Fundraisers should take note: Analyzing U.S. Development Initiatives and Assistance Budget for FY2024

$61 billion provided to USAID and USDOS - will that impact the global international development programs?

The recent 'Appropriations Bill', that passed in the U.S. Senate allocating for state, foreign and development activities for 2024 fiscal year, illustrated United Stages stronger commitments for the world. With ambitions to strengthen its engagement in the Indo-Pacific region and to aggressively addressing the #globalhealthsecurities, the bill centered its focus to the people, as always.

The bill provides $61.608 billion in total discretionary funding for the U.S. Department of State, U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and other essential related programs.

Among the allocations, around $2 billion will be provided to USAID for leading the United States’ international development and humanitarian efforts. This is $53 million increase from FY2023.

On the #GlobalHealthSecurity front, the $900 million commitments will uphold the major key global health initiatives. Its also indicating a higher possibility of a newer global initiatives focusing the health workforce development. The contribution to GAVI Alliance by U.S has also increased to $300 million during FY2024 to to help vaccinate children and save lives in the world’s poorest nations.

The bill provides $1.65 billion for the United States’ contribution to the Global Fund to Fight AIDS and the President’s Malaria Initiative, as a result of the statutory cap on U.S. contributions related to other donor funds. The Committee intends to meet the full $6 billion United States pledge and urges other donors to make their matching pledges.

The bill also protects longstanding U.S. funding for family planning and reproductive health services to help prevent maternal mortality globally and allow people to plan families on their own terms.

The amount of allocation for humanitarian assistance programs has also increased by $691 million to estimated budget of $9.1 billion which should help meeting the needs of people suffering from the forced displacement, food insecurity, and other emergency across the globe.?

The bill delivers $9.4 billion in critical funding for sustainable and inclusive development, democratic governance, and economic growth programs. The bill also establishes a new $565 million multiagency Economic Resilience Initiative to enhance U.S. and partner country economic security and growth and provides $3.6 billion to the United Nations (UN) and other international organizations —a $174 million increase over fiscal year 2023.

In order to combat Global Hunger and Enhancing U.S. Food Security $1.1 billion for the Feed the Future initiative —a $100 million increase over fiscal year 2023. Also, to combat the Climate Crisis, U.S. has committed to provide additional funding for bilateral and multilateral mechanisms to support biodiversity, adaptation, sustainable landscapes, and clean energy programs, including $150 million for the Clean Technology Fund.

So, what should be the key takeaways for any #ProgramDesigner, #fundraiser and #StrategicLeaders for the path ahead? Here's my thoughts -

• Given the budget scenario, it seems likely that, the already forecasted projects and programs will be implemented towards targeted results.
• USAID’s/U.S. Department of State’s existing programmatic priorities are most likely to be realized without major changes; and therefore, the Country Development Cooperation Strategies (CDCS) need to be carefully re-read.
• The development partners who have the ambition to acquire/to continue impactful programing with U.S. funds should focus more on integrated programing towards an inclusive society, sustainable economic growth, competent human capital development and, of course, climate change resilience.
• As observed, localization and contextual innovations are increasingly gaining attention as they remain consistently the most effective strategies for social transformation during the last five decades. The project/program designers should focus on carefully gathering evidence, learning and analyzing the best practices and localized lasting innovations, and should start building on well-understood strategic partnerships.?

I would draw conclusion with a request - a request to all who design, lead and implement development projects and programs across the globe. Every dollar we spend from the development assistance is hard-earned by someone - the assistance we get are tax-payers money. So, we must be more cost-effective, more accountable and more output oriented in designing, leading, implementing and leading.

Note: if you have few more minutes and if you are interested, please read about how the role of education in development programs has been changed over the years - Development as Education for Social Justice.

Source: U.S Senate Committee on Appropriations. (2024). Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Bill 2024 (Report no 118-71). US Senate: Washington D.C. URL: https://www.appropriations.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/fy24_sfops_report.pdf

Disclaimer: what I write on LinkedIn is neither scholarly verified nor reflecting the view of any entity/organization I am/have work(-ing/-ed) for. These pieces are the expression of my personal opinion, limited knowledge and experience and only I am responsible for saying such.