International Institute of Wisconsin

What International Institute of Wisconsin does

The International Institute of Wisconsin (IIW) is a private nonprofit organization founded in 1936 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, following its separation from the YWCA. Operating from its headquarters at 1110 N. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive, the organization employs approximately 40 staff delivering a comprehensive portfolio of community services to immigrants, refugees, and international visitors in Southeastern Wisconsin. Its core service lines include immigration legal services (green cards, naturalization, family petitions, Special Immigrant Visas, Temporary Protected Status), refugee resettlement and case management for ORR-eligible populations, interpretation and translation services across more than 50 languages for courts, healthcare providers, and community organizations, education programs (ELL classes, Job Club, interpreter training), and international visitor exchange programming including the U.S. Department of State's International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP).

The organization's revenue model blends government grants and contracts (federal, state, and municipal), tax-deductible donations from individuals and corporations, program fees for interpreter training seminars, and fee-based translation and interpretation services. Go-to-market is community-led and direct-to-consumer, with referrals from government agencies and community organizations serving as the primary client acquisition channel. Its technology stack is composed of standard nonprofit case management and client tracking systems, supported by integrations with PayPal (donation processing), QuickBooks (financial management), Constant Contact (email communications), and Google Forms (program registrations); no proprietary technology platform or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed.

IIW is the only organization in Wisconsin designated to host the IVLP under the U.S. Department of State's National Council for International Visitors and Global Ties U.S. network, placing it among 93 such sites nationally. It is governed by a Board of Directors led by Chairperson Donna Roeber and a separate Friends Board, with operational leadership under President and CEO Dr. Paul F. Trebian and Vice President/Senior Director of Operations Estela Vazquez-Ornelas. Its signature program, the Holiday Folk Fair International, has operated continuously since 1943 and received an America 250 designation in 2025 from the Wisconsin America250 Commission.

Name

International Institute of Wisconsin

Legal name

International Institute of Wisconsin

Website

https://iiwisconsin.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The International Institute of Wisconsin is a Milwaukee-based nonprofit founded in 1936 that delivers immigration legal services, refugee resettlement, multilingual interpretation and translation across 50+ languages, and U.S. State Department international exchange programs to immigrants, refugees, and international visitors in Southeastern Wisconsin.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Immigration and Refugee Services

NAICS

Translation and Interpretation Services (54193), Language Schools (611630)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural Adjustment & Integration Services (intercultural programs, community connection) (EDALANAD)

akta.pro secondary industry

Immigrant & Refugee Workforce Integration Programs (EDAAAOAJ)

Keywords

• Immigration legal services
• Refugee resettlement support
• Interpretation and translation
• International exchange programs
• Community integration services

Headquarters

HQ city

Milwaukee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Memberships: Financial contributions from community members, individuals, and corporations. Donations are tax-deductible and 100% of contributions go directly toward supporting clients' needs.
2. Government Grants and Contracts: Federal, state, and local government agency funding to support refugee resettlement, immigration services, and international exchange programs.
3. Program Fees: Fees for interpretation training seminars and potentially other educational programs.
4. Translation and Interpretation Services: Fee-based translation and interpretation services provided to courts, healthcare providers, community organizations, and businesses in over 50 languages.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The International Institute of Wisconsin (IIW) is a nonprofit organization that provides immigration legal services, refugee resettlement, interpretation and translation in 50+ languages, English language and job training programs, and international visitor exchanges. It also runs the Holiday Folk Fair International, a signature multicultural festival. The organization serves refugees, immigrants, courts, healthcare providers, and community organizations across southeastern Wisconsin.

Product overview

The International Institute of Wisconsin is a nonprofit organization offering a comprehensive suite of community services focused on immigration, refugee resettlement, and multicultural exchange. The organization provides Legal Services for immigration and citizenship matters, Community Services including refugee resettlement, Interpretation and Translation Services in over 50 languages, and Education Programs with ELL classes and job training. The International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) facilitates professional exchanges for international leaders, while Youth Programming through the Japan Outreach Initiative promotes cross-cultural understanding. The signature Holiday Folk Fair International celebrates multicultural heritage. These programs work together to help newcomers integrate into American society while preserving cultural identities and promoting international cooperation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Holiday Folk Fair International: America's premier multicultural festival celebrating the cultural heritage of southeastern Wisconsin, featuring traditional music, dance, food, crafts, and cultural booths.

Products and services

• Legal Services Immigration and citizenship legal services including green card applications, naturalization, family petitions, Special Immigrant Visas (SIV), and Temporary Protected Status assistance, provided by multilingual staff.
• Refugee Resettlement Comprehensive refugee resettlement services including safe housing, basic necessities, cultural orientation, case management, employment assistance, and links to community resources for ORR-eligible populations from Myanmar and Iraq.
• Interpretation and Translation Services Professional interpretation and translation services in over 50 languages for courts, healthcare providers, schools, and community organizations, including document translation and on-site interpretation at medical, legal, and social service appointments.
• Education Programs Educational services including English Language Learning (ELL) classes, Job Club for employment readiness, interpretation training seminars, and childcare for ELL students.
• International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) U.S. State Department professional exchange program hosting emerging international leaders for professional meetings, cultural activities, and home hospitality experiences throughout Wisconsin.
• Holiday Folk Fair International America's premier multicultural festival celebrating the cultural heritage of southeastern Wisconsin through traditional music, dance, food, crafts, and cultural booths. Designated an America 250 event in 2025.
• Youth Programming Cross-cultural learning programs for young people including the Japan Outreach Initiative (JOI), featuring cultural activities, classroom visits, and community engagement.
• Public Programming Citizen diplomacy initiatives including dinner hosting programs for international visitors, homestay hosting for Professional Fellows, and volunteer opportunities for cultural exchange.

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• U.S. Department of State / National Council for International Visitors (NCIV)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1940The IIW is currently the only organization in Wisconsin to host the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), an affiliate of the U.S. State Department's National Council for International Visitors. The IIW is one of 93 different sites throughout the U.S. hosting groups of emerging international leaders.
• Global Ties U.S.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe International Institute of Wisconsin is a member of the Global Ties U.S. network, implementing the International Visitor Leadership Program in Wisconsin.
• Cultural VistasmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to implement the Beyond Washington program for staffers of German Bundestag Members (MdBs), an eight-day professional exchange providing deeper understanding of the U.S. heartland.
• Meridian International CentermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to implement the International Exchange and Leadership Program (IELP) addressing cybercrimes as part of the International Exchange and Leadership Program for Pakistan.
• American Councils for International EducationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational program agency managing the Professional Fellows Program (PFP) sponsored by U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs. IIW assists with professional placements, homestays, volunteer and cultural activities.
• Japan FoundationmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for the Japan Outreach Initiative (JOI), a program placing a Japanese volunteer (JOI Coordinator) in Milwaukee to promote multicultural understanding and cultural exchange.
• Laurasian InstitutionmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in the Japan Outreach Initiative (JOI) program promoting Japanese cultural understanding in Milwaukee.
• American Translator's AssociationminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIIW is a proud member of the American Translator's Association for professional standards in interpretation and translation services.
• Federal and State Government AgenciescoreOthersRefugee resettlement supported by federal and state government agencies including ORR (Office of Refugee Resettlement) for serving eligible populations.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Emerging players

• Welcome.US: Newer public-private initiative mobilizing private sponsorship and community engagement for refugee resettlement in the U.S. Overlaps with IIW's refugee resettlement mission and could partner with or compete for the same community donor base.

Direct peers

• Church World Service: Faith-based refugee resettlement and immigration legal services agency operating in multiple U.S. cities. Comparable program scope (resettlement, legal aid, interpretation) and similar nonprofit funding model to IIW.
• U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants: National refugee resettlement, immigration legal, and integration services organization with field offices across multiple states. Highly comparable service mix (resettlement, legal, education) to IIW but at substantially larger geographic scale.
• HIAS: Global Jewish nonprofit providing refugee resettlement, immigration legal aid, and integration services. Closely mirrors IIW's resettlement-plus-legal-plus-cultural orientation model at much larger national scale.
• International Rescue Committee: Major international humanitarian organization running U.S. refugee resettlement programs in 29+ cities. Overlaps with IIW on refugee resettlement, employment readiness, and interpretation services across comparable client populations.
• Ethiopian Community Development Council: Refugee resettlement and immigrant integration nonprofit operating the African Community Center network. Closely comparable multi-service integration model to IIW at similar mid-size scale.
• Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service: One of the largest U.S. refugee resettlement and immigration legal services agencies. Directly comparable to IIW in mission (refugee resettlement, immigration legal services, interpretation) but operates nationally with significantly greater scale and funding.

Others

• Cultural Vistas: Nonprofit administering international professional exchange programs including the Beyond Washington program that IIW partners with. Comparable international exchange and citizen diplomacy work but focused on program administration rather than local resettlement.

Broad incumbents

• Catholic Charities USA: Federated national network of Catholic Charities agencies, many of which operate refugee resettlement, immigration legal services, and interpretation programs. Comparable mission but vastly broader portfolio including housing, food, and family services.
• Global Ties U.S. National network of organizations implementing the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), of which IIW is a Wisconsin member. Comparable exchange-program focus but operates as a coordinating umbrella across 93+ member sites.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/IIWisconsin
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/international-institute-of-wisconsin-inc
• Instagraminstagram.com/IIWisconsin

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about International Institute of Wisconsin