Even as we prepare and collaborate in anticipation of large-scale immigration reform, the work of capacity building is of utmost importance in any political climate. Capacity building refers to identifying, recruiting, educating, and supporting nonprofit legal and non-legal practitioners in effectively assisting applicants navigating a myriad of immigration scenarios. This work is underscored by a keen eye towards sustainability — ensuring sufficient capacity to meet expected demand for years to come. Key areas of addressing capacity building require the following:

1. assisting staff of nonprofit organizations and networks to obtain DOJ (Department of Justice) recognition and accreditation;
2. increasing access to immigration services in areas with largest needs (based on available data regarding the size of the eligible population and likely application rates);
3. strengthening and disseminating service delivery models in order to reach a large number of applicants;
4. providing ongoing technical support and resources to legal practitioners and others on program structure and management, fundraising, staffing, etc.