Local Works Global Network

Among the flurry of Executive Orders issued on January 20, 2025, all foreign aid programs were halted. Chaos followed. Despite waivers, advocacy, lawsuits, and more, America was pulled from the world stage even though an "overwhelming majority" of Americans want their country to continue spending money on foreign aid as a trusted global partner. With at least 83% of programs cut, 14 million people could die. There are human impacts, climate impacts, political impacts, and more.

Smaller, local organizations were largely absent from those programs maintained – some of them dependent on USAID as their only funding source.

The problems are immense. We cannot solve them all, and we cannot solve them alone. With our network, we want to address the following:

1: Local partners across the globe abandoned

Relationships between community, U.S., and national stakeholders built over years damaged.

Local frontline responders face shutdown while delivery systems collapse.

2: Rampant mis- and disinformation

Partners and communities fear retaliation for speaking out.

Deletion of public data leaves the American people in the dark.

3: Public disconnect with foreign assistance

Americans overestimate the amount that was spent on foreign aid, and support the one per cent of the federal budget that was dedicated to foreign assistance

Few American communities have opportunities to engage with the foreign assistance traditionally done on their behalf, leaving few supporters at home.