The Wilson/Fish authority allows projects to establish or maintain a refugee program in a State where the State is not participating in the refugee program or is dropping out of the refugee program or a portion of the program. These projects are considered under Category 1 in the Wilson/Fish announcement.

The Wilson/Fish authority also provides public and private non-profit agencies the opportunity to develop new approaches for the provision of cash and medical assistance, social services, and case management. These projects are considered under Category 2 in the Wilson/Fish announcement.

No additional funding is appropriated for Wilson/Fish projects; funds are drawn instead from regular cash and medical assistance grants and social services allocations. Wilson/Fish alternative projects typically contain several of the following elements:

In FY 2003, Wilson/Fish projects were operated by private non-profit agencies in Alaska, Kentucky, Nevada, South Dakota, Alabama, Vermont, Idaho, and San Diego County, California. In addition, there were three Wilson/Fish projects, (Massachusetts, Colorado, and North Dakota) that were publicly administered.

As in past years, Wilson/Fish program managers worked closely with ORR staff to establish outcome goal plans for their programs. The program goals established for FY 2003 are based on the program measures adopted for the State-administered program. For an explanation of each program measure and the outcomes for each project, see the section entitled "Partnerships to Improve Employment and Self-Sufficiency Out-comes," beginning on page 16.

Calendar Year (CY) 2003 marked the 24th anniversary of the Matching Grant program. In those twenty-four years, more than 2 million refugees have come to this country and nearly 535,000 refugees (over 26 percent of all refugees) were served through the Matching Grant program. In CY 2003, more than 25,200 refugees, Cuban/Haitian Entrants, asylees and victims of trafficking participated. These 25,200 refugees were served by 241 affiliate sites of the nine voluntary agencies, or Volags, in 123 cities in 42 States. ORR had projected 26,172 clients to be served, but the shortfall in arrivals in FY 2003 took its toll on the program. Agencies took extraordinary measures to conduct outreach to asylees and Cuban/Haitian entrants to maintain the program and only two agencies did not meet their projected caseload. Despite the downturn in the economy, and its particular impact on traditional entry-level jobs, the program was successful in achieving self-sufficiency at 120 days for 70 percent of its clients.

The Matching Grant program, funded by Congress since 1979, provides an alternative approach to State-administered resettlement assistance. The program's goal is to help refugees attain self-sufficiency within four months after arrival, without access to public cash assistance. Participating agencies agree to match the ORR grant with cash and in-kind contributions; twenty percent of their match must be in cash. The Agency must match at least $1,000 for each $2,000 in Federal funds per enrollment.

The Matching Grant program is characterized by a strong emphasis on early employment and intensive services during the first four months after arrival. ORR requires participating agencies to provide maintenance (food and housing), case management, and employment services in-house. Additional services, such as language training and medical assistance, may be provided in-house or arranged through referral to other programs. Refugees in the Matching Grant program may use publicly funded medical assistance.

The Matching Grant voluntary agencies work with ORR staff to establish goal plans to measure continuous improvement in client outcomes. Because the program emphasizes family self-sufficiency (independence from cash assistance), goal plans measure the proportion of cases that are self-sufficient at four months after arrival in the U.S. and self-sufficiency retention two months later. Goal plans establish self-sufficiency and retention goals for individual participants as well as cases. Goals are also established for individual refugees in terms of job placements, wages, and health benefits. Summaries of the progress reports of the nine participating agencies follow, with all data reported over the calendar year. [1]

Church World Service (CWS) received $3,300,000 to enroll 1,650 refugees in 31 sites (22 main offices and 9 sub-offices). CWS enrolled 1,667 refugees despite the dramatic decline in arrivals, including the 1,650 refugees projected for the year plus an additional 17 refugees served with funds from the original grant award. CWS reported that 1,129 clients achieved self-sufficiency of the 1,562 that reached the 120-day mark, or 72 percent. The primary groups enrolled were Cubans, Liberians, and Sudanese. The largest sites were Miami, Florida; Richmond, Virginia; and Atlanta, Georgia.

CWS	Cases		Individuals
Self-sufficient (120 days)[2]	518	72 %		1129	72 %
Self-sufficient (180 days)	561	96 %		1171	96 %
Entered Employment				707	73 %
Average Hourly Wage Health Benefits[3]				$7.94 391	62 %

Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM) received $1,864,000 to serve 932 refugees at 24 sites in the Matching Grant program. Despite the low number of arrivals after September 11, 2001, EMM enrolled all 932 refugees and asylees. The largest ethnic groups served were Bosnian and Sudanese.

EMM	Cases		Individuals
Self-sufficient (120 days)	417	71 %		829	73 %
Self-sufficient (180 days)	246	98 %		722	82 %
Entered Employment				519	66 %
Average Hourly Wage Health Benefits				$7.88 343	70 %

Ethiopian Community Development Council (ECDC) received $1,212,000 in CY 2003 to serve 606 Matching Grant clients in six sites. ECDC ultimately enrolled a total of 586 refugees into Matching Grant. The major ethnic groups served arrived from Sudan, Bosnia, and Somalia.

ECDC	Cases		Individuals
Self-sufficient (120 days)	225	74 %		436	76 %
Self-sufficient (180 days)	200	99 %		423	99.5 %
Entered Employment				265	68 %
Average Hourly Wage Health Benefits				$8.52 130	56 %

Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) requested $4,504,000 to support activities in CY 2003 to serve 2,252 clients. HIAS ultimately served 1,299 clients in the Matching Grantprogram, the vast majority from the successor republics of the former Soviet Union and Iran. Of those refugees, 453 were completely self-sufficient after 120 days in the U.S. HIAS continued to see a steady decline in caseload reflecting changes in the former Soviet Union.

HIAS	Cases		Individuals
Self-sufficient (120 days)	251	36 %		452	34.6 %
Self-sufficient (180 days)	193	74.5 %		358	77.7 %
Entered Employment				322	33.1 %
Average Hourly Wage Health Benefits				$8.36 110	51.9 %

Immigration and Refugee Services of America (IRSA) received $9,522,000 for the enrollment of 4,761 refugees at sixteen sites. IRSA ultimately enrolled 4,836 clients in Matching Grant. Miami continues to be the largest program, enrolling 3,116 clients. More than 59 percent of the caseload consisted of Cuban/Haitian entrants, 21 percent were asylees and 20 percent were refugees.

IRSA	Cases		Individuals
Self-sufficient (120 days)	1,717	84 %	3,143	85 %
Self-sufficient (180 days)	1,813	88 %	3,278	89 %
Entered Employment			2,217	81 %
Average Hourly Wage Health Benefits			$7.22 980	48 %

International Rescue Committee (IRC) received a grant award of $6,200,000 to enroll 3,100 clients at its sixteen regional offices. By the end of the year, 3,405 new arrivals were enrolled in the program. More than forty-five ethnicities were represented in the IRC caseload. Of 3,115 clients reaching their 120^th day, 2,253, or 72 percent were self-sufficient.At the largest site in Miami, Florida, 1,220 clients enrolled in the program, with 96 percent self-sufficient within four months.

IRC	Cases		Individuals
Self-sufficient (120 days)	1,094	72 %		2,253	72 %
Self-sufficient (180 days)	931	93 %		2,017	94 %
Entered Employment				1,365	67 %
Average Hourly Wage Health Benefits				$7.94 650	56 %

Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service (LIRS) received $7,404,000 to serve 3,702 clients in CY 2003. LIRS enrolled 3,702 clients during the year at 30 sites. 3,229 individuals completed 120-days in the program, 2,324 of whom became self-sufficient within 120 days.

LIRS	Cases		Individuals
Self-sufficient (120 days)	1,060	71 %		2,324	72 %
Self-sufficient (180 days)	1,024	96%		2,251	98 %
Entered Employment				1,482	73 %
Average Hourly Wage Health Benefits				$7.76 827	65 %

United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) received $15,138,000 million to serve 7,569 clients at 65 sites. USCCB ultimately enrolled 7,798 clients in CY 2003. Of 6,641 reaching the 120^th day after arrival, 4,735 reached self-sufficiency.

USCCB	Cases		Individuals
Self-sufficient (120 days)	3,950	85 %		7,798	71 %
Self-sufficient (180 days)	3,554	90 %		5,184	78 %
Entered Employment				2,951	66 %
Average Hourly Wage Health Benefits				$7.43 1,532	59 %

World Relief (WR) received $3,200,000 to resettle 1,600 refugees in its ten affiliate sites.  WR enrolled 1,683 clients with those funds, raising in-kind match for all 1,683.  Of 1,250 clients reaching 120 days, 835 were self-sufficient by the 120-day mark. The largest ethnic groups served were refugees from Africa and the former Soviet Union.

WRC	Cases		Individuals
Self-sufficient (120 days)	406	69 %		835	67%
Self-sufficient (180 days)	427	96 %		939	97 %
Entered Employment				559	67 %
Average Hourly Wage Health Benefits				$7.35 407	82 %

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