Could the limits of foreign aid and charitable giving be reflected in the dismantling of USAID and the sunsetting of the Gates Foundation?
We are a wealthier world than we’ve ever known, but wealth isn’t solving our development challenges. The answer to our lack of progress may lie in the fact that, globally, less than 1% of the $212 billion in development aid directly reaches communities.
There has been much hand-wringing over what a post-USAID, post-Gates Foundation world might look like. We have the opportunity now to reorient development investment to build trust, confidence, and capabilities nearer to the challenges, opening new and significant investment channels directly to communities within emerging economies.
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About the authors
Frank Charles Kasonga
Frank Charles Kasonga is the executive director of Mudzi Connect, an independent grantmaking hub that invests directly in the aspirations of communities in Malawi. He holds a Master of Arts in Transformative Community Development from Mzuzu University and is widely recognized for advancing community-driven solutions to development challenges.
Pamela Nathenson
Pamela Nathenson is the executive director of World Connect, a nonprofit that co-invests with communities to advance development on their terms. She earned a master’s in International Health from Boston University’s School of Public Health and has built organizations and programming in global development and public health for 25 years.
