The State Department announced a $2 billion commitment in health and humanitarian assistance to be channeled through faith-based non-governmental organizations on Aug. 6. The commitment represents a major structural reorientation of how U.S. foreign aid is delivered.
The commitment shifts significant resources from secular aid organizations to faith-based networks for implementing health and humanitarian programming around the world, the State Department said.
The announcement is part of the Trump administration’s broader restructuring of U.S. foreign assistance following significant changes to USAID and the development assistance apparatus. Faith-based NGOs, including organizations such as Catholic Relief Services and World Vision, will serve as primary implementers of the funded programs.
The $2 billion commitment marks one of the most significant restructurings of U.S. international development policy in decades. The scale of the shift could reshape the competitive landscape among organizations that implement U.S.-funded global health and humanitarian programs.
Faith-based organizations have long been significant providers of foreign assistance, operating hospitals, schools and relief programs across the developing world. However, a commitment of this magnitude directed specifically through faith-based channels represents a deliberate policy choice.
The State Department release included details about the scope and geographic distribution of the aid programs.
The restructuring comes as the overall U.S. foreign assistance budget and delivery mechanisms have undergone extensive review under the current administration. Secular aid organizations that have historically received large federal contracts may see reduced funding as a result of the shift.