Welcome.US Sponsor Fund
Sponsor Fund application
The Welcome.US Sponsor Fund is a new grant initiative to support community members stepping up to sponsor Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) families arriving in the U.S.
Afghan Special Immigrant Visa holders who provided critical support to U.S. operations in Afghanistan continue seeking refuge in the United States. The Welcome.US Sponsor Fund provides initial financial support to sponsor groups helping SIV families resettle in their new communities.
These sponsor groups that include neighbors, friends, faith communities, and volunteers play a vital role in helping newcomers find housing, enroll their children in school, secure employment, and navigate their new lives in America. Sponsor groups who meet the criteria for the fund will receive $1,000 per Afghan SIV family member, up to a maximum of $7,000 total (equivalent to seven family members).
Funding is available on a first-come, first-served basis through Oct. 15, 2025.
Note: This funding is for individual sponsor groups. Organizations are not eligible.
Matching with an SIV family
The Welcome.US Sponsor Fund is designed for sponsor groups that are matched with an SIV family via the Sponsor Circle program, run by the Community Sponsorship Hub. This program connects sponsor groups with arriving SIV families planning to soon resettle in the U.S. Sponsor groups can specify the family size they’re willing to sponsor and will be matched accordingly. To start your Sponsor Circle application, visit the program’s website.
Eligibility for the Welcome.US Sponsor Fund
- Groups must match with an SIV family on or after Aug. 15, 2025.
- Sponsors must get matched with the family through the Sponsor Circle program.
- Groups must commit to raising an additional $500 per newcomer.
- Groups must submit their Sponsor Circle application by Oct. 30, 2025.
- Applicants for this funding program must be part of a sponsor group of three or more people committed to welcoming an SIV family.
How it works
Step 1: Form your sponsor group and become a Sponsor Circle
Gather a group of at least three people from your community who are ready to work together to welcome a newcomer family. Please give your group a name, as you will need a sponsor group name for both the Welcome.US Sponsor Fund and Sponsor Circle applications.
Step 2: Apply for the Welcome.US Sponsor Fund
Once your group is formed, you can submit your Welcome.US Sponsor Fund application. The application is short and straightforward. You will need the following for your application:
- Background check: The applicant must complete a Sterling Volunteer background check and include the report with their funding application—the process takes just a few minutes. This background check is also required for the Sponsor Circle application. Use this link or the GOOD DEED code “cshub1r” to complete your background check, and it will be shared with the Sponsor Circle team.
- GoFundMe page: Create a GoFundMe fundraising page for your group, and include the link in your application. Instructions for setting up your GoFundMe are provided in this short video.
Step 3: Receive your conditional “Proof of Funding”
After reviewing your application, the Welcome.US funding team will send you a conditional “Proof of Funding” letter within seven business days (unless additional information is required). Funds will be disbursed once your group is matched with a newcomer family through the Sponsor Circle program and the family has arrived in the community.
Step 4: Submit your Sponsor Circle application
Complete your Sponsor Circle application and submit it to get matched with a family.
In the Sponsor Circle application, under the documentation section for evidence that at least 50% of the minimum financial requirement has been met, you can upload the “Proof of Funding” letter you received from Welcome.US.
Step 5: Get matched with an SIV family and receive your funds
When your group is matched with an SIV family through the Sponsor Circle program, please email our team at [email protected]. We will confirm the match and the family’s arrival with the Sponsor Circle program and disburse funds to your GoFundMe site.
Funds will be awarded approximately three weeks after the arrival of the SIV family. We ask that sponsor groups be prepared with their own funds to cover the initial weeks’ expenses.
For inquiries or assistance, please contact [email protected].
