Who were USAID’s top grantees in 2023?

The U.S. Agency for International Development is one of the largest bilateral agencies mobilizing money for global development and humanitarian aid. Based on the data from USASpending, the agency obligated $16.2 billion through grants and cooperative agreements in the fiscal year that ended in September 2023. This represents a $5.8 billion, or 26.2%, cash-term decrease from the previous fiscal year. Our analysis shows that this is mainly driven by a reduction in the total amount obligated to multilateral agencies. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and World Food Programme altogether received $5 billion less than they got in 2022. Overall, more than half of the money, worth $8.8 billion, went to the top 20 recipients — $6.6 billion to the top 10 multilaterals and $2.2 billion to the top 10 international organizations. Compared to the previous fiscal year, the total obligation to the top 10 multilaterals went down by 54.1% — from $12.2 billion in 2022 to $6.6 billion in 2023. Meanwhile, the total obligation to the top 10 bilateral organizations slightly dipped — from $2.4 billion in 2022 to $2.2 billion in 2023. Among the multilaterals, nine also ranked in the previous year, while the United Nations Office for Project Services was replaced by the United Nations Population Fund. Eight among the international organizations remained in the top 10. Pact and Johns Hopkins University were replaced by the Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening and JSI. Top 10 bilateral grantees 1. FHI 360 Headquarters: North Carolina, U.S. Total obligated amount in 2023: $412,222,044 FHI 360 remained the top grantee among bilateral recipients, with $412.2 million. This is $166.7 million less than what it received in 2022 — the biggest dip among international organizations. FHI 360 is one of USAID’s lead implementers in the area of family planning and reproductive health. The bulk of its total obligated amount, worth $123.1 million, went to the Meeting Targets and Maintaining Epidemic Control, or EpiC, project — an eight-year global initiative for HIV, global health security, COVID-19, and monkeypox funded by USAID and the U.S. President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief. FHI 360 leads the implementation of EpiC with the support of core partners — Palladium, Population Services International, and Right to Care — and other regional partners. 2. Catholic Relief Services Headquarters: Maryland, U.S. Total obligated amount in 2023: $410,298,541 CRS is the humanitarian agency of the Catholic community in the U.S., working in education, emergency relief, and health, among others. It maintained its rank among USAID top grantees, with $410.3 million for its humanitarian and development activities — $31.9 million less than in 2022. The biggest among its awards is for food aid in Ethiopia, worth $75.4 million 3. Save the Children USA Headquarters: Connecticut, U.S. Total obligated amount in 2023: $212,958,502 Save the Children USA also retained its spot, with $213 million — $47.2 million less than in 2022. It was awarded $17 million for the provision of humanitarian and food aid assistance to more than 270,000 Nigerians. 4. Mercy Corps Headquarters: Oregon, U.S. Total obligated amount in 2023: $212,491,360 With a $212.5 million total obligation — $46.7 million less than the previous year — Mercy Corps was still the fourth biggest bilateral grantee. Mercy Corps received $22.2 million to support activities in the agriculture, economic development, and water, sanitation, and hygiene sectors, as well as distribute cash assistance in the Democratic Republic of Congo. 5. Research Triangle Institute Headquarters: North Carolina, U.S. Total obligated amount in 2023: $191,547,970 RTI International climbed up a notch from the previous year, with $191.5 million — a $38.5 million increase. One of its biggest awards went toward work to improve Tanzania’s implementation of its Control and Elimination Program for Neglected Tropical Diseases, or CEP-NTD, program. The activity is worth $45.9 million. 6. Consortium for Elections and Political Process Strengthening Headquarters: Washington, D.C., U.S. Total obligated amount in 2023: $163,338,642 CEPPS received $163.3 million in 2023, up $62.2 million from the previous year — boosting the consortium’s rank by seven places. CEPPS received several awards to strengthen and support elections, civil societies, and democratic institutions and practices in several countries. This includes $9.1 million for Libya, $7.5 million in Jordan, and $7.3 million in El Salvador. 7. CARE USA Headquarters: Georgia, U.S. Total obligated amount in 2023: $160,936,383 CARE USA was among the biggest grantees, with $160.9 million — $21.2 million more than in 2022. It was awarded $30 million to support USAID’s foreign assistance programs in Malawi and $20 million to improve accountability among primary education institutions in Ghana. 8. World Vision USA Headquarters: Washington, U.S. Total obligated amount in 2023: $157,078,472 World Vision USA also climbed up a rank, with $157.1 million — up $14.4 million from the previous year. Its biggest award, worth $29 million, supports the implementation of the Resilience Food Security Activity, or RFSA — USAID Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance’s initiative to improve food resilience in vulnerable communities. 9. JSI Headquarters: Massachusetts, U.S. Total obligated amount in 2023: $147,250,368 JSI received $147.3 million in total — a $14 million increase — pushing its rank by two places. JSI received $33.8 million for the implementation of the DISCOVER-Health Project in Zambia, which aims to improve access to health care in the country. 10. Jhpiego Headquarters: Maryland, U.S. Total obligated amount in 2023: $136,224,982 Jhpiego’s total obligation amounted to $136.2 million. This is $31.7 million less than in 2022, when the health nonprofit ranked 5th. Its biggest award, worth $66.1 million, aims to reduce maternal, newborn, and child mortality and morbidity in Kenya. Top 10 multilateral grantees 1. World Food Programme Headquarters: Rome, Italy Total obligated amount in 2023: $3,688,766,866 WFP was still the leading recipient among multilaterals, with $3.7 billion — more than a fifth of the total amount obligated by USAID through grants and cooperative agreements. However, this represents a $875 million drop from the previous year. WFP was awarded several grants that support its humanitarian activities. Among them, the biggest was for food, nutrition, and humanitarian assistance to Afghanistan, worth $345.6 million. 2. The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland Total obligated amount in 2023: $811,450,000 The Global Fund recorded the biggest dip among all grantees, worth $3.3 billion. Despite this, the international partnership remained the second largest implementer among multilaterals, receiving $811.5 million as a core contribution to the Global Fund’s budget cycle. 3. UNICEF Headquarters: New York, U.S. Total obligated amount in 2023: $480,573,211 UNICEF climbed up a notch, with $480.6 million, although this is down $388.3 million from 2022. It was awarded $78.5 million to provide assistance to the Ukrainians who are affected by the Russian invasion. 4. International Organization for Migration Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland Total obligated amount in 2023: $411,191,489 IOM rose by two ranks, with $411.2 million — a $56.7 million increase from the previous year. The U.N. agency received $65.8 million for the provision of non-food items, cash assistance, shelter, and settlement, as well as for winterization and WASH programs in Ukraine. 5. Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland Total obligated amount in 2023: $290,000,000 Gavi’s total obligated amount was reduced by half compared to 2022, receiving $290 million as a core contribution to the health partnership’s budget cycle. 6. International Bank for Reconstruction and Development Headquarters: Washington, D.C., U.S. Total obligated amount in 2023: $253,451,012 From $1.2 billion in 2022, IBRD’s total obligated amount fell to just $253.5 million in 2023. Among its biggest awards was a $125 million support for the education projects in Bangladesh. The activity is under the Global Partnership for Education Fund — a multidonor fund supporting different projects in the education sector in low-income countries. 7. Food and Agriculture Organization Headquarters: Rome, Italy Total obligated amount in 2023: $217,142,677 FAO retained its spot, with $217.1 million — $37.5 million less than in 2022. Its biggest award, worth $108 million, was for the provision of food assistance to Somalia. 8. World Health Organization Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland Total obligated amount in 2023: $203,533,482 WHO received $203.5 million, maintaining its rank with a slight dip from the previous year, worth $13.4 million. The lion’s share of its total obligated amount, worth $144 million, went to core contribution and support to WHO’s global projects, such as polio immunization. 9. United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs Headquarters: New York, U.S Total obligated amount in 2023: $152,832,118 UNCOHA remained a key implementer of USAID activities, receiving $152.8 million to support its humanitarian activities in Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine, Venezuela, and Yemen. Compared to 2022, its total obligation increased by $47.7 million this year. 10. United Nations Population Fund Headquarters: New York, U.S. Total obligated amount in 2023: $96,629,900 UNFPA climbed five notches from the list, with $96.6 million — $59.3 million more than the previous year. Its biggest award, worth $25.7 million, will increase access to reproductive health services and address gender-based violence in Madagascar. Update, Jan. 8, 2024: This article has been updated with additional information on FHI 360’s Meeting Targets and Maintaining Epidemic Control. Update, Jan. 23, 2024: This article has been updated to clarify that while USAID obligated $16.2 billion through grants and cooperative agreements, this is only a subset of all assistance funding. Update, May 27, 2024: This article has been updated to reflect the correct chart for USAID’s overall top 50 grantees in FY23. Try out Devex Pro Funding today with a free five-day trial, and explore funding opportunities from over 850 sources in addition to our analysis and news content.