PHILANTHROPIC CONVENING ON IMMIGRANT RIGHTS IN PENNSYLVANIA

We were proud to host the second annual Philanthropic Convening on Immigrant Rights in Pennsylvania, on July 23, 2026 near Harrisburg, PA. The convening was a great success, bringing  local, statewide, and national funders together to strategize about resourcing immigrant justice in funder-only spaces. The day offered the chance to learn directly from leaders working on the frontlines with immigrant and refugee communities across the Commonwealth. 

Over the past year and a half, Pennsylvania’s residents, immigrant leaders, advocates, and organizers have used their voices, their feet, and the ballot box to stand up for immigrants and push back against unprecedented attacks on civil rights, human rights, and due process. Tens of thousands of community members have responded swiftly to attacks on their families and neighbors. This bravery and moral clarity is all the more uplifting because it comes from an incredibly broad and diverse statewide coalition. It is clear, immigrant justice is the litmus test for democracy of our time.

From last year’s convening, a cohort of local and national funders in partnership with the Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition (PIC) launched a new initiative to support immigrant organizing across the state. The Pennsylvania Fund for Immigrant Rights and Equity (PA FIRE) leverages the support of philanthropic foundations and contributions from the general public to advance a coordinated state plan to support, protect, and strengthen immigrant communities across the state. In less than a year, PA FIRE has raised nearly $2 million in brand new funds from foundations, donors, and the public. These funds help fuel a statewide plan to ensure that Pennsylvanians have the needed capacity to serve immigrant communities now and to advance long-term systems change that will strengthen our commonwealth.

At this dynamic convening, participants dove into the frontlines of immigrant rights organizing, surfacing winning strategies and forward-looking lessons from a pivotal year of advocacy in Pennsylvania and beyond. Peer funders worked together to explore how shifting immigrant realities intersected with their foundation's unique mission and priorities, and strategize actionable philanthropic responses to immediate crises while laying the groundwork for an equitable, healthy future for all communities.

It was a powerful space to network, exchange best practices, and build lasting alliances with the changemakers driving this movement forward.

Here's a summary of some of the day's sessions:

Panel: Moving Towards Immigrant Justice

Philanthropic leaders from across the state explore how geography, funding priorities, and leadership shape each foundation's approach to immigrant justice. This session offers a candid look at the behind-the-scenes breakthroughs and roadblocks in funding, grounded by national insights from a Democracy Fund leader. 

Your Panelists:

Uma Viswanathan, President, Samuel Fels Fund

Anne Marie Toccket, Executive Director, Posner Foundation

Dave Koser, Director of Programs, Lancaster County Community Foundation

Jessica Richards, Program Director, William Penn Foundation

Breakout Groups: Opportunities Across PA

This session zooms in on Pennsylvania's regional landscapes to explore who is funding immigrant rights and where local organizing momentum lives. Through structured small-group conversations organized by region, participants share ground-level insights and build peer relationships for future collaboration. 

Your Presenters:

Akshara Vivekananthan, Program Officer HealthSpark Foundation

Chaya Scott, Chief Impact Officer, Chester County Community Foundation

Dave Koser, Director of Programs, Lancaster County Community Foundation

Keynote Speaker: Cairo Mendes, Senior Director of Local and State Programs at Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR)

Cairo Mendes, Senior Director of Local and State Programs at Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees (GCIR), offers a lunchtime keynote that grounds us in the urgent "why" behind this moment for philanthropy. Cairo unpacks the landscape of support for immigrant communities across the country, explores implications for Pennsylvania, and challenges participants to think creatively about how their foundations can engage in immigrant justice work. 

Breakout Groups: What Gets in Our Way?

A space for peer idea exchange and tactical problem-solving around the barriers, known and unknown, to funding immigrant justice work in Pennsylvania. With an eye toward solutions, this workshop moves between small and large group conversation. Come ready to think outside the box, but inside the grid.

Your Presenter:

Deb Bentzel, Senior Program Officer, Regional Foundation (Made Possible by Wells Fargo)

Meeting the Urgency of Now to Build PA's Future: Grantee Panel

Frontline leaders from across the state share a collective "state of the Commonwealth" for immigrant communities and look ahead to what comes next.

Your Presenters:

Jasmine Rivera, Executive Director, Pennsylvania Immigration Coalition

Aweys Mwaliya, President, Somali Bantu Community Organization of Pittsburgh

Amy Eusebio, Chief Operating Officer, Ceiba Philadelphia

Sophia Ángeles, Centre County Rapid Response

Maura McInerney, Education Law Center of Pennsylvania

Reach out to our planning committee at team@pennsylvaniafire.org.