The funding includes $1.4 billion for faith- and community-based health providers in more than 20 countries and $538 million in humanitarian assistance expected to reach 7 million people across 16 crises.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
The State Department announced nearly $2 billion in new partnerships with faith-based organizations Thursday to provide global health services and humanitarian relief, describing the commitment as the largest allocation of its kind in more than two decades.
Organizations participating in the initiative include World Vision, Samaritan’s Purse and Compassion International.
The package provides $1.4 billion through the America First Global Health Strategy to support hospitals and clinics operated by faith- and community-based organizations in more than 20 countries.
An additional $538 million will fund humanitarian programs expected to assist 7 million people affected by 16 crises, according to the department.
The announcement comes more than a year after the Trump administration reorganized the federal foreign assistance system by ending the U.S. Agency for International Development’s status as an independent agency and transferring responsibility for most civilian aid programs to the State Department.
Administration officials said the restructuring was intended to align overseas assistance more closely with U.S. foreign policy and ensure that aid programs reflected an “America First” approach.
The changes followed a government review that resulted in the cancellation of thousands of foreign assistance grants and contracts.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said at the time that approximately 83% of USAID programs would be eliminated. The remaining programs were transferred to State Department oversight.
Humanitarian organizations and former USAID officials said the reductions disrupted health, nutrition and emergency relief efforts in several countries.
USAID was established in 1961 and managed U.S. civilian foreign assistance for more than 60 years. Its programs included global health initiatives, disaster relief, food security and economic development.
The agency delivered much of that assistance through partnerships with nongovernmental organizations, international institutions and local groups operating overseas.
Faith-based organizations have long been among the federal government’s largest humanitarian partners. Under both Republican and Democratic administrations, they have received federal funding to provide medical services, disaster response, refugee support and other forms of assistance.
The newly announced partnerships place those organizations at the center of the Trump administration’s revised foreign aid structure, with the State Department overseeing funding intended to support health systems and emergency relief while advancing the administration’s foreign policy priorities.
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