The Ties that Bind Us initiative seeks to dramatically increase the level of philanthropy and advocacy among Latinos and Asians living in California with the aim of helping these immigrants give back to their native homeland communities. The overarching goal of the initiative is to encourage economic and social development in the immigrants’ home countries to reduce the poverty and lack of opportunities that cause the need to migrate to the United States or other parts of the developed world.

Initially, International Community Foundation's work has been focused on North San Diego County's migrant community from Oaxaca. Working in partnership with the Carlsbad based Coalition of Indigenous Communities of Oaxaca (COCIO) and Zimatlan based Centeotl, since 2002 International Community Foundation has supported a total of 32 micro-credit loans in the village of El Trapiche. Based on the success of the micro-credit program in El Trapiche, work is now being expanded to Zaachila as well as 19 other communities in Oaxaca's Valle Central.

Over the next three years, International Community Foundation's goal is to leverage its collaborative efforts with San Diego's Oaxacan migrant community and its relationships with Oaxacan based NGOs to expand diaspora giving outreach throughout Southern California and the Central Valley. In this context, through its Ties that Bind Us initiative International Community Foundation seeks to not only catalyze diaspora giving but also encourage potential donors throughout California (foundation, corporate, individual) about the ties that bind the State with its sender communities of origin from throughout the Pacific Rim and beyond.

Related publications:
The Ties That Bind Us: Mexican Migrants in San Diego County,
Richard Kiy and Christopher Woodruff, editors

Blurred Borders:
Transboundary Issues and Solutions in the San Diego/Tijuana Border Region, March 2004

Press:
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Special Report,
"Hidden Aid", October 2004,

"Turning Greenbacks into Greenhouses--A matching grant program puts migrants' remittances to work," Business Week, November 21, 2001.

Presentations:
Building Partnerships: U.S. Community Foundations and Mexican Hometown Associations, COF Fall Conference for Community Foundations, September 20, 2006 Boston, MA

"A Case Study of San Diego-Oaxaca Community Based Structured Remittances: Key Challenges and Lessons Learned," Harvard Global Equity Initiative, Cocoyoc, Mexico, April 6th, 2005

"Place of Residence and State of Origin of Mexican Matriculas Issued in San Diego," North American Integration and Development Center, UCLA, June 2003 (project supported by International Community Foundation)

"The Ties That Bind Us: California’s Transnational Community Development Initiative The El Trapiche, Oaxaca Case Study"
Presentation by International Community Foundation | Grantmakers Concerned with Immigrants and Refugees Conference | Location: Hilton San Diego Resort | San Diego, CA | December 9-11, 2001 >> Click Here to Download