Independent research & practical ideas for global prosperity

L'etat c'est moi: Do State and Individual Donors Behave the Same?

Oct 7, 2009

Until recently, most aid from rich to poor countries was transmitted through official bilateral and multilateral channels. However, the rapid growth in private development aid from foundations, charities, and philanthropic individuals raises a host of questions regarding the allocation of aid and its selectivity across recipient countries. Using data from private micro-lending institutions GlobalGiving and Kiva, authors Raj M. Desai and Homi Kharas analyze the lending preferences of private individuals in comparison to those of official aid agencies. Join us for a discussion of how private individuals donate to microcredit and grassroots projects, and how these aids flows are complementary to the goals of official development assistance.

On Wednesday, October 7, 2009, Center for Global Development presented a seminar on L'etat c'est moi: Do state and individual donors behave the same?, featuring Raj M. Desai, Associate Professor of International Development, Walsh School of Foreign Service, Georgetown University, and Non-Resident Senior Fellow, Brookings Institution; and Homi Kharas, Senior Fellow, Wolfensohn Center for Development, Brookings Institution. David Roodman, Research Fellow, Center for Global Development, served as the discussant and CGD Senior Fellow Vijaya Ramachandran moderated the discussion.

To access paper, click here.