The U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) is a foreign assistance agency pursuant to section 661 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961, as amended (22 USC 2421). The agency delivers its program commitments through overseas grants, contracts with U.S. firms, and the use of trust funds at several multilateral development bank groups.

In Fiscal Year 2008, USTDA obligated over $46 million in support of the development goals of project sponsors in 54 host counties around the world.

Last year, USTDA funded 67 technical assistance activities, 41 feasibility studies, and 24 orientation visits.. The average size of a USTDA grant is $400,000.

While the agency's activities span a wide variety of sectors, many focus on transportation, energy and power, water and the environment, health care, mining and natural resources, telecommunications, and information technology.

USTDA, works closely with a number of other Federal agencies including the U.S. Trade Representative; the Departments of State, Commerce, Homeland Security and Transportation; the Millennium Challenge Corporation; the Export-Import Bank of the United States, and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation to advance U.S. commercial interests and host country development objectives.

Since the agency's inception in 1981, it has been associated with more than $31.5 billion in U.S. exports -- or approximately $35 in exports for every dollar invested in USTDA activities.