For decades, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) worked in more than 130 countries and managed the world’s largest bilateral aid portfolio, totaling around $25 billion a year across a wide range of sectors, including health, education, economic growth, democracy promotion, and humanitarian relief.
In early 2025, the US administration imposed a temporary funding freeze, cancelled most assistance awards, and closed USAID, drastically changing how the US responds to key global development challenges. Rigorous analysis of USAID over the years made CGD’s experts a reliable source for advice and ideas on how to make US foreign assistance more effective and based in evidence. As policymakers and practitioners respond to sweeping changes to the international assistance landscape, our experts continue to track the impacts of cuts to foreign aid and examine the legacy of the USAID’s work across the globe.
