Washington COVID-19 Immigrant Relief Fund

Washington COVID-19 Immigrant Relief Fund

Funder: Legal Foundation of Washington (in partnership with state and community organizations)

Status: Closed (applications no longer accepted)

Geographic Scope: Washington State

Target Population: Immigrants ineligible for federal stimulus funds or unemployment benefits due to immigration status

Focus Areas: Economic relief for immigrants impacted by COVID-19

Award Amount:

$1,000 direct payments per individual

Up to $3,000 per household

Overview: In 2020, LFW partnered with immigrant-led community organizations, the Governor's office, and the Washington State Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) to establish the Washington COVID-19 Immigrant Relief Fund. The fund provided more than $60 million in economic relief to approximately 250,000 individuals and families who were excluded from federal relief due to their immigration status.

Rationale: This program addressed the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on immigrant communities and the exclusion of an estimated 250,000 people in Washington from federal relief.

Management Structure:
LFW's role included:

Serving as the fund's fiscal agent

Administrative management

Contract management and technical assistance

Ensuring overall goals were met

11 immigrant-led organizations managed criteria, reviewed applications, distributed funds, and maintained data security:

Asian Counseling and Referral Service

Colectiva Legal del Pueblo

Fair Work Center

Northwest Immigrant Rights Project

Nuestra Casa

OneAmerica

Raíz of Planned Parenthood

Scholarship Junkies

Washington Census Alliance

Washington Dream Coalition

Washington Immigrant Solidarity Network

The coalition included more than 400 organizations across the state.

Additional Information:

Fiscal agent: Seattle Credit Union

Application Status: CLOSED as of 2026

Learn More: immigrantreliefwa.org

Contact Information:

Legal Foundation of Washington

500 Union St, Suite 1025

Seattle, WA 98101

Phone: (206) 624-2536

Fax: (206) 382-3396

Background: LFW has a core commitment to supporting immigrant communities. In 2020, LFW granted nearly $5 million to organizations providing legal aid and advocacy for immigrants.