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About USADF
USADF provides development grants to African organizations and enterprises that increase economic opportunities for marginalized communities in Africa.What Does USADF Do?
The United States African Development Foundation provides grants of up to $250,000 to community groups and enterprises that benefit marginalized groups in Africa.
Marginalized groups are people that have significant needs that are not being currently addressed by existing governments programs, NGOs, or other international development efforts. USADF measures grant success in terms of jobs, increased incomes levels, and improved social conditions.
USADF is achieving measurable results. USADF's active portfolio consists of 420 project grants and 120 small grants. These grants affect an estimated 1,080,000 people in marginalized communities by providing people with the opportunity to engage in the development process and gain economic, food security and social benefits. More than $229 million dollars in new economic activities will be generated by these active projects.
A five year $10 million grant program in the Lake Turkana region of Kenya is an example of USADF's program focus.
Background
The African Development Foundation Act of 1980 established a new agency with a unique mission to by-pass layers of government inefficiencies by working directly with the most needy communities in Africa. USADF programs respond to local project requests by actively engage the local community group or enterprise in the design and implementation of the projects. This ensures that outcomes will best address the real community needs.
Why USADF?
USADF’s unique mission is captured in its core operating principles:
(1) Model high effectiveness and low overhead operations.
(2) Focus program activities on marginalized communities in Africa.
(3) Invest in Africans and their ideas through participatory development.
(4) Ensure projects produce long term social and economic results.
(5) Promote African led and managed field project support.
(6) Achieve the highest levels of openness and transparency.
(7) Support and develop an equal oppurtunity, results driven staff that rewards hard work, dedication to the mission, and personal success.