Knight Foundation and Opportunity Fund Launch Innovative "Saving for Citizenship" Program

A $1.85 million grant by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation will help Opportunity Fund launch Saving for Citizenship-a new program that will help 500 low-income legal immigrants in Silicon Valley save money to apply for naturalization and become US citizens. Saving for Citizenship is a direct response to the near doubling of citizenship application fees that has raised concern among groups working with immigrants that see rising application costs as a barrier to obtaining citizenship. The Opportunity Fund will use the grant to offer a 2:1 match for money saved toward naturalization. Saving for Citizenship will:

1. Teach legal immigrants how to navigate the U.S. financial system;

2. Train them in budgeting, investing and analyzing loan products;

3. Provide assistance with the citizenship application process.

KJ