Multi-stakeholder Pledge: Community Sponsorship

Key outcomes

Commitments which form part of this multi-stakeholder pledge will contribute towards an increase in the number, scale and diversity of community sponsorship programs globally in order to grow third country solutions for refugees, enhance the integration prospects of refugees and strengthen community narratives by allowing communities to welcome new neighbours. This may be achieved through:

  • Law & policy. Enacting laws, policies, and frameworks that allow national and local authorities and communities to create and implement new community sponsorship programmes, including in the context of complementary pathways.
  • Data & evidence. Ensuring monitoring and evaluation frameworks are included in community sponsorship design.
  • Funding. Providing funding at a national and regional level to support Community Sponsorship programmes; and supporting the establishment of the new Global Sponsorship Fund that will pool funds globally to grow community sponsorship programs at a national level.
  • Including refugees. Ensuring grassroots initiatives, including those led by refugees, are fostered and inform policy design and implementation.

For more information please see the community sponsorship pledging framework.

Background

The Global Refugee Sponsorship Initiative is calling on members of the global community, its partners, states and civil society networks to come together on pledges to increase the number, scale and diversity of community sponsorship programs in different countries.

Community sponsorship programs empower groups of individuals to welcome refugees and others in need of international protection into their communities. Community sponsorship programs operate as a public-private partnership and include a variety of partners, including national governments, local authorities, the UNHCR, and local civil society organisations. This whole-of-society approach to refugee settlement can improve integration outcomes, strengthen local communities, and expand pathways to protection. Community sponsorship has demonstrated value in sustaining resettlement and complementary pathways.

Pledge description

The pledge aims to expand community sponsorship opportunities for refugees worldwide.

This is to be achieved:

  • By growing existing community sponsorship programs by making them more accessible, empowering for refugees and welcoming communities and strengthening their financing;
  • By linking community sponsorship programs to a wider set of pathways to protection, including complementary pathways in education, labour and family;
  • By establishing new community sponsorship programs in countries that do not have one already;
  • By providing peer support, including between members of the GRSI communities of practices (Community Sponsorship States Network, CSO network);
  • By engaging local authorities in community sponsorship programs;
  • By including refugees in the design and creation of community sponsorship programs and enhance their participation;
  • By supporting the establishment of a new Global Sponsorship Fund.
Pledge updates
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Continuing efforts towards pledge goals

Overview

  • Commitments under this multi-stakeholder pledge will help to increase the number, scale and diversity of community sponsorship programmes around the world in order to increase third country solutions for refugees, improve integration prospects for refugees and strengthen community narratives by enabling communities to welcome new neighbours.
  • Leadership: Global Refugee Sponsorship Initiative
  • Link to GCR: Objective 3 – Expansion of Third Country Solutions

Key Statistics

  • Ten State pledges committing to develop (Brazil), continue or expand existing programmes (Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Canada, Germany, Ireland, Italy UK and USA), joined by 33 entities (including 3 Private Sector, 5 faith-based organisations, 3 international organisations and 19 civil society organisations).
  • Eight pledges in support of the Global Sponsorship Fund (Government of Italy and the USA, Robert Bosch Foundation, Pathways International, Jesuit Refugee Service, Open Community Ireland, and HIAS).
  • Total financial contribution of EUR 1,000,000.
  • Two pledges were received to support the establishment of national funds (Ireland and USA).
  • One regional pledge from the EU towards expansion of community sponsorship (including through provision of necessary funding).
  • In total: 22 core pledges supported by 35 entities.

Highlighted pledge updates

Target 1:  Implement, promote and expand sponsorship programs across existing and new countries.

  • Since the 2023 Global Refugee Forum, progress has continued in expanding community sponsorship worldwide. Brazil launched its program, welcoming 175 Afghans, with more arrivals expected through civil society partnerships. Australia announced that the CRISP program will become a permanent part of its humanitarian program in 2026. As of mid-2025, over 17 countries are at various stages of developing community sponsorship programmes.

Target 2:  Establish and operationalize a Global Sponsorship Fund (GSF)

  • A GSF Design Committee was launched in early 2024, with initial contributions from Italy and the Bosch Foundation. Consultations explored deployment and structural options through design thinking, involving governments, philanthropy, and civil society. Pilot projects were launched to test approaches and inform future implementation.

Target 3: Strengthen a global community of practice through peer-to-peer learning among states and civil society.

  • A global community of practice, coordinated through the GRSI States and Global CSO Networks, now supports states, CSOs, refugee-led and community organizations advancing sponsorship. Both in-person and online engagements have expanded participation, including refugee leaders and those with lived experience.

Target 4: Increase the availability of data and evidence to inform the design and implementation of sponsorship programs.

  • A multi-year Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning initiative under GRSI is building the evidence base for sponsorship programs. Inventories and analyses are underway, with plans for deeper thematic studies and tailored MEL frameworks to guide program improvement.

Looking forwards

  • Ongoing coordination of the pledge and associated initiatives will be through established GRSI Structures, aligned with the GRSI workplan.

Leadership

GRSI Partners

  • The Government of Canada
  • The University of Ottawa Refugee Hub
  • The Open Society Foundations
  • The Giustra Foundation
  • The Shapiro Foundation
  • Robert Bosch Stiftung
  • Porticus

Supported by UNHCR.

Contact details

DIPS Third Country Solutions Unit, Durable Solutions and Field Protection Service (DSFPS)

Calendar

GRSI and Sponsorship-adjacent events

  • December 2023: launch of the Multi-Stakeholder Pledge on Community Sponsorship at the Global Refugee Forum 2023
  • December 2025: Global Refugee Forum Progress Review

Further resources

Website

Contributions towards this multi-stakeholder pledge