A Community Sponsor is an organization, association or corporation that sponsors refugees under the Private Sponsorship of Refugees program. A CS can be any group, for example, a Rotary Club, Church, or Professional group, that wants to commit to sponsorship. The CS engages in a sponsorship contract directly with the DIRC.

Community Sponsors must:
• have the financial capacity to fulfill the sponsorship;
• provide evidence of ability to provide necessary emotional/social supports to refugees and their families; and
• be based in the community where the refugee is expected to live.

Community Sponsors may also choose to formally partner with an individual, such as a relative of sponsored refugees living in Canada, or another organization to raise the funds and carry out settlement duties. This type of formal partner is called a co-sponsor. A community sponsorship can involve multiple co-sponsors as part of the sponsoring group but the primary sponsoring organization is referred to as the Community Sponsor.

Keep in mind that even when another organization or an individual is identified as a formal partner in the sponsorship the ultimate liability rests with the Community Sponsor that submits the sponsorship.