Ocean Freight Reimbursement Overview
The Ocean Freight Reimbursement (OFR) Program is the oldest ongoing
Private Voluntary Organization (PVO) support program, allowing recipients
to ship a wide variety of goods overseas
for use in privately funded development and humanitarian assistance programs.
The Program provides small competitive grants to approximately 50 U.S. PVOs
each year. Funds are used to reimburse the PVOs' costs to transport donated
commodities, such as medical supplies, agricultural equipment, educational supplies,
and building equipment to developing countries.
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| Shipment of Medical Supplies to Cambodia. |
While USAID reimburses the costs of ocean freight, participating PVOs are responsible for associated costs,
such as commodity acquisition, warehousing, insurance, local transportation,
and distribution. The program leverages resources many times the value of USAID
funding. The overall private-public match of these activities averages 126 to 1.
The FY2005 budget of $2.7 million mobilized more than $340 million in private
resources, mainly donated or purchased goods and supplies and volunteer time.
The program is especially important for small and newly registered
PVOs because it allows them to participate in a USAID grant process that is
highly competitive, yet not highly complex. Approximately 10 percent of the FY2006/FY2007 grantees
were new to the program.
Contact Person:
Dana Alzouma, Program Assistant, Commodities Freight Program and Denton Program,
Office of Private Voluntary Cooperation - American Schools & Hospitals Abroad (PVC-ASHA), Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance, (202) 712-1181 or at USAID E-Mail: dalzouma@usaid.gov
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