About Targeted Assistance

Targeted Assistance - Formula

As part of the Division of Refugee Assistance, the Targeted Assistance Program (TAG) helps refugees obtain employment within one year's participation in the program in order to achieve self sufficiency. TAG services are similar to Refugee Social Services, however they are distinctive in that they prioritize:

  • Cash assistance recipients, particularly long-term recipients
  • Unemployed refugees not receiving cash assistance
  • Employed refugees in need of services to retain employment or to attain economic independence

TAG allocates formula funds to states that qualify due to an influx of refugee arrivals seeking public assistance.

Contact Information
Mitiku Ashebir
Director, Division of Refugee Assistance
Office of Refugee Resettlement
Administration for Children and Families
901 D Street, SW
Washington, DC 20447
Phone: 202.401.9246
Fax: 202.401.5487

Targeted Assistance - Discretionary

The Targeted Assistance Discretionary Program is part of the Division of Refugee Assistance and provides grants to address the employment needs of refugees that cannot be met with the Formula Social Services or Formula Targeted Assistance Grant Programs.

Services mainly focus on refugees who continue to need services beyond the initial years of resettlement. Activities supplement existing employment services to help refugees achieve economic self sufficiency.

This program also serves populations who are hard to reach and thus finding greater difficulty integrating, including:

  • Refugees residing in the U.S. longer than five years
  • Refugee women who are not literate in their native language
  • The elderly

List of Current Grantees


Contact Information
Mitiku Ashebir
Director, Division of Refugee Assistance
Office of Refugee Resettlement
Administration for Children and Families
901 D Street, SW
Washington, DC 20447
Phone: 202.401.9246
Fax: 202.401.5487