How does USAID’s recent Policy Framework perform on aid effectiveness?

By: Madeline Hartlieb
June 12, 2019

This spring, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) released its latest Policy Framework. The document pulls from goals outlined in the United States’ National Security Strategy (NSS) and the Department of State and USAID Joint Strategic Plan (JSP), and weaves these goals into U.S. development policy. Together, the NSS, JSP, and Policy Framework … Continue reading How does USAID’s recent Policy Framework perform on aid effectiveness?

MFAN is hiring a Program Associate

By: MFAN
June 10, 2019

The MFAN Program Associate is a motivated individual who is interested in global development policy, providing programmatic, event, and administrative support to the MFAN staff and network. In this highly visible role, the Program Associate will gain valuable exposure to foreign assistance policy and advocacy, and will engage regularly with external stakeholders. This is an … Continue reading MFAN is hiring a Program Associate

Three years after FATAA: What’s the current state of U.S. foreign assistance data?

By: Sally Paxton & George Ingram
May 22, 2019

Over the last almost ten years, the US has made a series of commitments to improve the publication of its aid data.  Behind this effort is the concept that increases in transparency and availability of US data will lead to better planning, accountability, and effectiveness of US aid efforts.  One of the latest steps in … Continue reading Three years after FATAA: What’s the current state of U.S. foreign assistance data?

A Note on Aid Reform: Leadership

By: Larry Nowels
May 9, 2019

To the MFAN Community, Throughout my career I have worked with a number of individuals who I would call leaders in the true sense of the word. To lead is to “guide on a way, especially by going in advance.” The international affairs community is fortunate to be led by some impressive individuals willing to … Continue reading A Note on Aid Reform: Leadership

5 ways the new U.S. Development Finance Corporation can embrace women’s economic empowerment

By: Justin Fugle and Coryn Bookwalter, Plan International USA
May 3, 2019

Development initiatives must cut across all groups of society for full impact. According to some estimates, women represent 70 percent of the world’s poor. What can a focus on women’s economic empowerment do for the world? Experts say the female economy represents an emerging market more than twice the size of India and China combined. … Continue reading 5 ways the new U.S. Development Finance Corporation can embrace women’s economic empowerment

A Note on Aid Reform: Applying the Fundamentals

By: Lester Munson
March 21, 2019

Friends, At our core, MFAN is committed to three principles: transparency of U.S. foreign aid, accountability of our assistance programs, and the local ownership needed to achieve meaningful results. As 2019 gets well underway, MFAN is looking at a number of opportunities to put these principles to practice and increase development effectiveness: The new U.S. … Continue reading A Note on Aid Reform: Applying the Fundamentals

A Note on Aid Reform: A New Year Agenda as the Government Returns to Work

By: Larry Nowels
January 28, 2019

Happy New Year everyone, I’m excited to write you for the first time as MFAN’s interim Executive Director. After 30+ years at the Congressional Research Service and a decade consulting for various MFAN members, I’m eager to work directly on MFAN’s aid reform issues. As you may know, MFAN has been going through some changes, … Continue reading A Note on Aid Reform: A New Year Agenda as the Government Returns to Work

Budget Instability and Development Effectiveness

By: MFAN
December 13, 2018

The Modernizing Foreign Assistance Network advocates for more effective and accountable U.S. foreign assistance that will deliver greater results for people in need and U.S. taxpayers. A chaotic budget environment beleaguered with cuts, delays, and rescissions does not enable effective aid nor efficient use of American taxpayer dollars. To shed light on the issues with this … Continue reading Budget Instability and Development Effectiveness

A Year in Review, A Decade of Reform

By: George Ingram, MFAN Co-Chair
December 7, 2018

Dear Colleagues, On Tuesday, Tessie and I (Les was in far-off places) had the pleasure of joining leaders from the aid community, MCC, USAID, and OPIC to honor ten dedicated members of Congress on Capitol Hill. It was a pleasure to be joined by former MFAN Co-Chair and current Honorary Co-Chair, former Representative Jim Kolbe, … Continue reading A Year in Review, A Decade of Reform