Vermont Afghan Alliance

What Vermont Afghan Alliance does

Vermont Afghan Alliance (VAA) is a Burlington, Vermont-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2022 in response to the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan. Its mission is to resettle and support Afghan refugees and Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) holders in Vermont, providing the largest per-capita Afghan resettlement program in the United States with 600+ clients served since inception.

VAA operates an integrated nine-program service model covering Driving, Interpretation, Housing, Employment, Case Management, Legal Services, Civic Engagement, and Cultural Celebrations. The organization delivers these services through approximately six program staff, a small leadership team, and a volunteer board, with deep reliance on Afghan-born personnel who provide Pashto, Dari, and English language capability alongside lived refugee experience. Programs are delivered across five Vermont towns with a physical office opened in December 2023.

The business model is a nonprofit funding stack: federal and state grants (including refugee Reception and Placement contracts), private donations from individuals and foundations, and in-kind contributions. The organization formalized partnerships with USCRI, ECDC, and AALV to extend capacity beyond direct staff. Revenue is not publicly disclosed, and operations are subject to federal refugee admission policy and political risk, which function as the primary structural constraints on growth.

Name

Vermont Afghan Alliance

Legal name

Vermont Afghan Alliance

Website

https://vtafghanalliance.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2022

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Vermont Afghan Alliance is a Burlington-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 2022 that resettles Afghan refugees and SIV holders in Vermont, serving 600+ clients across five towns through nine integrated programs including housing, employment, legal aid, and case management.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Refugee Resettlement and Immigrant Services

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813), Human Rights Organizations (813311)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Integration & Inclusion Services (Housing, Education, Employment) (BPADAHAI), Immigrant & Refugee Workforce Integration Programs (EDAAAOAJ), Migrant & Refugee Legal Aid and Documentation Services (BPADAHAE)

Keywords

• Refugee resettlement services
• Immigration legal assistance
• Interpretation translation services
• Workforce development programs
• Community cultural support

Headquarters

HQ city

Burlington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Donations and Contributions: The organization accepts online donations via credit card, debit card, or PayPal, as well as check donations. Donations are tax-deductible as the organization is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit.
2. Federal and State Grants: The Alliance receives support from federal and state grants to fund programs and services for the Afghan community.
3. In-Kind Contributions: The organization accepts vehicle donations for the driving program, in-kind support, and partnerships with organizations like Hearts You Hold for funding requests.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Vermont Afghan Alliance delivers a suite of free direct services to Afghan refugees and Special Immigrant Visa holders resettling in Vermont, including driving instruction, Pashto and Dari interpretation, employment placement, housing assistance, case management for benefits navigation, pro bono immigration legal services, civic and legal rights training, and cultural celebrations. Services are provided through bilingual program officers, many of whom are Afghan refugees themselves, at the Burlington office and across multiple Vermont towns.

Product overview

The Vermont Afghan Alliance provides a suite of direct service programs supporting Afghan refugees resettling in Vermont. The core services include: an Afghan Employment Program for job placement and resume assistance; a Driving Program offering instruction in multiple languages; Interpretation Assistance providing Pashto and Persian translation; Case Management for navigating benefits; Immigration Legal Services offering pro bono legal support; and a Housing Program for apartment search and lease assistance. Supporting programs include Civic Engagement Training, Legal Rights Training, and Cultural Celebrations that help preserve Afghan traditions through Nowruz, Eid-al-Fitr, and Eid-al-Adha events. All programs are delivered by staff who speak Pashto, Dari, and English, with many program officers being Afghan refugees themselves.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Driving Program Driving instruction program providing lessons in Pashto, Dari, or English to help Afghan refugees and SIV holders in Vermont obtain driver's licenses and achieve independence.
• Interpretation Assistance Pashto and Persian interpretation services for immigration proceedings, appointments, and navigating engagements with service providers, supporting Afghan clients in Vermont.
• Housing Program Housing search and lease assistance helping Afghan clients in Vermont find appropriate permanent housing, communicate with landlords, execute leases, and move in.
• Afghan Employment Program Job placement services for Afghan clients including resume building, job placement, interview assistance, interpretation support, transportation, and employer partnership development.
• Case Management Direct support helping Afghan clients navigate everyday challenges and state or federal benefits such as Medicaid and health insurance, including referrals to partner service providers.
• Immigration Legal Services Pro bono legal services assisting Afghan clients with SIV applications, adjustment of status, asylum applications, family reunification, and other immigration matters.
• Cultural Celebrations Program Annual support for cultural celebrations including Nowruz, Eid-al-Fitr, and Eid-al-Adha to help preserve Afghan traditions and build community connection in Vermont.

Named customers7 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

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 supporting.

• Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program (USCRI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUSCRI Vermont has been welcoming newcomers to Vermont since 1980. Their dedicated team supports refugees and immigrants with access to affordable housing, medical and mental health support, education, employment, community connections, and more.
• Vermont State Refugee OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe mission of the State Refugee Office is to promote and provide a safe and welcoming home for refugees and immigrants, and to promote their full participation as self-sufficient individuals and families in the economic, social, and civic life of Vermont. Eligible groups include Afghan and Iraqi Special Immigrant Visa Holders, Amerasians, Asylees, Cuban/Haitian Entrants, Human Trafficking Victims, Legal Permanent Residents, and Refugees.
• ECDC VermontsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerECDC is a multicultural, community-based nonprofit organization committed to supporting and empowering immigrants and refugees resettling in South Vermont.
• AALVsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAALV helps new Americans from all parts of the world gain independence in their new communities through a range of integration services. With support from AALV's multicultural, multilingual staff, clients are able to smoothly transition to living and working in Vermont.
• Central Vermont Refugee Action Network (CVRAN)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe mission of CVRAN is to welcome and provide support to refugees, immigrants, asylum seekers, and migrant workers living in, working in, and visiting Central Vermont. Their vision is to build, in partnership with others, a vibrant, inclusive global community in Central Vermont.
• SHAResupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerSHARe provides a warm welcome to asylum seekers and refugees settling in the Upper Valley. They help newcomers with housing, jobs, education, English language learning, healthcare, legal support, physical and creative outlets, social involvement, and more.
• Hearts You HoldsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerA non-profit organization whose mission is to support migrants, immigrants, asylees and refugees by taking the time to ask them what they need or want. Hearts You Hold connects individuals with generous people who provide assistance by funding requests. VAA shares requests of Afghans living in Vermont with Hearts You Hold.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• Hearts You Hold: Adjacent funder/convener that matches Afghan, immigrant, and refugee needs with individual donors. VAA actively refers clients to Hearts You Hold, making it a closely adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a competitor.

Broad incumbents

• Church World Service (CWS): Faith-based refugee resettlement agency operating in multiple US states with employment, housing, and integration services. Comparable federal-contracted model to what funds VAA's programs.
• International Rescue Committee (IRC): One of the largest US refugee resettlement agencies, operating in dozens of states with comprehensive employment, legal, and integration programs. Represents the scaled, national benchmark that VAA's Vermont-focused model could potentially feed into.
• Catholic Charities USA - Refugee Services: National network providing refugee resettlement, employment, and case management through diocesan affiliates. Operates in Vermont at a larger scale and competes for the same federal/state refugee funding pool as VAA.
• HIAS: Jewish-American refugee resettlement agency providing legal aid, resettlement, and integration services nationally. Comparable legal and integration programming to VAA's pro bono immigration legal services.

Direct peers

• AALV (Association of Africans Living in Vermont): Provides multicultural integration services helping new Americans transition into Vermont life. Comparable mission to VAA across employment, housing, and language access, with similar reliance on multilingual staff.
• USCRI Vermont (Vermont Refugee Resettlement Program): VAA's most direct collaborator and Vermont's primary refugee resettlement agency. Both serve newly arrived refugees in Vermont with case management, housing, employment, and integration services, and explicitly cross-refer clients.
• Central Vermont Refugee Action Network (CVRAN): Volunteer-led network supporting refugees, immigrants, asylum seekers, and migrant workers in Central Vermont. Operates as a peer community organization with overlapping service scope and direct referral relationship with VAA.
• SHARe (Sponsoring Halting Asylum-seekers & Refugees Engagement): Supports asylum seekers and refugees settling in the Upper Valley (Vermont/New Hampshire) with housing, jobs, education, and legal support. Closely aligned scope and delivery model to VAA.
• ECDC Vermont (Ethiopian Community Development Council): Community-based nonprofit supporting immigrants and refugees resettling in Southern Vermont. Offers the same multilingual, culturally competent integration services as VAA and is an active referral partner.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/AfghanVermont
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 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 Vermont Afghan Alliance