Donors have gotten serious about localization in recent years. The U.S. Agency for International Development, in particular, has pledged to give 25% of eligible funds to local partners by 2025.
But there is a long way to go for the agency to reach its goal. Many experts are pressing the institution to change not just who it funds, but how it funds.
Currently, USAID tends to award large grants and contracts with strict compliance and reporting requirements. It says that as a result of a well-publicized staffing crisis, it cannot make smaller awards because these are more labor-intensive.