Global
Global
Guidance Note
2023
Global
Global
Technical Guidance Document
2023
USAID policy requires baseline data for each of their performance monitoring indicators, but USAID staff and partners often struggle to determine the most appropriate baseline and the best mechanism to establish that baseline. This USAID/RFS Good Practice MEL Note provides USAID staff and partners with specific guidance on what good baselines look like and how to establish them. It walks the user through several common baseline setting scenarios, including examples from RFS-funded activities, as well as helpful tips for establishing performance indicator baselines.
This infographic analyzes the consequences of USAID’s 2023–2024 restructuring, which led to the termination of 5,341 projects and the defunding of 2,353 implementing partners, many of whom lost 100% of their USAID support. Over 55% of recipient countries lost all funding. The analysis extends beyond the U.S. to consider concurrent budget contractions by other donor countries, indicating a systemic shift in how foreign aid is prioritized and delivered. The infographic visualizes these changes, offering insights into the scale, distribution, and potential implications of a more constrained and transactional development aid environment.
This article examines the Trump administration’s proposed restructuring of U.S. foreign assistance, which seeks to streamline agencies and align aid with investment-driven growth. The plan introduces promising steps to improve efficiency and expand opportunities for U.S. businesses abroad. However, the transition also brings important considerations, such as ensuring continued access to technical expertise, maintaining regional flexibility, and supporting financing tools that encourage investment in higher-risk markets. The piece outlines ways to maximize the benefits of these reforms while addressing potential challenges to ensure the new structure drives sustainable growth and impact.
