The Belonging Fund Community Impact Report

In its inaugural year, The Belonging Fund provided an extraordinary lifeline to immigrant and refugee families across Middle Tennessee. Guided by a belief that when immigrants are cared for, our entire community is stronger, the fund distributed $490,000 to eight trusted nonprofit partners who provide essential, culturally grounded support.

These investments were made possible solely through individual donors and private organizations. No government dollars were used. This independence allowed partners to respond quickly and equitably to urgent needs affecting thousands of new neighbors.

Across every partner, one theme was clear. Dignity, safety, and belonging are daily necessities.

Evolution of The Belonging Fund

The Belonging Fund originated from a collaborative conversation between Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee (CFMT) and leaders from the Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC). Their shared vision was to create a responsive resource that could meet urgent needs facing immigrant and refugee families in Middle Tennessee.

In May 2025, following an immigration enforcement operation in Nashville, CFMT accelerated the launch of The Belonging Fund to provide immediate financial relief. The first $60,000 in grant funding was allocated to Conexión Américas to support families who contacted the TIRRC Helpline and were directly affected by the event.

As immigration laws and policies continued to shift in the months that followed, CFMT paused additional distributions to ensure the fund remained legally compliant, equitable, and well-positioned for long-term impact. To guide the next phase, CFMT convened leaders from key immigrant-serving organizations, including TIRRC, Conexión Américas, Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors (TNJFON), the American Muslim Advisory Council (AMAC), and API Middle Tennessee (APIMT). This group functioned as an informal steering committee and reflected CFMT’s commitment to trust-based philanthropy by relying on the expertise of those most proximate to immigrant communities.

The group developed a transparent referral and coordination process to prevent duplication of services and ensure funding reached families with the most urgent needs. Through collective assessment, they identified the highest priority areas for support. These included USCIS legal fees, healthcare, utility assistance, emergency housing, and basic needs. Each organization shared its capacity to address specific aspects of these needs, and the group worked toward consensus in developing a unified set of funding recommendations.

As gaps and opportunities emerged, the steering committee recommended additional partners to expand the fund’s reach. These partners included The Branch, Rooftop Nashville, Catholic Charities, and the Nashville International Center for Empowerment (NICE). With complete consensus across the group, CFMT approved and distributed the collective recommendations, resulting in the additional $430,000 allocation reflected in this report.

Today, the coalition continues to meet monthly with CFMT to monitor fund use, strengthen coordination, and support a shared referral system. The group is also partnering with CFMT to develop a long-term fundraising strategy for The Belonging Fund, ensuring a sustainable source of support for immigrant-serving organizations as needs continue to evolve.

Overall Impact of $490,000 Granted

In 2025, The Belonging Fund’s $490,000 investment will strengthen the stability and well-being of more than 1,000 immigrant and refugee families across Middle Tennessee. Through eight trusted nonprofit partners, these dollars will help families secure legal protection, stay safely housed, access food and infant supplies, meet urgent medical needs, and remain connected to work and school during moments of hardship.

Together, these organizations will provide:

• Legal stability for more than 500 people through immigration applications, renewals, and filing fee support
• Housing stability for at least 150 families through rent, mortgage, deposit, and utility assistance
• Food, diapers, and essential supplies for more than 600 families, including families with infants and young children
• Emergency support for hundreds of households, including transportation, healthcare, utilities, and crisis-related needs

This is what belonging looks like in action. Families staying safe, stable, and supported as they build new lives in our community.

Partner Allocations and Community Impact

Grant amounts reflect each organization’s capacity, scope of services, and role within the coordinated response to community needs. In addition to the initial $60,000 grant funding allocated to Conexión Américas in May 2025, the following allocations have been distributed:

American Muslim Advisory Council (AMAC)

Allocation: $50,000
AMAC will assist approximately 100 immigrant families with immigration fees, rent assistance, utilities, transportation, food, and other basic needs. Serving more than 60,000 Muslims in Middle Tennessee, AMAC is uniquely positioned through its connections with mosques and ethnic community leaders to respond quickly to families experiencing sudden hardship.

Catholic Charities, Diocese of Nashville

Allocation: $50,000
Catholic Charities will expand hunger relief, increase rent and utility assistance, and provide immigration legal support across its Family Resource Centers. These programs serve families across multiple counties and offer food boxes, meals, emergency housing support, and assistance with immigration forms.

Conexión Américas

Allocation: $50,000
Conexión Américas will provide diapers, formula, food boxes, and essential supplies for hundreds of immigrant and Latino families. Support will be offered at Casa Azafran and during bimonthly food distribution events to ensure families have what they need when other safety net programs fall short.

Nashville International Center for Empowerment (NICE)

Allocation: $50,000
NICE will support approximately 100 individuals with green card applications, renewals, citizenship filings, rent assistance, utilities, and urgent healthcare costs. Staff members, many of whom are former refugees themselves, will ensure families receive culturally responsive support during vulnerable moments.

Rooftop Nashville

Allocation: $80,000
Rooftop Nashville will keep dozens of immigrant households safely housed by covering rent payments, mortgage assistance, and deposits. This investment will prevent eviction or foreclosure during moments of crisis and help families maintain stability as they work toward long term housing security.

Tennessee Immigrant and Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC)

Allocation: $50,000
TIRRC will cover immigration application fees for individuals seeking naturalization, citizenship certificates, DACA renewals, and green card renewals. This support helps families maintain employment, avoid legal vulnerability, and continue building secure futures in Middle Tennessee.

Tennessee Justice for Our Neighbors (TNJFON)

Allocation: $50,000
TNJFON will use its allocation to pay immigration filing fees for clients who cannot afford them. Support will cover applications such as DACA renewals, work authorizations, advance parole, and family petitions for immigrants living below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.

The Branch of Nashville

Allocation: $50,000
The Branch will provide direct financial assistance to approximately 50 immigrant families through its Comprehensive Care program. Support will cover emergency housing and utilities, medical bills, transportation needs, and immigration-related costs, paired with coaching and long-term goal-setting.

A Shared Commitment to Belonging

The Belonging Fund transformed a shared community value into meaningful action. By providing trusted and timely support during moments of crisis, every dollar reflected the belief that when immigrants are cared for, our whole community is stronger.

The needs facing immigrant and refugee families continue to grow, and The Belonging Fund remains one of the few flexible resources dedicated to meeting these needs with dignity and compassion. Your support helps families stay safely housed, remain connected to work and school, protect their legal status, and feel welcomed in the community they now call home.

We invite you to continue this work with us. A gift to The Belonging Fund directly supports trusted nonprofit partners who walk alongside families during their most vulnerable moments.

Help us continue this commitment to care, safety, and community. Make a gift today.