Greetings Resettlement Directors-
Today, USCCB received a request from PRM to amend our APA Cooperative Agreement to include additional Afghan arrivals. Currently, all 9 national Resettlement Agencies have an approved capacity of 38,000 arrivals, however, projections indicate that more than double that capacity may be necessary to meet the need.
I am reaching out so that you can consider formally increasing your capacity to serve APA cases through the program period, which has been extended to the end of September 2022.
As you consider what your revised capacity might be, PRM is incorporating some additional elements into the program based on feedback:
APA Additional Direct Assistance (similar to COVID-DA for the R&P program)
PRM intends to make available additional direct assistance for significant unmet housing and/or technology needs in this next amendment. USCCB does not yet have a specific amount of the increase that will be available.
APA Local Capacity Development Funding
Similar to the R&P Capacity Development Funding this summer, PRM intends to award in this amendment separate affiliate administrative funding for the purpose of supporting APA capacity development. This can include hiring of new staff such as community sponsorship developers, housing coordinators, and case managers; conducting community consultations and outreach; allowing for staff overtime, incentives, and increases in accordance with agency compensation plans, and other administrative costs necessary to support the development of local capacity sufficient to support increased placements, as appropriate.
Please complete this survey to indicate your capacity increase and capacity development funding request by COB on Thursday, October 14th.
It is critical that State Refugee Coordinators (and other community stakeholders as appropriate/possible) are consulted prior to proposing any increases to capacity. Make sure to consult with your SRC before proposing any increase to your capacity.
USCCB is working on award letters and the MOU for the APA program based on our current Cooperative Agreement and hopes to have them in your inboxes in the next few days. Once our Cooperative Agreement is amended, we will reach out to you with updated award letters based on an amended approval.
Thank you for all that you are doing and please reach out with any questions.
In solidarity,
Rachel Pollock, MSW
Director, Resettlement Services
USCCB | Migration and Refugee Services
