services Mariam Assefa Fund, we will work to break down barriers to education, training, and employment for immigrant and refugee workers residing our rural communities.

Read more about the 10 organizations that make up RISE.