SAN FRANCISCO, July 12, 2016 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Educators for Fair Consideration (E4FC) today launched FUSE, the Fund for Undocumented Social Entrepreneurs, an initiative to foster and provide financial support for the entrepreneurial projects of undocumented young people working to create positive social change. In 2016, E4FC plans to disburse $250,000 in funding through $5,000 to $50,000 one-year grants. Preliminary applications are due August 5, 2016.
E4FC believes it is essential to support undocumented young people who are working to create positive social change as their contributions are essential to the future of our country. “By identifying creative and highly motivated undocumented young people — and supporting the entrepreneurial projects they design and lead — we will affirm the case that all of us benefit from welcoming and fully integrating undocumented young people into the fabric of American life,” said E4FC’s Executive Director Katharine Gin. FUSE will provide concrete examples and offer inspiring stories of undocumented young people who are at the forefront of social change in the U.S.
The FUSE initiative began as a conversation between Gin and journalist/author Jorge Ramos. As a longtime supporter of E4FC’s New American Scholars Program (which provides financial awards to low-income undocumented college and graduate students) Ramos wanted to deepen his commitment to E4FC and its mission. Gin proposed FUSE as a way to expand financial support and foster meaningful opportunities for undocumented young people nationwide, particularly those who are inhibited from pursuing their chosen careers because of their immigration status.
“In this political climate nothing is more important than telling the truth about the enormous contributions of undocumented immigrants to our country. FUSE will serve as a tool for them to demonstrate their creativity and their commitment to this nation. I’m sure we will be pleasantly surprised with their projects for social change,” said Ramos.
Since that initial conversation, a number of other prominent philanthropists and thought leaders have also committed to supporting FUSE and helped to design it. They include The Grove Foundation; James Gutierrez; Robert, Colleen and Elise Haas; Jeff Hawkins and Elisha Wiesel.
E4FC will consider FUSE proposals for projects that address a variety of needs, target diverse populations, and employ different strategies. They can be non-profit or for-profit initiatives — or hybrid projects that include both non-profit and for-profit components. E4FC is open to supporting projects that serve and advocate for undocumented people as well as ones with broader potential impact . . . projects that strengthen families and build community; projects that advance educational achievement; projects that broaden economic opportunities; and projects that improve public health or the environment. Most importantly, the projects must create positive social change and must be designed and led by undocumented young people.
E4FC welcomes and strongly encourages proposals that reflect and respond to the diversity of the undocumented community. They are especially interested in proposals from project leaders from the African and Asian diasporas and from leaders who identify as LGBT, queer or transgender. They strongly encourage proposals for projects that address the needs and concerns of diverse communities.
Applicants for funding must first submit a brief application form by August 5, 2016. For more information about FUSE please visit fuse.e4fc.org
Any undocumented young person is eligible to apply for a grant through FUSE. E4FC considers an undocumented immigrant someone who was born outside of the United States, is not a U.S. Citizen or lawful permanent resident and does not possess a green card, visa, or have status to be in the U.S. Applicants do NOT need to be eligible for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) to qualify.
Founded in 2006, Educators for Fair Consideration (E4FC) is a San Francisco-based nonprofit that empowers undocumented young people to pursue their dreams of college, career, and citizenship in the United States. E4FC’s programming is designed by and for undocumented young people in close collaboration with committed allies. E4FC is a fiscally sponsored program of Community Initiatives. For more information, visit www.e4fc.org.
FUSE Information Links: fuse.e4fc.org
FAQ: http://e4fc.org/fuse/fusefaqs.html
Supporters: http://e4fc.org/fuse/fusesupporters.html
Media Contact:
Jennifer J. Nieman
The Nieman Group
305.335.3054
[email protected]
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