Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans

What Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans does

Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans (PANA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2015 by Ramla Sahid, a Somali refugee, and headquartered at 5577 University Ave in San Diego's Mid-City area. The organization serves Black, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian (BAMEMSA) refugee and immigrant communities — a population of over 97,000 refugees resettled in the San Diego region since 1975 — through an integrated model combining research, policy advocacy, and community organizing. PANA's programmatic suite includes a Civic Engagement Program that reached over 47,000 community members through direct conversations in 2020, a Tenant Protections Program addressing housing insecurity (notably the #RightToARoof campaign), the Ending Surveillance Initiative leading the TRUST SD Coalition of 30 community organizations, triennial Refugee Experiences Reports (656 respondents in 2023), and a Membership Program open to refugees and immigrants ages 14 and older.

PANA's technology footprint centers on a mobile application distributed across iOS, Android, and a Progressive Web App, providing Know Your Rights information, community updates, event listings, and photo/video sharing. The organization is actively developing the Global Village: The Refugee & Immigrant Cultural Hub, a 2.2-acre multipurpose campus in San Diego's City Heights neighborhood featuring 167 units of affordable housing, transitional housing for migrants and asylum seekers, small business incubation, child care, and community convening space, financed in part by an $8.58 million grant package from MacKenzie Scott, the California Endowment, and the State of California. A $5 million San Diego County grant awarded in 2026 supports an additional ~150 homes via a community investment trust model. There is no public API, SDK, or AI/ML component disclosed.

PANA's revenue model is a nonprofit mix of foundation grants, government grants, philanthropic contributions (notably MacKenzie Scott), individual donations via its website, and a community membership program. Services are provided free of charge; there is no commercial pricing. GTM motion is community-led, relying on relational organizing, house meetings, town halls, and direct outreach rather than traditional sales channels, with earned media amplification through regional outlets (San Diego Union Tribune, KPBS, Daylight San Diego). The organization is governed as an independent nonprofit with no parent company and no PE/VC backing, and currently operates with an 11–50 employee team.

Name

Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans

Legal name

Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans

Website

https://panasd.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2015

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

PANA is a San Diego-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2015 that supports Black, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian refugee and immigrant communities through research, policy advocacy, community organizing, affordable housing development, and integrated civic engagement programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Refugee and immigrant advocacy services

NAICS

Social Advocacy Organizations (8133), Civic and Social Organizations (81341)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Human Rights & Anti-Discrimination Organizations (BPAGAFAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Refugee & Humanitarian Newcomer Orientation (Resettlement Support) (EDAAADAI), Cultural Orientation & Community Integration (Local Norms, Services) (EDAAADAD), Affordable Housing & Community Development (Housing, Community Land Trusts) (BPAGALAC)

Keywords

• Refugee advocacy services
• Immigrant community organizing
• Policy research nonprofit
• Affordable housing development
• Civic engagement programs

Headquarters

HQ city

San Diego

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Foundation and Philanthropic Grants: PANA receives significant grant funding from private foundations and philanthropists to support its operations and programs. Notable funders include MacKenzie Scott ($8.58 million), the California Endowment, and state government grants for affordable housing initiatives.
2. Individual Donations: PANA accepts individual donations through its website and fundraising campaigns to support refugee services, policy advocacy, and community organizing programs.
3. Membership Program: PANA offers a membership program for refugees and immigrants in San Diego ages 14 or older, providing opportunities to learn about community issues, increase understanding of policies, and build relationships with other members.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

PANA is a research, public policy, and community organizing nonprofit that advances the economic, social, and civic inclusion of refugees and immigrant communities—particularly Black, Arab, Middle Eastern, Muslim, and South Asian (BAMEMSA) populations—through integrated voter engagement, tenant protections, surveillance oversight, leadership development, and affordable housing development. Services are delivered free of charge to community members via direct outreach, a mobile app, civic campaigns, research reports, and a planned Global Village cultural and housing hub.

Product overview

PANA is a community organizing, public policy, and research nonprofit that does not operate a traditional SaaS product. The organization offers a suite of programmatic services including a Mobile App for community engagement and Know Your Rights information, the Tenant Protections Program addressing housing insecurity, the Ending Surveillance Initiative (TRUST SD Coalition) advocating for privacy and civil liberties, Civic Engagement Programs using integrated voter engagement, triennial Refugee Experiences Reports, the Global Village cultural hub development project, and a Membership Program for refugee and immigrant community members aged 14 and over. These programs work together as an integrated ecosystem supporting refugee economic, social, and civic inclusion through organizing, advocacy, policy reform, and community power-building.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• PANA Mobile App

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Democracy ForwardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDemocracy Forward is representing PANA and other organizations as legal counsel in a federal lawsuit challenging Trump-Vance administration immigration policies targeting immigrants based on country of origin.
• African Communities TogethercoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAfrican Communities Together is a co-plaintiff with PANA and individual Somali plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit challenging the termination of Temporary Protected Status for Somalis.
• TRUST SD CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPANA is part of the Transparent and Responsible Use of Surveillance Technology (TRUST SD) Coalition, a coalition of 30 local community organizations advocating for community oversight of surveillance technology and privacy protections.
• The AjA ProjectminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPANA partners with The AjA Project for the 'Power Shift: Arts and Advocacy from City Heights' event at the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego.
• Mid-City CANminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPANA partners with Mid-City CAN (Community Advocacy Network) for the 'Power Shift: Arts and Advocacy from City Heights' collaborative event.
• Casa FamiliarminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCasa Familiar is a community organization in San Ysidro that broke ground on the Avanzando development, a similar community land trust model offering 103 affordable rental homes. Both organizations work in the community land trust space in San Diego.
• International Rescue CommitteeminorOthersThe International Rescue Committee is referenced as a resource providing data on refugee resettlement statistics for the San Diego region, with over 30,000 refugees resettled in the region since 1975.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• HIAS: Jewish American nonprofit that provides refugee resettlement and advocacy services nationally. Operates in San Diego and shares PANA's mission of refugee integration, advocacy, and legal protection, though HIAS focuses more on direct resettlement and asylum legal services.
• Mid-City CAN (Community Advocacy Network): San Diego-based community advocacy network that collaborates with PANA on events like 'Power Shift: Arts and Advocacy from City Heights'. Both are part of the TRUST SD Coalition and work in overlapping City Heights neighborhoods on community power-building.
• Casa de Maryland: Maryland-based immigrant and refugee advocacy organization known for community organizing, adult education, and immigrant integration services. Comparable to PANA in its combination of direct services, organizing, and policy advocacy, though focused on the mid-Atlantic region.
• African Communities Together: Co-plaintiff with PANA in the federal lawsuit challenging TPS termination for Somalis. ACT focuses on African immigrant advocacy, policy, and civic engagement, with a similar model of community-led organizing and policy reform targeting BAMEMSA-adjacent communities.
• Casa Familiar: San Ysidro-based community organization that broke ground on the Avanzando affordable housing community land trust (103 affordable rental homes). PANA's Global Village project follows a similar community land trust model, making them direct peers in San Diego's refugee/immigrant affordable housing space.
• Jewish Family Service of San Diego: San Diego-based refugee resettlement and immigrant services agency. Operates in overlapping service territory with PANA providing refugee resettlement, case management, and integration services, though with a more direct service delivery rather than organizing model.
• National Partnership for New Americans: National umbrella network of 35+ immigrant and refugee rights organizations, including PANA itself. NPNA's integrated civic engagement, policy advocacy, and member-driven organizing model closely mirrors PANA's approach at a national scale.
• Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) San Diego: Muslim advocacy organization serving San Diego's Muslim community, including activism following the 2025 Islamic Center shooting alongside PANA. Both organizations work on civil rights, anti-discrimination, and anti-surveillance advocacy for Muslim and BAMEMSA communities.

Broad incumbents

• International Rescue Committee: One of the largest global refugee resettlement and humanitarian assistance organizations. Operates in San Diego and provides data referenced by PANA. Overlaps with PANA on refugee resettlement support but operates at much larger scale across multiple geographies.

Regional players

• ACLU of San Diego & Imperial Counties: Regional civil liberties organization that engages in immigration rights litigation and advocacy in the same San Diego geography. Overlaps with PANA on surveillance oversight (potential TRUST SD partner) and immigrant rights, though ACLU operates on a broader civil liberties mandate.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/panasandiego
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/pana-partnership-for-the-advancement-of-new-americans-
• Instagraminstagram.com/panasandiego
• Xx.com/panasandiego

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Partnership for the Advancement of New Americans