USAID has historically been one of the largest donors to UNRWA, contributing between $300 million and $400 million annually. In January 2024, following allegations by Israel that 12 UNRWA employees were involved in the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, the U.S. decided to temporarily pause new funding to UNRWA while investigations were conducted.
By March 2024, U.S. congressional leaders and the White House reached an agreement on a bill that included a ban on U.S. funding for UNRWA until at least March 2025. This was part of a larger appropriations bill, and it effectively barred USAID from providing direct funding to UNRWA during that period.
As of the information available up to February 2025, USAID is prohibited from funding UNRWA until at least March 2025 due to this legislative action. This pause and subsequent legislative ban on funding reflect a significant change in the U.S. policy towards UNRWA, driven by concerns over the agency's staff involvement in terrorist activities and the broader geopolitical context surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
NIH and USAID have collaborated on various global health initiatives where their missions intersect. Through programs like PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), where NIH might provide scientific research support, and USAID implements programs on the ground. The President's Malaria Initiative (PMI) involves both agencies; NIH conducts research into malaria vaccines and treatments, while USAID helps with the distribution and implementation. Similar to malaria, with NIH focusing on research and USAID on implementation. Both agencies work together to control, eliminate, or eradicate these diseases through research (NIH) and field implementation (USAID).
In response to pandemics or emerging infectious diseases, both might work on surveillance, response strategies, and vaccine development. These collaborations often involve NIH providing the research backbone while USAID applies that research in practical, on-the-ground programs in developing countries. However, their funding streams remain separate; they might fund different aspects of the same project or pool resources for specific initiatives.
The Gates Foundation, NIH, and USAID have collaborated in the past on various initiatives. The Gates Foundation and NIH have worked together on projects like the development of gene-based cures for sickle cell disease and HIV, with a focus on making these treatments accessible globally, including in low-resource settings. They've also collaborated on HIV vaccine development and other health research projects. USAID and the Gates Foundation have partnered to address climate adaptation in agriculture, particularly aimed at helping smallholder farmers. This includes initiatives to unlock investment in climate-resilient agricultural practices. Following the 2010 Haiti earthquake, both the Gates Foundation and USAID launched an initiative to incentivize mobile money services to expedite aid delivery, aiming to improve financial inclusion and recovery efforts. There have been collaborations concerning global health security, including efforts towards polio eradication and through programs like PEPFAR (President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief), where USAID's involvement alongside the Gates Foundation has been noted. These collaborations reflect a shared interest in leveraging resources and expertise for global health, agriculture, and emergency aid, demonstrating a history of partnership between these organizations.
USAID (United States Agency for International Development) and WHO (World Health Organization) have collaborated on numerous initiatives over the years. Their cooperation spans various areas including. They have worked together on global health issues such as HIV/AIDS, malaria, tuberculosis, maternal and child health, and more recently, the response to pandemics like Ebola and COVID-19. USAID supports WHO's efforts in health system strengthening, disease surveillance, and emergency health responses.
USAID has provided substantial support to WHO's Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI), aiming to increase vaccination coverage worldwide, particularly in low-income countries. Both organizations are key players in the Global Polio Eradication Initiative, working alongside other partners like Rotary International, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and UNICEF to eradicate polio. USAID often collaborates with WHO in emergency situations, providing funding and technical assistance for disaster relief and health emergencies, ensuring rapid response and aid distribution. They partner on initiatives aimed at preventing, detecting, and responding to infectious disease threats under frameworks like the Global Health Security Agenda. These collaborations are typically formal, with agreements or memoranda
USAID (U.S. Agency for International Development) and the World Economic Forum (WEF) have collaborated on various initiatives. USAID has worked with the WEF to foster public-private partnerships aimed at addressing global challenges. These partnerships involve initiatives like the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation and Grow Africa, where USAID has provided funding to support these programs. USAID has directly invested in WEF initiatives, including a commitment of approximately $26 million for multi-year agreements. This funding supports real-world projects, not just the operational costs of the WEF. For example, the EDGE (Enterprises for Development).
USAID has provided funding to various media companies, but the exact amounts can vary based on different sources and periods. Reports indicate that Politico received funding, with amounts mentioned ranging from $8.2 million to $32 million, though specifics on the exact amount from USAID vary. Some sources specify that $24,000 of the $8.2 million was directly from USAID for Politico Pro subscriptions. There's mention of AP receiving payments, with one source suggesting $620,000, but this is often linked to broader government subscriptions rather than direct USAID funding. The BBC has reportedly received $3.2 million from USAID, though this might be through its charity wing, BBC Media Action. The New York Times is noted to have received $3.1 million from USAID. Claims exist that Reuters has received $300 million, though this figure appears to be an outlier compared to other mentions. These amounts are pieced together from various sources, including posts on X and news articles, which sometimes present conflicting figures or interpretations. The funding often relates to subscriptions, support for international media development, or programs aimed at promoting free press in various countries rather than direct operational funding to these media companies. Given the discrepancies and the nature of the information, these figures should be taken as indicative rather than definitive, suggesting a range of funding rather than precise amounts.
USAID has provided significant funding to universities, but the exact amount can vary year by year. According to information available on the web, in the fiscal year 2023, USAID managed a budget of roughly $40 billion across various programs, including those involving universities. This global network of labs aims to solve development challenges, involving universities among other partners. With Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in Research (PEER), this program directly funds scientists and engineers in developing countries in collaboration with U.S. universities. Feed the Future Innovation Labs involves over 500 collaborating institutions, including universities, focusing on agriculture and food security. Additionally, USAID provides billions to universities, with a specific claim of $5.5 billion.
Based on available information, @JohnsHopkins is notably among the top universities receiving USAID funding. In 2022, USAID obligated $21.9 billion through grants and cooperative agreements, with Johns Hopkins University specifically mentioned as one of the educational institutions among the top grantees, receiving around $2.4 billion in total for various international organizations, with Johns Hopkins being one of them. Additionally, the @UNC University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill received $109 million from USAID for projects in countries like Nigeria, Bangladesh, and Kenya. While specific rankings or exact figures for all universities are not comprehensively listed, these examples suggest that Johns Hopkins University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill are significant recipients of USAID funds, particularly for international development projects. However, the most detailed information focuses on Johns Hopkins, indicating its prominent role in receiving USAID funding.
Since 2020, the budget for USAID has varied annually: - **FY 2020**: $21 billion - **FY 2021**: $41 billion - **FY 2022**: $29.4 billion (with a budget request of $58.5 billion) - **FY 2023**: $29.4 billion (with reported figures around $40 billion to $50 billion) - **FY 2024**: $28.3 billion (with another mention of $44.2 billion) These figures show some discrepancies, possibly due to different sources or how the budget is reported (e.g., requested vs. actual).
According to recent reports, USAID has provided funding to Planned Parenthood affiliates and related organizations. Specifically: - From 2019 through 2021, Planned Parenthood affiliates received about $148 million in federal grants, which includes funding from USAID among other sources. Additionally, around $3.4 million from USAID went to the International Planned Parenthood Federation, MSI Reproductive Choices, and four regional abortion providers during this period. These figures are based on the latest available data from government accountability reports. For the most up-to-date and detailed information, you might want to check the latest financial disclosures or USAID's official funding reports.
Since 2020, several news publications have reportedly received funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID): - **Politico** received approximately $44,000 for subscriptions to its specialized publication, E&E, but was part of broader federal funding amounting to $8.2 million for various services across government agencies. - **Reuters** was mentioned in social media posts to have received $300 million, though this claim lacks official substantiation in the provided sources. - **BBC** received $3.2 million, specifically noted for its international charity, BBC Media Action. - **The New York Times** received $3.1 million, according to social media discussions. Additionally, posts on X have suggested the following received USAID funding, although these claims should be treated as inconclusive: - **Associated Press** - **El Comercio** (Peru) - **RPP** (Peru) - **La República** (Peru) - **Ojo Público** (Peru) - **Epicentro** (Peru) - **La Encerrona** (Peru) - **Media24's City Press** (South Africa) - **Mail & Guardian** (South Africa) - **Sunday Times** (South Africa).
Since 2020, the federal government has sent significant amounts of funding to sanctuary cities, though exact figures can vary based on the programs and years in question: - **2021**: Sanctuary jurisdictions received nearly $300 million, which represented about 43% of the total funding available under programs like the State Criminal Alien Assistance Program (SCAAP), Byrne Justice Assistance Grants (Byrne JAG), and Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS). The 2023 data indicates that sanctuary jurisdictions received over $1.56 billion from major law enforcement funding sources. Reporting suggests figures like $27 billion in federal funds going to sanctuary cities, but these claims should be treated as inconclusive without further verification.
Please note that these figures are not cumulative over the years but rather snapshots of specific periods. The actual total since 2020 would require aggregating these amounts, considering any changes in policy or funding patterns each year, which isn't directly provided in the information available. However, it's clear that sanctuary cities have received billions in federal funding through various programs since 2020.
The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) has provided funding to organizations associated with George Soros, notably through his Open Society Foundations (OSF) network. Various reports indicate that USAID has funneled significant amounts to Soros-linked organizations. Specifically, the East-West Management Institute, which is partially backed by Soros' OSF, received over $260 million from USAID over the years. Another source mentions a total of $270 million granted to this institute over 15 years.
- Purposes of Funding:
- Promoting Rule of Law: In countries like Georgia, the funding was aimed at promoting the rule of law.
- Strengthening Civil Society: In Uganda, the funds were used to strengthen civil society.
- EU Accession Support: In Serbia, the focus was on advancing Serbia's accession talks with the European Union.
- Judicial and Legal Reforms: In Albania, a contentious judicial reform project known as the "Justice for All" campaign received $9 million in USAID funding through the East-West Management Institute, leading to accusations of promoting left-wing political activities.
- General Democracy and Governance Programs: There are broader allegations that USAID funding was used to support various democracy and governance initiatives that align with Soros' ideological goals, particularly in Eastern Europe, Latin America, and other regions.
These activities have been subject to scrutiny and criticism, with some alleging that USAID funding was used to promote radical or controversial agendas abroad, which might not align with U.S. national interests or reflect the consensus within American society.
Editorial comments expressed in this column are the sole opinion of the writer.
