David Ainsworth

David Ainsworth @daveainsworth4

David Ainsworth is business editor at Devex, where he writes about finance and funding issues for development institutions. He was previously a senior writer and editor for magazines specializing in nonprofits in the U.K. and worked as a policy and communications specialist in the nonprofit sector for a number of years. His team specializes in understanding reports and data and what it teaches us about how development functions.

Latest Articles

Money Matters: How much has the US State Dept spent on aid in 2025?

Money Matters: How much has the US State Dept spent on aid in 2025?

13 days ago // Devex Money Matters

$32.5 billion was disbursed in fiscal year 2025, but with little going to new projects initiated since the transfer of aid to the State Department. Plus, the World Bank job cuts — and so does Germany.

Money Matters: New data on the world’s biggest development philanthropies

Money Matters: New data on the world’s biggest development philanthropies

20 days ago // Devex Money Matters

Which countries did the Gates Foundation and other philanthropies fund the most? Plus, the U.S. makes a big bet on drone delivery, and what’s up at The Agency Fund.

Devex Pro Insider: Rockefeller meets vloggerfella

Devex Pro Insider: Rockefeller meets vloggerfella

20 days ago // Devex Pro Insider

The Rockefeller Foundation teams up with Mr. Beast; getting the heck out of DOGE; and South Africa gets uninvited.

Money Matters: Is China becoming an aid superpower?

Money Matters: Is China becoming an aid superpower?

27 days ago // Devex Money Matters

A comprehensive mapping of China’s international financial activities; rare good news on U.S. aid funding; and a new type of corporate foundation.

Money Matters: Crunching the numbers for a key climate funder

Money Matters: Crunching the numbers for a key climate funder

about 1 month ago // Devex Money Matters

A deep dive into what the Global Environment Facility spent $6.4 billion on. Plus, how much aid goes to central Africa, and what’s happened to BD jobs in 2025.

Devex Pro Insider: Good COP, bad COP?

Devex Pro Insider: Good COP, bad COP?

about 1 month ago // Devex Pro Insider

COP30 begins in Belém amid growing climate disasters and a $1 trillion funding gap. Brazil leads as host, while many countries, including the U.S., lag on commitments.

Devex Career Hub: How 2025 changed the development job market

Devex Career Hub: How 2025 changed the development job market

about 2 months ago // Devex Career Hub

Takeaways from our coverage of Devex Career Week, including how AI is affecting the development jobs market and how BD roles have changed in development this year.

What happened to key development roles in 2025?

What happened to key development roles in 2025?

about 2 months ago // Job board insights

Many key development roles have been affected by aid cuts in 2025. Devex took a look at some of the main roles in the aid sector to see how they have been affected.

Did the aid sector really screw up its communications strategy?

Did the aid sector really screw up its communications strategy?

about 2 months ago // The Future of US Aid

According to some aid heavyweights, the sector has been doing a bad job communicating its value. Whether that would have helped avoid the upheavals of recent years is an open question.

Authoritarianism is rising. How should the aid community respond?

Authoritarianism is rising. How should the aid community respond?

about 2 months ago // Democracy and Governance

At the Trust Conference in London, speakers called on the international community to learn each other's lessons when it comes to fighting autocracy.