Refugee Revenue: HIAS' $248 million in grant awards
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The federal government has outsourced the processing and care of refugees admitted to the United States to a myriad of tax-exempt non-profits and non-governmental organizations (NGOs).

These organizations are often religiously affiliated, such as the Maryland-based Hebrew International Aid Society (HIAS). The Biden administration's DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas was a HIAS board member prior to being appointed. 

HIAS originated in the early twentieth century as a resettlement aid organization for Jewish refugees fleeing Europe and Russia. The organization resettled refugees in the United States and other western hemisphere countries throughout the first and second World Wars.[1]

After World War II, HIAS expanded its refugee resettlement services to Africa, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. In the 1990s, HIAS expanded its resettlement services to non-Jewish refugees and began operating in Latin America, South America, and the Caribbean. In the 2020s, HIAS has become heavily involved in resettling refugees from Ukraine and Afghanistan.[2]

HIAS operates “Welcome Corps”, a ‘matching’ program in partnership with the federal government that facilitates private sponsorship of refugees.[3] HIAS also engages in activism and political lobbying for expansion of refugee resettlement and asylum programs.[4]

According to USASpending, HIAS has been awarded over $248 million in grants for refugee aid since 2021. These grant awards include:

• $94 million for the “Preferred Communities Program” (refugee aid program established in the 1990’s by the Office of Refugee Resettlement, includes one year of comprehensive assistance
• $65.2 million for refugee aid abroad, including $10.8 million for Venezuelan refugees in various countries and $5.7 million for LGBT-focused aid
• $40.7 million for placement and reception services for refugees admitted into the US
• $21.4 million for the “matching” sponsorship program
• $14.1 million for processing refugees in foreign countries

According to HIAS’ Form 990 disclosures, its annual contributions and grants have increased dramatically over the last 4 years:

• $52.3 million in 2019
• $62.6 million in 2020
• $109.7 million in 2021
• $145.8 million in 2022

HIAS’ 2022 financial disclosures reported paying President/CEO Mark Hetfield over $354,000 and Executive Vice President Sabrina Bejman over $360,000. HIAS also reported holding $70.7 million in securities and $24.4 million in other investments, generating $2.4 million in investment revenue. HIAS also reported an endowment fund of $63 million.

HIAS also issues grants to other refugee aid organizations, reporting a $1.6 million payment to Carolina Refugee Resettlement Agency in Charlotte, $239,523 to the Asylum Seeker Assistance Project, and $101,839 to the American Bar Association for Justice and Education in 2022.

Below are the grant awards issued to HIAS since 2021, according to USASpending:

Administration for Children and Families grant (2021)
Amount: $93,974,509
Purpose: HIAS' preferred communities program
Link to award

Department of State grant (2023)
Amount: $16,309,999
Purpose: To ensure that all refugees approved for admission to the United States are provided with reception and placement services.
Link to award

Administration for Children and Families grant (2022)
Amount: $10,462,800
Purpose: 2022 voluntary agencies matching grant program
Link to award

Department of State grant (2022)
Amount: $8,791,235
Purpose: To ensure that all refugees approved for admission to the United States are provided with reception and placement services appropriate to their personal circumstances
Link to award

Department of State grant (2022)
Amount: $8,056,536
Purpose: To amend the budget, program activities, consolidated placement plan, and period of performance per attachment A001
Link to award

Department of State grant (2021)
Amount: $7,213,334
Purpose: To provide reception and placement services to eligible recipients under the U.S. refugee admission program (USRAP)
Link to award

Administration for Children and Families grant (2023)
Amount: $6,953,100
Purpose: 2023 voluntary agencies matching grant program
Link to award

Department of State grant (2021)
Amount: $6,094,644
Purpose: To ensure vulnerable Colombians and Venezuelans are protected, free from violence, and can access rights to allow them to live in dignity
Country: Ecuador
Link to award

Department of State grant (2022)
Amount: $6,000,000
Purpose: Enhance social and economic protection, risk reduction and response services, and learning and knowledge generation in Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru.
Country: Ecuador
Link to award

Department of State grant (2021)
Amount: $5,657,705
Purpose: Enhanced social and economic protection of women, adolescent girls, survivors, and individuals identifying as LGBTIQ.
Country: Peru
Link to award

Department of State grant (2023)
Amount: $5,317,016
Purpose: To ensure that all refugees admitted to the United States receive reception and placement services
Link to award

Department of State grant (2023)
Amount: $5,200,000
Purpose: Refugees, migrants, and vulnerable local populations are protected, self-reliance, free from violence, and access rights to allow them to live in digni
Country: Ecuador
Link to award

Department of State grant (2023)
Amount: $4,978,130
Purpose: Provide regional refugee processing service for U.S. refugee admissions.
Country: Austria
Link to award

Department of State grant (2023)
Amount: $4,395,000
Purpose: An integrated approach to addressing GBV and child protection in eastern Chad, promoting self reliance and sustainable livelihoods in southern Chad
Country: Chad
Link to award

Department of State grant (2022)
Amount: $4,000,000
Purpose: To increase equitable access to the USRAP for highly vulnerable refugees in need of resettlement who are unlikely to be reached through other referral mechanisms.
Country: Kenya
Link to award

Department of State grant (2021)
Amount: $3,030,280
Purpose: Vulnerable refugees, asylum seekers and migrants in aruba, Curacao and Guyana access integrated, high-quality services that build social cohesion and economic inclusion.
Country: Guyana
Link to award

Department of State grant (2022)
Amount: $3,010,048
Purpose: Vulnerable refugees, asylum seekers and migrants in aruba, Curacao and Guyana  access integrated, high-quality services that build social cohesion and economic inclusion.
Link to award

Department of State grant (2021)
Amount: $3,000,000
Purpose: To improve the safety, well-being and inclusion of vulnerable refugees and host communities in Nairobi through community based protection.
Country: Kenya
Link to award

Department of State grant (2023)
Amount: $3,000,000
Purpose: Enhance access to rights and protection of women, adolescent girls, survivors and LGBTQI+ migrants and refugees through GBV prevention, mitigation, and response programming, building on community capacity and participation, fostering self-reliance and em
Country: Colombia
Link to award

Department of State grant (2022)
Amount: $3,000,000
Purpose: Vulnerable refugees and migrants (vrm) are protected, free from violence, and access rights to allow them to live in dignity in equador.
Country: Ecuador
Link to award

Department of State grant (2021)
Amount: $2,770,443
Purpose: To fund the resettlement support center in Vienna, Austria for fiscal year 2021
Country: Austria
Link to award

Department of State grant (2021)
Amount: $2,707,714
Purpose: Through access to high-quality, integrated protection and assistance services, Venezuelan refugees, asylum seekers, and vulnerable migrants in Peru meet their most urgent needs and increase their opportunities for interim and durable solutions.
Country: Peru
Link to award

Department of State grant (2022)
Amount: $2,391,865
Purpose: Provide regional refugee processing service for all U.S. refugee admissions
Country: Austria
Link to award

Department of State grant (2023)
Amount: $2,386,325
Purpose: To ensure that all refugees admitted to the United States receive reception and placement services
Link to award

Administration for Children and Families grant (2024)
Amount: $2,371,600
Purpose: 2024 voluntary agencies matching grant
Link to award

Department of State grant (2022)
Amount: $2,300,000
Purpose: To enhance the protection and inclusion of vulnerable refugees including LGBTQI persons and the host community in Nairobi, Kenya through community based interventions.
Country: Kenya
Link to award

Department of State grant (2021)
Amount: $2,000,000
Purpose: Social protection and resilience: an integrated approach to addressing GBV and mental health in eastern Chad
Country: Chad
Link to award

Department of State grant (2023)
Amount: $2,000,000
Purpose: To enhance the protection, resilience, and self reliance of vulnerable refugees and the host community in Nairobi
Country: Kenya
Link to award

Department of State grant (2022)
Amount: $2,000,000
Purpose: To reinforce the protection and resilience of refugees in eastern Chad through an integrated approach to mental health and psychosocial support and GBV prevention and response.
Country: Chad
Link to award

Department of State grant (2023)
Amount: $2,000,000
Purpose: Vulnerable Venezuelan refugees, asylum seekers and migrants (vram) and host community in aruba, Curacao, and guyana access high-quality services that ensure and support local integration, social cohesion, economic inclusion and protection.
Link to award

Administration for Children and Families grant (2021)
Amount: $1,624,654
Purpose: 2021 voluntary agencies matching grant program
Link to award

Department of State grant (2022)
Amount: $1,500,000
Purpose: Providing displaced populations with quality services and empowerment tools to rebuild their lives in safety and dignity, guarantee the enjoyment of human rights and promote their integration processes in Costa Rica.
Country: Costa Rica
Link to award

Department of State grant (2023)
Amount: $1,500,000
Purpose: Vulnerable refugees, asylum seekers, and migrants in Costa Rica especially women and girls, can live free from violence, support basic needs and incomes, and access legal status that allows them to live in dignity through community based protection
Country: Costa Rica
Link to award

Department of State grant (2021)
Amount: $1,500,000
Purpose: Providing displaced populations with quality services and empowerment tools to rebuild their lives in safety and dignity, guarantee the enjoyment of human rights and promote their integration processes.
Country: Costa Rica
Link to award

Department of State grant (2021)
Amount: $1,491,500
Purpose: Refugees, asylum seekers, and vulnerable migrants in Mexico meet their most urgent needs and increase their opportunities for interim and durable solutions.
Country: Mexico
Link to award

Department of State grant (2022)
Amount: $1,491,500
Purpose: Refugees, asylum seekers, and vulnerable migrants in Mexico meet their most urgent needs and increase their opportunities for interim and durable solutions.
Country: Mexico
Link to award

Agency for International Development grant (2022)
Amount: $1,000,000
Purpose: New award in Honduras for the sectors of protection and erms
Country: Honduras
Link to award

Administration for Children and Families grant (2022)
Amount: $900,000
Purpose: HIAS employer engagement program
Link to award

Administration for Children and Families grant (2022)
Amount: $750,000
Purpose: Refugee career pathways program FY2023
Link to award

Administration for Children and Families grant (2021)
Amount: $750,000
Purpose: Opportunities for refugee women to start up micro-enterprises in Clearwater, FL and Charlotte, NC
Link to award

Administration for Children and Families grant (2021)
Amount: $750,000
Purpose: Refugees and the future of work: pathways to career resiliency
Link to award

Department of State grant (2023)
Amount: $688,500
Purpose: To ensure all Afghan refugees and sivs coming through the OAW/EW pipeline receive reception and placement services.
Link to award

Department of State grant (2023)
Amount: $650,002
Purpose: To primarily support  refugees or asylum-seekers in two or more countries or support global coordination, advocacy, and knowledge-sharing on protection, assistance, and solutions for vulnerable refugees and asylum-seekers.
Country: Colombia
Link to award

Administration for Children and Families grant (2022)
Amount: $503,750
Purpose: HIAS FY2023-fy2027 sot application
Link to award

Administration for Children and Families grant (2022)
Amount: $500,000
Purpose: Microenterprise opportunities for refugees in Ann Arbor, MI and Cleveland, OH
Link to award

Administration for Children and Families grant (2021)
Amount: $500,000
Purpose: FY2022 HIAS refugee individual development accounts program
Link to award

Administration for Children and Families grant (2023)
Amount: $350,000
Purpose: HIAS refugee individual development accounts program
Link to award

Administration for Children and Families grant (2023)
Amount: $300,000
Purpose: Employer engagement program in Charlotte, North Carolina
Link to award

Agency for International Development grant (2023)
Amount: $100,000
Purpose: The purpose of this activity is to provide multipurpose cash assistance (mpca) in the Pasaje Canton for a period   of three months. This fixed amount award provides financial assistance so  the implementing partner (HIAS, inc.)   will reach 595 individuals who have had to move due to the earthquake and will work in partnership and   coordination with caritas, who will focus their intervention on the Machala Canton, also doing mpca interventions.
Country: Ecuador
Link to award

Department of State grant (2023)
Amount: $50,000
Purpose: The HIAS non-profit civil partnership will organize a series of capacity building trainings and a one-day conference that will connect U.S. and greek LGBTQI+ experts to refugee response professionals in Greece
Country: Greece
Link to award

Department of State grant (2022)
Amount: $24,999
Purpose: To provide critical legal protection and assistance to LGBTQI+ asylum seekers individuals in Israel, enabling them to access rights and services
Country: Israel
Link to award

Department of State grant (2023)
Amount: $6,055
Purpose: HIAS will create and manage a 6-month English language program called "English alive" for 25 Venezuelan migrants residing in Bartica (region 7)who face language barrier issues in guyana.
Country: Guyana
Link to award

Department of State grant (2022)
Amount: $2,396
Purpose: HIAS will create and manage a 6-month English language program called English alive at the American corner, national library for 25 Venezuelan migrants who face language barrier issues in guyana.
Country: Guyana
Link to award