U.S. Foreign Assistance | Data for the Public Good

What is U.S. Government Foreign Assistance?

Foreign assistance is aid given by the United States to other countries to support global peace, security, and development efforts, and provide humanitarian relief during times of crisis. It is a strategic, economic, and moral imperative for the United States and vital to U.S. national security.

The first U.S. aid program took shape after World War II when then Secretary of State George Marshall acted to provide significant aid to Europe after the war to assist the continent in rebuilding its infrastructure, strengthening its economy, and stabilizing the region. This led to the creation of several foreign assistance programs in subsequent years to build off the success of the Marshall Plan. The next milestone for foreign assistance occurred in 1961, when President Kennedy signed the Foreign Assistance Act into law and created the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). This marked a significant increase in U.S. foreign assistance efforts and USAID became the first U.S. foreign assistance agency whose primary focus was long-term global development to include economic and social progress.

Today, the U.S. manages foreign assistance programs in more than 100 countries around the world through the efforts of over 20 different U.S. government agencies. These investments further America's foreign policy interests on issues ranging from expanding free markets, combating extremism, ensuring stable democracies, and addressing the root causes of poverty, while simultaneously fostering global good will.

Which Countries Receive U.S. Government Foreign Assistance?

U.S. government agencies manage and implement foreign assistance funds through programs that benefit countries, regions, and the world. The U.S. government provides assistance to over 100 countries around the world. Click below to learn more about one of these featured countries or explore the map to find details on all countries receiving foreign assistance.

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How is Foreign Assistance Categorized?

Foreign assistance funding is classified into nine categories, which are further detailed into 52 sectors. Funds are uniquely aligned to one category and sector.

ForeignAssistance.gov’s nine categories are shown below.

Click to learn more about each category and its respective sectors.

Environment

To support the sustainability of a productive and clean environment by: ensuring that the environment and the natural resources upon which human lives and livelihoods depend are managed in ways that sustain productivity growth, a healthy population, as well as the intrinsic spiritual and cultural value of the environment, and conserving biodiversity and managing natural resources in ways that maintain their long-term viability and preserve their potential to meet the needs of present and future generations.

Environment

$325.4 Million

requested for FY 2021

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Humanitarian Assistance

To save lives, alleviate suffering, and minimize the economic costs of conflict, disasters and displacement. Humanitarian assistance is provided on the basis of need according to principles of universality, impartiality and human dignity. It is often organized by sectors, but requires an integrated, coordinated and/or multi-sectoral approach to be most effective. Emergency operations will foster the transition from relief, through recovery, to development, but they cannot and will not replace the development investments necessary to reduce chronic poverty or establish just social services.

Humanitarian Assistance

$6.3 Billion

requested for FY 2021

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Program Management

To provide the general management support required to ensure completion of U.S. foreign assistance objectives by facilitating program management, monitoring and evaluation, and accounting and tracking of costs.

Program Management

$1.6 Billion

requested for FY 2021

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Multi-sector

Multi-Sector is used when a sector cannot be identified and/or aid may be cross-cutting across several categories

Multi-sector

$4.5 Billion

requested for FY 2021

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Peace and Security

To help nations effectively establish the conditions and capacity for achieving peace, security, and stability; and for responding effectively against arising threats to national or international security and stability.

Peace and Security

$9.6 Billion

requested for FY 2021

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Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance

To promote and strengthen effective democracies in recipient states and move them along a continuum toward democratic consolidation.

Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance

$1.7 Billion

requested for FY 2021

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Health

To contribute to improvements in the health of people, especially women, children, and other vulnerable populations in countries of the developing world, through expansion of basic health services, including family planning; strengthening national health systems, and addressing global issues and special concerns such as HIV/AIDS and other infectious diseases.

Health

$6.3 Billion

requested for FY 2021

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Economic Development

To generate rapid, sustained, and broad-based economic growth.

Economic Development

$2.0 Billion

requested for FY 2021

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Which Agencies Manage Foreign Assistance Funds?

There are over 20 U.S. government agencies responsible for either funding or executing U.S. foreign assistance activities. The agencies listed below represent the agencies which are currently reporting to ForeignAssistance.gov. All agencies are working to improve the quantity and quality of their data and to report data on a quarterly basis.

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African Development Foundation
Environmental Protection Agency
Environmental Protection Agency
The EPA’s mission is to protect human health and the environment by
- Delivering real results to provide Americans with clean air, land, and water, and to ensure chemical safety.
- Rebalancing the power between Washington and the states to create tangible environmental results for the American people.
- Administering the law as Congress intended, to refocus the Agency on its statutory obligations under the law.
Learn More About EPA
Federal Trade Commission
Inter-American Foundation
Millennium Challenge Corporation
Overseas Private Investment Corporation
Overseas Private Investment Corporation
The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the U.S. government's development finance institution, mobilizes private capital to help solve critical development challenges and in doing so, advances U.S. foreign policy. Because OPIC works with the U.S. private sector, it helps U.S. businesses gain footholds in emerging markets, catalyzing revenues, jobs, and growth opportunities both at home and abroad. OPIC achieves its mission by providing investors with financing, political risk insurance, and support for private equity funds.
Learn More About OPIC
Peace Corps
Peace Corps
As the official international service organization of the United States, the Peace Corps (PC) gives Americans the opportunity to become global citizens and serve their country by tackling the most pressing needs of people around the world. Peace Corps Volunteers live in their communities of service and work at the grassroots level with host country governments, schools, and entrepreneurs to develop sustainable solutions that address challenges in areas like education, health, economic development, agriculture and environment, and youth development. They bring this experience and their skills, knowledge, and ideas back home with them to the United States, and the ripple effect of their global outlook follows them wherever they go and enriches the lives of those around them.
Learn More About PC
U.S. Agency for International Development
U.S. Department of Agriculture
U.S. Department of Commerce
U.S. Department of Defense
U.S. Department of Energy
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is the U.S. government's principal agency for protecting the health of all Americans and providing essential human services, especially for those who are least able to help themselves. HHS is headed by the Secretary who is the chief managing officer for the HHS family of agencies, including 11 operating divisions, 10 regional offices, as well as the Office of the Secretary.
Learn More About HHS
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
U.S. Department of Homeland Security
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has a vital mission: to secure the nation from the many threats we face. This requires the dedication of more than 240,000 employees in jobs that range from aviation and border security to emergency response, from cybersecurity analyst to chemical facility inspector. Our duties are wide-ranging, and our goal is clear - keeping America safe.
Learn More About DHS
U.S. Department of the Interior
U.S. Department of the Interior
The Department of the Interior (DOI) protects America's natural resources and heritage, honors our cultures and tribal communities, and supplies the energy to power our future.
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is to work with others to conserve, protect, and enhance fish, wildlife, plants, and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people.
Learn More About DOI
U.S. Department of Justice
U.S. Department of Justice
The mission of the Department of Justice is to enforce the law and defend the interests of the United States according to the law; to ensure public safety against threats foreign and domestic; to provide federal leadership in preventing and controlling crime; to seek just punishment for those guilty of unlawful behavior; and to ensure fair and impartial administration of justice for all Americans.
Learn More About DOJ
U.S. Department of Labor
U.S. Department of Labor
The Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB) leads the Department of Labor (DOL) in its efforts to ensure that workers around the world are treated fairly and are able to share in the benefits of the global economy. ILAB's mission is to improve global working conditions, raise living standards, protect workers' ability to exercise their rights, and address the workplace exploitation of children and other vulnerable populations. Its efforts help to ensure a fair playing field for American workers and contribute to stronger export markets for goods made in the United States.
Learn More About DOL
U.S. Department of State
U.S. Department of State
The mission of the Department of State (DOS) is to advance freedom for the benefit of the American people and the international community by helping to build and sustain a more democratic, secure, and prosperous world composed of well-governed states that respond to the needs of their people, reduce widespread poverty, and act responsibly within the international system.
Learn More About DOS
U.S. Department of Transportation
U.S. Department of the Treasury
U.S. Department of the Treasury
The mission of the Department of the Treasury (TREASURY) is to maintain a strong economy and create economic and job opportunities by promoting the conditions that enable economic growth and stability at home and abroad; strengthen national security by combating threats to and protecting the integrity of the financial system; and manage the U.S. government’s finances and resources effectively.
Learn More About Treasury
U.S. Trade and Development Agency
U.S. Trade and Development Agency
The U.S. Trade and Development Agency helps companies create U.S. jobs through the export of U.S. goods and services for priority development projects in emerging economies. USTDA links U.S. businesses to export opportunities by funding project preparation and partnership building activities that develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in partner countries.
https://www.ustda.gov/about/mission
Learn More About USTDA
Export-Import Bank of the United States
Export-Import Bank of the United States
The Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) is the official export credit agency of the United States. EXIM is an independent, self-financing Executive Branch agency with a mission of supporting American jobs by facilitating the export of U.S. goods and services.
EXIM’s export credit programs are not foreign assistance, foreign aid or grants.
Learn More About EXIM