The Matching Grant
Early Self-Sufficiency Program

The Matching Grant Program is a voluntary program designed to help newly arrived refugees, asylees, Cuban and Haitian entrants and some other groups attain economic self-sufficiency quickly. The program supplies financial incentives to encourage people to begin work within the first four months after arrival, without accessing public cash assistance. 

In addition to our regular case management services, participants in the Matching Grant Program receive intensive employment services. Services include orientation, arranging employment interviews, job placement, follow-up and post-employment support services. Participants are assisted to set their own goals and work toward those goals.

Illegibility
The Matching Grant Program is open only to employable adults and their children. Enrollment into the Matching Grant Program must be within 31 days from the date of arrival into the country for refugees, Amerasians and Cuban and Haitian entrants and the date of the final grant of asylum for asylees.

Participants remain eligible for food stamps and Medicaid, but not for cash assistance. Instead, they receive monthly cash stipends during the job search period. The stipends more than equal what participants and their families would have received on public assistance. Stipends are paid for up to four months from the date of arrival.

In addition to their stipends, participants receive cash bonuses for finding work quickly. They may also be eligible for donations of furniture and household items over and above what we generally provide for new refugees, although this is subject to availability.

A participant in the Matching Grant Program must agree to accept any reasonable job offered, even if it is not in her or his profession. Between 85 % and 90% of participants in the Matching Grant Program become employed within 120-180 days of arrival in the US. LSG Employment Services continue to work with Matching Grant participants who desire to up-grade their jobs.

Funding
The Matching Grant Program is funded by the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR), and administered by national voluntary agencies, including Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS). Our agency receives its federal funds through LIRS. We are required to match the ORR grant with cash and in-kind contributions of goods, time, and services from the community.

Contributions
Your contribution of time, services, cash, or material goods counts twice for LSG, and may be tax deductible for you! We will receive funds through LIRS to match the value of your contribution. For example, several people have donated used cars. We give these cars to refugees who can then use the car as transportation to a job and for their families. The Matching Grant Program receives matching dollars for value of the car, and the book value of the car becomes a tax deduction for the donor.