National Capacity Building & Assistance Projects

Photo: Shane Nelson Photo
Since 2021, Church World Service has received funding from the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration and the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Refugee Resettlement to host national projects in community sponsorship and in housing. These projects provide technical assistance, cross-sector knowledge sharing, resources, innovative solutions, and training, serving all 10 national refugee resettlement agencies and their local networks (370+ affiliates and ORR-eligible populations).
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Refugee Welcome Collective (RWC) is a technical assistance and training provider that aims to improve outcomes for refugees resettled through the U.S. Refugee Admissions program and other programs by building capacity and expanding community sponsorship.

RWC collaborates with partners to provide in-depth training, knowledge sharing and social learning sessions, multimedia resources, and one-to-one technical assistance for sponsors, community sponsorship staff, refugees paired with sponsors, and community and institutional partners to support quality community sponsorship programs across the United States.


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State-by-State Resource Map
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Refugee Housing Solutions (RHS) is a capacity building and technical assistance provider with the goal to increase access to safe, dignified and affordable housing for refugees and newcomers to the United States.  RHS provides support through a myriad of ways including technical assistance, education, resource development, facilitating dialogue, aligning nationwide action and creating innovative housing solutions and cross-sector collaboration for resettlement staff, landlords and property managers, refugees, ORR-eligible populations, housing and accommodation stakeholders, volunteers, higher education institutions, and faith groups. 

In addition to providing technical assistance, training, and resources, RHS also hosts a monthly National Housing Working Group and bi-monthly housing community of practice. RHS also partners with the technology and hospitality industries on innovative collaborations, such as Marriot International’s points donation program for temporary refugee accommodation among others.


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Housing Hub & Directory

| Impact Highlights


Refugee Welcome Collective (RWC) and Refugee Housing Solutions (RHS) achieved significant milestones, advancing support for refugees and newcomers across the United States and globally.

RWC Impact Highlights:

  • Supported 337 individuals (18.7% of FY24 Welcome Corps arrivals), including 311 in the last two weeks of the fiscal year.
  • Engaged 89,587 learners through online courses and 4,793 participants in live training and events.
  • Produced critical resources, including community sponsorship manuals downloaded over 4,400 times, and hosted the first-ever virtual National Community Sponsorship Conference.
  • Expanded the State-by-State Resource Map to all 50 states, integrating participatory search in ten states.
  • Launched the Sponsor Support Forum, an online peer-learning platform, and published key reports on refugee feedback and community sponsorship systems.

RHS Impact Highlights:

  • Launched the Housing Hub & Directory, reaching 614 users with over 300 resources tailored to major U.S. metro areas.
  • Supported over 1,400 stakeholders with technical assistance, training, and resources, with over 1,800 multimedia resources downloaded.
  • RHS presented at the virtual HUD National Fair Housing Training Academy (NFHTA) forum titled Empowering New Americans: Pursuing the American Dream and Fair Housing Together, alongside government colleagues from PRM, ORR, and HUD. Over 649 fair housing partners joined the conversation on the challenges New Americans face related to housing and the resources available to New Americans and organizations that support refugees and immigrants in overcoming these barriers.
  • CWS published a feature article with the Migration Policy Institute on the Global Affordable Housing Shortage and its impact on newcomers Article: Global Affordable Housing Shortages Can H.. | migrationpolicy.org
  • Launched a partnership with Marriott International through RHS for all 10 RA's by allowing Marriott Bonvoy members to support newly arriving refugees and other newcomers to the United States through the donation of their points. Refugee Housing Solutions and Marriott International Team Up to Help Provide Short-Term Accommodations for Refugees | CWS  &  how to donate
  • Secured housing for 14 refugee households through the Whitestone/RHS Housing Access Pilot.
  • Partnered with national organizations, empowering 12 Entryway Talent directors to place refugees in housing and revising private-sector processes to expand refugee housing access.
  • Church World Service alongside the Irish Refugee Protection Programme created, launched, and co-chairs the Global Refugee Accommodations Working Group, initiated in late 2023, with  a mission to bring together key stakeholders, including several governments involved in refugee resettlement, UN agencies, academia, and NGOs to ensure collaborative and cross-sector coordination regarding safe and affordable refugee housing challenges and opportunities.  Since the public launch in February 2024, the Global Refugee Accommodation Working Group  hosted member meetings, two symposiums, created a website, led plenary and breakout session (s) at both the Consultations on Resettlement and Complementary Pathways 2024 Working Group and annual meeting, and is designing an accommodation policy source to provide stakeholders with authoritative knowledge on housing policies, challenges, and solutions in resettlement states across the globe, fostering a more informed and meaningful exchange of ideas and collaborations.  Global Refugee Accommodations Working Group

Collectively, these efforts demonstrate a robust commitment to fostering refugee integration through training, technical assistance, innovative housing solutions, and cross-sector collaboration.