US NGOs try to adapt to loss of US funds : Shared by Tom McDermott

Adapting to lost U.S. contributions

Devex
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Summary
The Trump administration’s liquidation of U.S. foreign aid has forced NGOs to rethink survival strategies.

Save the Children lost a third of its global program budget, and Family Health International 360 (FHI 360) lost half its revenue. Janti Soeripto of Save the Children said the first priority was to protect lifesaving programs, while acknowledging mistakes but keeping staff informed through constant communication. She emphasized assuming that lost funding would not return, so that any restoration would be “a cherry on the cake.” 

Tessie San Martin of FHI 360 highlighted resilience by focusing on what remains rather than what was lost, and by embracing bold, innovative approaches, including artificial intelligence. 

CARE USA, which cut 1,500 staff and 30% of core costs, has focused on telling the American public about aid’s real successes, with Michelle Nunn stressing the need to counter misconceptions that poverty has worsened.

Quotes

“Our biggest priority in that initial month was trying to figure out what is the lifesaving work … so that no children die on our watch.” — Janti Soeripto, Save the Children US
“We told our staff early, we’re going to make lots of mistakes, and we’re going to own up to them … so we overcommunicated to staff all the time.” — Janti Soeripto
“Assume nothing is coming back. That way, if any cuts are restored, it’s a cherry on the cake.” — Janti Soeripto
“We have lost, over the course of this year, in a few months, half our revenue. But the good news is that leaves half our revenue … I’m going to take that as a positive.” — Tessie San Martin, FHI 360
“In this moment of scarcity and crisis, this is no time to be timid … lean into new and at times, perhaps riskier ways of working.” — Tessie San Martin, FHI 360
“Most people think … we have actually increased … poverty … They don’t recognize that we’ve decreased maternal mortality, child mortality.” — Michelle Nunn, CARE USA
“Like many other INGOs, we were hammered by aid cuts … but we have an obligation to invite the American public in and broaden the constituency of people who care about global development.” — Michelle Nunn