Unlock Aid presents 10+ ideas for the new administration, aiming to refocus programs on building markets, livelihoods, and economies while reforming aid implementation.
- Prioritize jobs and sustainable economic growth. Economic growth should be a top priority, along with collaboration with MCC and DFC.
- Break up big aid industry awards and invest in local actors and markets. Following Project 2025, the article suggests nine ways to limit award sizes and provide more funding opportunities for local and non-traditional entities.
- Replicate Operation Warp Speed’s success. Use the same intensity and enhanced authorities to address priority needs, such as a TB vaccine.
- Invest in preparing the U.S. and emerging markets for the global innovation economy. Lay the groundwork and infrastructure for the changing global market, collaborating with MCC and DFC.
- Increase cost-sharing with NATO, G7, other partner governments, philanthropy, and the private sector. Expand and replicate existing pooled funds.
- Embrace two-way innovation. Bring great innovations to the U.S., such as a drug verification technology from Ghana and a violence reduction model from Monrovia now used in Chicago.
- Create a Global Innovation and Commercialization Office for Development. Modeled on the Defense Department’s Defense Innovation Unit, this office would foster new commercial innovations, especially from non-traditional partners and small businesses.
- Scale successful pilots. Identify and fund pilots to help them achieve impactful scale. Emphasize innovation, and fund these innovations through the “missing middle” phase to strategic impact.
- Focus on results, not process. Increase the use of milestone-based contracts and grants.
- Reduce visa processing times. Cut wait times for business or tourism visas to the U.S. from over a year to hours to encourage trade and investment.
- (Bonus) Pursue at least one big moonshot.
Read Ten Ideas for the Incoming Trump Administration here.
