Global Washington published this letter to its membership on January 30, 2025.

Dear Global Washington Community

We are reaching out at a time of unprecedented uncertainty for the global development and humanitarian sectors. Recent executive orders from the U.S. administration have imposed a freeze on foreign aid, halted numerous federal grants, withdrawn from international environmental commitments, and introduced significant restrictions on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility initiatives. These actions have immediate and devastating implications for our collective work to improve lives and strengthen communities around the world.

This abrupt policy shift has placed many of our members in crisis. The freeze on USAID funding and other federal grants has triggered stop-work orders across critical programs, jeopardizing food security, global health initiatives, gender equity projects, and climate resilience efforts. From emergency relief operations in conflict zones to long-term development projects that foster sustainable economic growth, these funding cuts are already forcing difficult decisions—shutting down programs, laying off staff, and leaving vulnerable populations without essential services.

Immediate Impact on Our Members

The consequences of these executive orders are and will be deeply felt across Global Washington’s network:

  • Humanitarian and development programs are grinding to a halt. USAID’s funding freeze, coupled with an opaque review process, has left organizations scrambling to secure alternative funding or suspend operations altogether. This affects everything from maternal and child health programs to anti-poverty initiatives and refugee assistance.
  • Environmental and climate action efforts are in jeopardy. The U.S. withdrawal from international agreements and funding freezes on environmental programs severely undermine the fight against climate change, disproportionately impacting communities most vulnerable to its effects.
  • Inclusive development efforts are under threat. Restrictions on diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility funding risk rolling back hard-won progress in equity-driven global development, particularly for women, Indigenous communities, and other historically marginalized groups.

For many of our members, this freeze is not just a bureaucratic hurdle—it is an existential crisis. Organizations that have spent years building trust and impact in communities worldwide now face the prospect of shuttering their doors, leaving millions without the support they rely on.

Read the full letter at Global Washington's blog.