Becoming a sponsor

Community sponsorship is an opportunity for interested individuals or community groups to directly support newcomers from countries outside the United States to integrate and thrive in communities across Minnesota. Sponsors provide connections to local resources, offer friendship and guidance, and play a crucial part in welcoming families into the community. Sponsors also collaborate with other organizations serving refugees to meet the needs of new arrivals and ensure newcomers are connected to all services and supports they are eligible for.

Community sponsors can email the Resettlement Programs Office at dhs.rpo.outreach@state.mn.us or call 1-800-814-4806 to discuss available programs and services for newcomers.

Sponsorship pathways

There are several federally administered sponsorship pathways. The Resettlement Programs Office at the Minnesota Department of Human Services does not oversee these programs.

Welcome Corps

Welcome Corps empowers Americans to welcome families arriving through the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP) and support them to build new lives in communities across the United States. Welcome Corps on Campus and Welcome Corps at Work are two additional pathways within the Welcome Corps Program.

The first step in participating in the Welcome Corps process is to learn more about becoming an approved sponsor. Applications from sponsors will be vetted to ensure they can provide the required support before being matched with an arriving family. For more information about the Welcome Corps program, please visit welcomecorps.org.

Additional resources

Welcome Corps Helpdesk assists with any questions related to the Welcome Corps program. It includes a contact form to connect with the Welcome Corps Support team.
Application Support is available through Welcome Corps for all applicants.
- Group Application Support sessions are held weekly on Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m. CST. Sign up for an Application Support Session.
- For help completing an application, editing an existing application, or to check the status of your application, sign up for a virtual one-on-one session via Calendly.
Community Sponsorship Hub is a national organization dedicated to growing community sponsorship through its resource center with research, fact sheets, guides and videos that can support individuals and organizations engaging in community sponsorship.
Alight, HIAS, International Rescue Committee (IRC), Refugee Welcome Collective, Welcome NST, Home for Refugees USA and Integrated Refugee & Immigrant Services (IRIS) are the Private Sponsor Organizations supporting Private Sponsor Groups in Minnesota. Private Sponsor Organizations have the role of mobilizing, supporting and overseeing Private Sponsor Groups.
Minnesota State Resource Guide offers information for sponsors and newcomers on cash and food assistance, health care access, programs for English language learners, job search assistance and other resources in Minnesota.
The Welcome Corps Support Line (WCSL) is a resource specifically designed for Private Sponsor Groups after they have welcomed the refugee or refugee family. This support line offers on-demand technical assistance to help Sponsors navigate the complexities of connecting newcomers with services. Call the Welcome Corps Support Line at (212) 551-3100, or email WCSL@rescue.org.
Welcome.US is a national program supporting the broad-based welcoming of newcomers. It has various resources, from an FAQ and training information to a platform to help interested people identify someone to sponsor.
The Welcome Corps program is available free of charge both for sponsors and refugees. If you or someone in the community hears of fraud or misinformation or is asked to pay money to access the program, please report it to fraud@welcomecorps.org. If you choose to use a preparer for your application, please review Welcome Corps' guidance.

Uniting for Ukraine

Uniting for Ukraine provides a pathway for Ukrainian citizens and their immediate family outside the United States to apply for travel to the United States to live and work for up to two years. Ukrainians participating in the Department of Homeland Security administered Uniting for Ukraine must:

Have a sponsor in the United States who agrees to provide them with financial support for the duration of their stay in the United States
Undergo and clear robust security vetting
Meet other Department of Homeland Security eligible criteria.

The first step in the Uniting for Ukraine process is for U.S.-based sponsors to file an I-134A, Online Request to be a Supporter and Declaration of Financial Support, with the United States Citizen and Immigration Service for each person they seek to support, including minor children. The U.S. government will review the sponsor information provided to ensure the applicant can financially support the individuals they agree to support. See the Department of Homeland Security's Uniting for Ukraine.

Additional resources

Welcome.US is a national program supports the broad-based welcoming of newcomers and has various resources, from an FAQ and training resources to a platform to help interested U.S. sponsors identify someone to sponsor.
Alight is a Minneapolis-based humanitarian organization works with displaced and marginalized communities across the world and in Minnesota. Alight recruits and supports sponsors, hosts sponsorship information sessions, and provides application support.
Office of Refugee Resettlement’s Ukrainian Assistance Resources lists key resources and contacts to support Ukrainians.

Processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans

Nationals of Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela and their immediate family outside the United States who have applied to travel to the United States to live and work for up to two years. To participate, eligible beneficiaries must:

Have a sponsor in the United States
Undergo and clear robust security vetting
Meet other eligibility criteria.

The first step in the process is for U.S.-based sponsors to file a Form I-134A, Online Request to be a Supporter and Declaration of Financial Support, with the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service for each person they seek to support, including minor children. The U.S. government will then review the sponsor information to ensure they can financially support the individuals they agree to support. For more information on the processes for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans and Venezuelans, visit the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services page.

Additional resources

Welcome.US is a national program supports the broad-based welcoming of newcomers and has various resources, from an FAQ and training resources to a platform to help interested U.S. sponsors identify someone to sponsor.
Alight: This Minneapolis-based humanitarian organization works with displaced and marginalized communities across the world and in Minnesota. Alight recruits and supports sponsors, hosts sponsorship information sessions, and provides application support.

Co-sponsoring through a local resettlement affiliate

Local resettlement affiliates welcome hundreds of individuals each year through the United States Refugee Admissions Program. They work with volunteers and groups to supplement their staff’s support and serve as guides through the resettlement process.

The first step in the process is to connect with a local resettlement affiliate to learn about the opportunities to volunteer as an individual or group to sponsor arriving families. For more information about current opportunities, reach out to one of the agencies listed below:

These links will redirect from the Minnesota Department of Human Services website. These links are provided as a convenience, and the department is not responsible for the content of these sites. Due to the frequent shifts and changes in refugee resettlement, no resource list is comprehensive.