Organization Overview

The history of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) goes back to the Marshall Plan reconstruction of Europe after World War Two and the Truman Administration's Point Four Program. In 1961, the Foreign Assistance Act was signed into law and USAID was created by executive order. Since that time, USAID has been the principal U.S. agency to extend assistance to countries recovering from disaster, trying to escape poverty, and engaging in democratic reforms.

USAID is an independent federal government agency that receives overall foreign policy guidance from the Secretary of State and is headed by an Administrator and Deputy Administrator, both appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. USAID’s work supports long-term and equitable economic growth and advances U.S. foreign policy objectives by supporting economic growth, global health, social reform, democracy, conflict prevention and humanitarian assistance.

With headquarters in Washington, D.C., USAID's strength is its field offices around the world. We work in close partnership with private voluntary organizations, indigenous organizations, universities, American businesses, international agencies, host country and other governments, as well as other U.S. government agencies. USAID has working relationships with more than 3,500 American companies and over 300 U.S.-based private voluntary organizations.

USAID/Armenia is one of the missions within the Agency’s geographic bureau for Europe and Eurasia (E&E).