The official designation of the Committee is: The Advisory Committee on Voluntary Foreign Aid.

Objectives:

To serve as a focal point for relations between the U.S. Government and private and voluntary organizations active in the fields of relief, rehabilitation and development overseas.

To assure that the voluntary sector plays a vital and dynamic role in the formulation and execution of foreign assistance programs.

Duties and Scope of Activity:

To consult with, provide information to and advise the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and other U.S. Government agencies, as appropriate, on matters and issues needing attention across a wide spectrum of development issues related to foreign assistance in which the U.S. Government and private and voluntary organizations interact.

To provide information and counsel to the community of private and voluntary organizations working abroad in relief, rehabilitation, and development on issues of concern regarding their relations with USAID and other U.S. Government agencies.

To foster public interest in the field of voluntary foreign aid and the activities of private and voluntary organizations.

Duration:

The Advisory Committee on Voluntary Foreign Aid will serve indefinitely, subject to biennial renewal as required under the Federal Advisory Committee Act of 1972.

Reporting:

The Advisory Committee on Voluntary Foreign Aid (the Advisory Committee) reports to the Director of U.S. Foreign Assistance in his or her capacity as the Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The Office of the Administrator provides the necessary support for the Committee. The Executive Director of the Advisory Committee is the USAID Advisory Committee representative.

The Advisory Committee will file trimestral reports with the Administrator, describing its activities during the preceding trimester, and will furnish any other data that may be required by the Agency's Advisory Committee Management Officer.

Costs:

The annual operating costs in dollars and person-years for the Advisory Committee and Subcommittees thereof are estimated to be approximately $250,000 and 1.5 person-years respectively.

Meetings:

It is expected that the Advisory Committee will hold three meetings annually. Its Subcommittees will meet as determined by each Subcommittee chair.

Membership:

The Advisory Committee shall be comprised of no fewer than fifteen and no more than thirty members (including the Chairman and Vice Chairman) appointed by the Administrator as representatives of a balanced cross section of non-governmental entities including private and voluntary organizations, cooperatives, foundations, private firms, professional societies, universities and other sources as he/she sees fit.

Members serve in a representative, not an individual, capacity and therefore are not subject to the conflict of interest statutes. The Administrator shall designate the Chairman and Vice Chairman of the Advisory Committee.

Terms of membership shall be established by the Administrator at the time of appointment to the Advisory Committee. Members may serve for up to two years per term and may serve up to two concurrent terms during the tenure of an Administrator.

Effective Date:               December 1,2007

Termination Date:          January 28,2009

Date Charter is Filed:    December 1,2007

_____________________________________
Henrietta H. Fore
Administrator
U.S. Agency for International Development