Another type of collaboration that is growing rapidly is emerging from remittance giving—money sent by immigrants to their countries of origin. As one example, Hometown Associations (HTAs) have been created by  Mexican immigrants to support projects in the towns from which they came. By pooling money and sharing, not just with their own families but with entire towns, they create a support mechanism that connects many small donors to provide substantial aid to their communities. In 2003, there were more than 600 HTAs, and the amount of remittances flowing from Mexican immigrants in the U.S. back to Mexico (through pooled HTAs and individual giving) was over $13 billion—more money than the foreign direct investment in Mexico or the revenues from tourism.
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