U.S. Foreign Aid Cuts: Resources for Impacted Organizations and Professionals
On January 20, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order pausing all foreign assistance for 90 days. Subsequently, the administration announced plans to permanently cut over 90% of contracts and grants, amounting to a $60 billion reduction in U.S. foreign assistance. These actions have significantly impacted frontline communities and international aid professionals worldwide.
We’ve compiled a list of resources for organizations and individuals navigating these challenges. We share this in solidarity and hope you find it helpful. Please note that these are external resources, and BNID is not responsible for the information provided.
If you have resources to add to this list, please share with us at info@bnid.org.
We also encourage you to visit the Global Washington’s resource page: Resources for Global Development Organizations 2025
Have you or you organization been directly impacted?
Complete our 5-minute survey so we can better understand and report how our community has been affected.
Mutual Aid Platform for Greater Boston / New England
We are facilitating a Mutual Aid platform to support individuals in Greater Boston / New England who have been directly impacted by the recent foreign aid cuts. This peer-to-peer resource connects community members who need assistance with those who can offer help in areas such as career mentorship, job search support, networking, housing, and more.
How It Works:
If you need assistance, submit a request and your request will be shared (without personal contact details) on a public listing (see list of requests).
If you can offer assistance, submit an offer and your information will be listed publicly for those seeking help (see list of offers).
If you see a specific request you can help with, submit a response and your offer will be forwarded to the requestor.
This platform is a community-driven mutual aid network. BNID does not verify, vet, or endorse any requests, offers, or responses. All interactions are voluntary and at participants’ own risk.
Take Action
- Call your congressional representatives: 5calls.org offers a script and the contact info for your representatives
- USAID Stop Work shares resources to take action
- Petition: Protect All U.S. Foreign Aid – Oxfam America
- Mutual aid: Provide pro bono CV support at Head Global
- Mutual aid: Offer temporary housing to returning USAID overseas staff
- Donate: 1 Dollar, 1 World – WHO Foundation Fundraiser
- Donate: GlobalGiving Community Aid Fund – GlobalGiving
- Information: Understand the widespread impact – Global Aid Freeze
For organizations
- Webinar recording, Terminated…Now What? Business Considerations for Contracts & Grants, Avallon LLC
- Funding resource: Apply for short-term bridge funding – The Foreign Aid Bridge Fund
- Funding resource: DevelopmentAid is offering all US-based organizations 90-day free access to their platform of global tenders and grants
- *NEW* In-kind resource: Tech to the Rescue – Pro bono tech support for international aid orgs
- Resource: Guidance for USG Contract Terminations, Avallon LLC
- Resource: FreeWill + Grant Assistant: Executive Order Analyzer – enter your information to see how you are affected and receive a tailored assessment
- Webinar recordings from Nichols Liu LLP
- Unfreezing Funding, Avoiding Furloughs and Other Measures
- Foreign Assistance: Moving from Outrage to Action – Actions that foreign assistance implementors can take in response to the order, including optimizing chances for getting paid, obtaining waivers, and filing litigation to ensure rights.
- What to do next in Response to the Foreign Aid Freeze
- Webinar recording: Suspension Orders under Grants & Cooperative Agreements – How to prepare for what’s next? Hosted by Avallon LLC
- Survey: Has Your Nonprofit Been Affected by Federal Funding Cuts? We Want to Hear From You from The New York Times
- Survey: Global Aid Freeze, survey findings are shared and updated regularly
- Survey: USAID Stop Work, collecting information on the impact of USAID shutdown
For individuals
Job Resources
- Webinar recording: DevEx, What to do if you’ve lost your NGO Job
- Webinar recording: SID-US, New Directions – Exploring Careers Beyond International Development
- Society for International Development – US, Professional Development Hub
- Pro Bono CV review, offered by Head Global
- Job search starter document, by Sephanie Mansueto, Corporate Recruiter and Job Hunt Coach
- Social Impact Career Chats with PCDN.Global
- Get connected with a coach (free)
- Job board and coaching offers from LinkedIn
- Pro bono access to The Bloom
- NickatNoon for social impact jobs
- The Career Pivot newsletter and events with Wayan Vota
- Cole Resource Center Workforce Program – Offers coaching and community support to any individual living in recovery from mental health challenges who is facing the prospect of re-entering the workforce, changing jobs or careers, or seeking to carve a new path for themselves