OMB’s linked guidance, distributed to Federal agencies last week, creates the standards and process for the realignment of foreign assistance. It begins, “The United States foreign aid industry and bureaucracy must be aligned with American interests and promote American values. It is the policy of this Administration that all foreign assistance must make the American people safer, stronger, and more prosperous.”
This guidance aims to help organizations anticipate which foreign assistance programs will be funded going forward and to plan accordingly. While questions 1-23 have been issued by USAID to its implementers, questions 24-36 are reserved for agency responses in assessing the impact or contribution of the activity to multiple factors, including:
- National security
- Containing malign influencers, including China
- Preventing illegal immigration
- Limiting flow of fentanyl
- Protecting U.S. health security
- Contributing to border security and American sovereignty
- Protecting against transnational organized crime, cybercrime, drug & human trafficking
- Protecting religious minorities, promoting religious freedom, and combatting Christian persecution
- Increasing American influence, trust, and reputation within foreign governments
- Increasing American influence, trust, and reputation among foreign publics
- Specific financial return of the project
- Cost-sharing/burden sharing
- Strengthening U.S. supply chains or securing rare earth minerals
These questions are rated from “no impact” (1) to “major impact” (5) with a total score recorded in the response to OMB.
Nichols Liu has had some success with gaining waivers under the ongoing program review process. With this new guidance, they will continue advocating for clients whose programs have a chance of continued funding.
Read the OMB Memorandum here.
