Across the United States, there is a serious labor and talent shortage. The Congressional Budget Office’s Outlook for 2024–2034 projects that increased immigrant participation in the labor force can offset this issue. Just as citizenship is a gateway to financial independence, new Americans are a powerful resource for companies and organizations facing workforce gaps. Yet, of the more than nine million immigrants who are eligible for citizenship, only 9% apply. Supporting immigrants’ journeys to citizenship could build a more substantial, resilient and diverse workforce that carries this country into the future.

Attaining citizenship has proven to boost immigrants’ annual earnings, employment and homeownership rates, however financial barriers keep millions from realizing those benefits. Through active research, BlueHub found that one of the greatest hurdles immigrants face is the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) application filing fee. In response, we founded One Percent for America (OPA), a nonprofit organization designed to reduce barriers to US citizenship, advance immigrant inclusion and advocate for immigrant equity and financial prosperity.

OPA’s innovative lending platform offers loans at 1% interest and requires no credit check, no income verification and no waiting periods. Borrowers are approved same-day and, on average, have a monthly payment of approximately $60.

Immigrant need for such loans is palpable; in 2023 alone, our OPA community grew by more than 50%. That growth was largely through peer-to-peer engagement. Friends told friends   and people applied for OPA loans not only for themselves, but as a simple solution for their families and colleagues to advance their citizenship journeys.

In 2023, we received a $250,000 program-related investment (PRI) from Eastern Bank Foundation, supporting OPA loans for low- to moderate-income immigrants living in Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Rhode Island. We also received $170,000 in funding from the Credit Builders Alliance’s (CBA) CDFI Intermediary, CBA Fund. With CBA’s support, OPA will report our lending activity to the three major consumer credit reporting agencies. In 2024, OPA borrowers will build their credit while repaying their loans, improving immigrant economic inclusion and providing access to the nation’s financial system.

Now, OPA is evolving further, leveraging BlueHub’s nearly 40 years of leadership in philanthropic financial innovation to amplify our emphasis on workforce development.

Focusing our efforts in regions with a robust pro-immigrant ecosystem, we are seeking partnerships with companies committed to supporting immigrant employees. Working together, employers and OPA can provide vital education, financial empowerment, citizenship application support and fee assistance. That’s a powerful employee recruitment, retention and engagement opportunity.

Looking ahead, we will continue to increase awareness and education about citizenship, expand our community of borrowers, and serve as an integral part of the immigrant ecosystem — successfully opening new pathways to citizenship while helping bolster the workforce. We believe that ultimately, OPA’s community and impact will transcend its mission and advance a cultural movement.