Refugee Congress
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersWashington, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Refugee Congress does
Refugee Congress is a national nonprofit advocacy organization founded in 2011 and headquartered in Washington, D.C., built and led by people with lived experience of forced displacement. It advances the well-being, inclusion, and dignity of refugees, asylees, and other forcibly displaced people through three integrated pillars: Leadership Development, Policy & Program Advocacy, and Building Inclusive Narratives. The organization is anchored by a Delegate network spanning all 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., with delegates drawn from five continents and professional expertise in education, technology, medicine, nonprofit management, and advocacy.
The organization operates a portfolio of interconnected initiatives: the Refugee Storytellers Collective for narrative building, the Refugee Advocacy Lab for policy resources and advocacy support, the National Refugee Leadership and Lived Experience Council (NRLLEC) as a federal initiative with HHS Office of Refugee Resettlement, and the United States Refugee Advisory Board (USRAB) co-established with Georgetown University's ISIM and Refugee Council USA. Underlying technology is minimal: a Squarespace-hosted website, email newsletter, social media presence, and a Threadless merchandise shop. There are no proprietary software platforms, APIs, or AI-powered products.
Refugee Congress is funded through charitable contributions, individual donations, merchandise sales, and institutional partnerships including a federal HHS program. It does not charge for services. Go-to-market is community-led: delegates organize on-the-ground advocacy with teams of advocates and allies, and the organization works through coalitions with partner organizations such as RCUSA, Church World Service, Every Campus a Refuge, USA Hello, USA for UNHCR, and Welcoming America. Leadership includes Executive Director Nili Sarit Yossinger and Board Chair Lourena Gboeah.
Refugee Congress firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Refugee Congress
- Legal name
- Refugee Congress
- Website
- https://refugeecongress.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Refugee Congress industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Refugee Advocacy and Policy Services
- NAICS
- Human Rights Organizations (813311), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Immigrant & Refugee Rights Advocacy (BPAGAFAG)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Refugee & Immigrant Support Services (BPAGAEAI), Refugee, Migration & Displacement Support (BPAGABAH), Refugee, IDP & Migration Humanitarian Assistance (BPAGAAAH)
Keywords
Where Refugee Congress is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Washington
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Refugee Congress business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: Refugee Congress operates as a non-profit organization that raises funds through donations. The organization has a Shop on Threadless for merchandise and accepts charitable contributions from individuals and organizations supporting refugee advocacy.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels5 records
Refugee Congress product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Refugee Congress is a national nonprofit advocacy organization that advances refugee-led leadership, policy advocacy, and inclusive public narratives on forced displacement. It is built and led by people with direct lived experience of forced displacement, and operates through a nationwide network of volunteer Delegates spanning all 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. Its work is delivered through three integrated pillars: Leadership Development, Policy & Program Advocacy, and Building Inclusive Narratives, supported by initiatives such as the Refugee Storytellers Collective, the Refugee Advocacy Lab, the National Refugee Leadership and Lived Experience Council (NRLLEC), and the United States Refugee Advisory Board (USRAB).
Product overview
Refugee Congress is a single, unified advocacy organization (not a software platform) that operates through several interconnected initiatives and programs. The core offering is advocacy leadership and representation for forcibly displaced people, delivered through: (1) the Delegate Membership network providing grassroots leadership, (2) the Refugee Storytellers Collective for narrative building, (3) the Refugee Advocacy Lab for advocacy support, (4) the National Refugee Leadership and Lived Experience Council (NRLLEC) for federal policy engagement, and (5) the United States Refugee Advisory Board (USRAB) for multilateral policy influence. These programs work together to advance the organization's mission through leadership development, policy advocacy, and inclusive narrative building.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Refugee Storytellers Collective: An initiative focused on collecting and sharing stories of forcibly displaced people.
- Refugee Advocacy Lab
- National Refugee Leadership and Lived Experience Council (NRLLEC)
- United States Refugee Advisory Board (USRAB)
Products and services
- Delegate Membership Program A nationwide volunteer network of Delegates with lived experience of forced displacement who drive Refugee Congress's mission and organize on-the-ground advocacy work with teams of advocates and allies in communities across all 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. Delegates come from five continents and bring professional expertise spanning education, technology, medicine, nonprofit management, and advocacy.
- Refugee Storytellers Collective An initiative of Refugee Congress that collects and shares stories of forcibly displaced people to amplify refugee voices and shape inclusive public narratives on forced displacement.
- Refugee Advocacy Lab An advocacy-focused initiative of Refugee Congress that produces resources and provides support for refugee-led advocacy efforts, including training guides and policy tools.
- National Refugee Leadership and Lived Experience Council (NRLLEC) A federal initiative of HHS's Office of Refugee Resettlement, led by Refugee Congress in coalition with Refugee Council USA, Every Campus a Refuge, Church World Service, and USA Hello. Provides individuals with lived displacement experience the opportunity to directly influence the Office of Refugee Resettlement's future policy planning.
- United States Refugee Advisory Board (USRAB) A self-governing initiative co-established by Refugee Congress, Refugee Council USA, and Georgetown University's Institute for the Study of International Migration (ISIM). USRAB ensures forcibly displaced people have a meaningful role in influencing U.S. and international policy-making processes, with ISIM providing advanced orientation and training in national and international policy for USRAB Advisors.
Quantifiable outcome
- Refugees contributed $123.8 billion to the U.S. economy
Companies that use Refugee Congress
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Refugee Congress technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Refugee Congress partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core.
- Refugee Council USA (RCUSA)coreRCUSA is a key coalition partner. The United States Refugee Advisory Board (USRAB) was established by Refugee Congress, RCUSA, and the Institute for the Study of International Migration (ISIM) at Georgetown University as a self-governing initiative to ensure forcibly displaced people have meaningful roles in policy-making processes.
- Institute for the Study of International Migration (ISIM) at Georgetown UniversitycoreCo-established USRAB with Refugee Congress and RCUSA. ISIM leads advanced orientation and training in national and international policy for USRAB Advisors.
- Every Campus a RefugecorePartner in the National Refugee Leadership and Lived Experience Council (NRLLEC) program, a federal initiative of the Department of Health & Human Services' Office of Refugee Resettlement.
- Church World ServicecorePartner in the NRLLEC program alongside Refugee Congress, RCUSA, Every Campus a Refuge, and USA Hello.
- USA HellocorePartner in the NRLLEC program alongside Refugee Congress, RCUSA, Every Campus a Refuge, and Church World Service.
- USA for UNHCRcorePartnership with USA for UNHCR and Welcoming America for the Sparking Change project, supporting creative community-building solutions developed by refugees in the United States.
- Welcoming AmericacorePartnership with USA for UNHCR and Refugee Congress for the Sparking Change project supporting refugee-led community solutions.
- Refugee Advocacy LabcoreCollaborated with Refugee Congress and CWS to produce the '10 Best Practices for Engaging with Refugee Leaders' resource guide.
- Church World Service (CWS)coreCollaborated with Refugee Congress and Refugee Advocacy Lab to produce the '10 Best Practices for Engaging with Refugee Leaders' resource guide.
- Coalition PartnerscoreRefugee Congress works in coalitions and in collaboration with other partner organizations as well as community members across the U.S.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Refugee Congress competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- USA for UNHCR: U.S. fundraising and advocacy arm of UNHCR. Co-partner with Refugee Congress and Welcoming America on the Sparking Change project, making it a direct peer in mobilizing U.S. public support for refugee-led community solutions.
- Every Campus a Refuge: Higher-education-based refugee resettlement and advocacy network. Co-partner with Refugee Congress in the NRLLEC program, with overlapping focus on refugee community integration and leadership development.
- HIAS: One of the oldest U.S.-based refugee resettlement and advocacy organizations. HIAS overlaps with Refugee Congress on refugee resettlement policy, asylum access, and federal advocacy, with a similar combination of direct service and policy voice.
- USA Hello: Information and resource platform for newcomers in the United States. Co-partner in the NRLLEC program alongside Refugee Congress, with overlapping newcomer-navigation and integration-support services.
- Church World Service (CWS): Faith-based refugee resettlement and humanitarian organization that is a co-partner in the NRLLEC program. CWS operates refugee resettlement, advocacy, and humanitarian programs that materially overlap with Refugee Congress's refugee protection mission.
- Welcoming America: National nonprofit driving a network of 'Welcoming' cities and counties. Co-partner with Refugee Congress on the Sparking Change project supporting refugee-led community solutions, with closely aligned community-integration advocacy.
- Refugee Council USA (RCUSA): Coalition of U.S. NGOs focused on refugee protection, resettlement, and policy advocacy. RCUSA is Refugee Congress's core coalition partner and co-leads the USRAB and NRLLEC programs, making it the most directly comparable U.S. refugee advocacy counterpart.
- Refugee Advocacy Lab: Advocacy-focused initiative that produces resources and tools for refugee-led advocacy, including the '10 Best Practices for Engaging with Refugee Leaders' guide co-produced with Refugee Congress and CWS. Direct peer in refugee advocacy training and resources.
Broad incumbents
- National Immigration Forum: Large, established immigration policy and advocacy organization. Operates in the same federal immigration-policy arena as Refugee Congress and competes for overlapping policymaker mindshare and donor dollars on refugee and asylum policy.
- International Rescue Committee (IRC): Large, established humanitarian NGO with global refugee resettlement and advocacy operations. While much larger and broader in scope, IRC overlaps with Refugee Congress on U.S. refugee resettlement policy and refugee voice-in-policy frameworks.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Refugee Congress social profiles
Digital presenceRefugee Congress financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Refugee Congress leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles10 records
Refugee Congress funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
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Refugee Congress M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Refugee Congress
What does Refugee Congress do?
Refugee Congress is a national nonprofit advocacy organization that advances refugee-led leadership, policy advocacy, and inclusive public narratives on forced displacement. It is built and led by people with direct lived experience of forced displacement, and operates through a nationwide network of volunteer Delegates spanning all 50 U.S. states and Washington, D.C. Its work is delivered through three integrated pillars: Leadership Development, Policy & Program Advocacy, and Building Inclusive Narratives, supported by initiatives such as the Refugee Storytellers Collective, the Refugee Advocacy Lab, the National Refugee Leadership and Lived Experience Council (NRLLEC), and the United States Refugee Advisory Board (USRAB).
Is Refugee Congress a public or private company?
Refugee Congress is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Refugee Congress founded?
Refugee Congress was founded in 2011. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Refugee Congress based?
Refugee Congress is headquartered in Washington, United States, in the North America region.
How does Refugee Congress make money?
One revenue line is on record: donations and Charitable Contributions.
Who are Refugee Congress's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are USA for UNHCR, Every Campus a Refuge, HIAS, USA Hello, Church World Service (CWS), Welcoming America, Refugee Council USA (RCUSA) and Refugee Advocacy Lab. Broad incumbents are National Immigration Forum and International Rescue Committee (IRC).
Does Refugee Congress have an API?
No public API is recorded for Refugee Congress.
What industry is Refugee Congress in?
Refugee Congress's product category is Refugee Advocacy and Policy Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAFAG, Immigrant & Refugee Rights Advocacy, with a secondary code of BPAGAEAI, Refugee & Immigrant Support Services. Its NAICS code is 813311 and its SIC code is 8600.