Bureau for Democracy, Conflict and Humanitarian Assistance Overview Strategic Objective Notifications Democracy and Governance Conflict Management and Mitigation Food for Peace Private and Voluntary Cooperation American Schools and Hospitals Abroad International Disaster Assistance Transition Initiatives P.L. 480 Food For Peace Summary Tables Abbreviations & Acronyms Last updated: Wednesday, 29-May-2002 18:53:10 EDT

THE DEVELOPMENT CHALLENGE: Historically, Congress and USAID have recognized the potential of U.S. private voluntary organizations (PVOs), including cooperative development organizations (CDOs), to contribute human, technical and financial resources to the resolution of development problems overseas. The Office of Private and Voluntary Cooperation (PVC) supports activities that strengthen the capabilities of PVOs, CDOs and their local partners to focus resources on developmental priorities at the local, regional or national levels as appropriate. The office allocates funds to individual PVOs and CDOs through competitive grants that include cost-sharing requirements to leverage additional private resources for development activities. PVC's competitive grants programs include Matching Grants, Child Survival, Cooperative Development, Development Education, and Ocean Freight Reimbursement. These programs contribute to strengthening the organizational and technical capacity of USAID's partners. They also help PVOs establish ties with the private sector to diversify their financial resource base. In addition, PVC support enables PVOs to build the capacity of local non-governmental organizations (NGOs), governments and community-based organizations or cooperatives and to increase the number of beneficiaries and the sustainability of their programs. A key dimension of PVC's programs is the provision of cross-cutting support for USAID's three pillars. Accordingly, most of PVC's partners work in two or more sectors.

The challenges PVC expects to address in supporting the enhanced developmental roles of PVOs, CDOs and their local partners include:

• Designing new approaches to working with the range of PVOs and CDOs (e.g., organizations relatively new to development to those with established expertise seeking to work in additional sectors or countries) interested in overseas development;
• Expanding the ability of U.S. PVOs to strengthen the capacity of local NGOs;
• Encouraging PVOs, CDOs and local NGOs to adopt best practices and scale-up effective programs;
• Increasing program initiatives by PVOs, CDOs and local NGOs in the developmental priorities of USAID, including agriculture, HIV/AIDS and conflict prevention and mitigation;
• Ensuring the sustainability of PVO and CDO development programs by promoting cost recovery and containment approaches by the PVOs and CDOs and private sector investments in PVO and CDO programs; and
• Promoting local environments that encourage private and voluntary participation in development, building partnerships and networks among PVOs and NGOs to enhance the effectiveness of their programs, and facilitating alliances among PVOs and the private sectors in the United States and overseas.

THE USAID PROGRAM:

PVC plans to:

• Improve the effectiveness and sustainability of local NGOs and local networks that deliver services in countries in which USAID operates. These organizations, in partnership with U.S. PVOs are expected to bring effective programs to scale and test new and innovative program approaches that address USAID priority development issues.
• Ensure enhanced participation by U.S. PVOs in U.S. development efforts. PVC provides technical and other types of assistance as appropriate to U.S. PVOs to strengthen their program implementation skills and ability to sustain programs.
• Increase the ability of U.S. PVOs to address conflict resolution and mitigation issues in development programs and to strengthen victims of torture centers throughout the world.
• Promote networks and increased communication among U.S. PVOs and alliances between U.S. PVOs and the U.S. private sector.

PVC plans to use approximately $17.7 million in FY 2002 to fund 160 continuing cooperative agreements under its Matching Grants, Child Survival Grants and Cooperative Development programs. PVC also plans to use $18.5 million in FY 2002 to initiate new competitive agreements under its Matching Grants, Child Survival Grants, Victims of Torture, Ocean Freight Reimbursement and Development Education. Approximately $4.2 million of FY 2002 funds will be used to support PVC's management of its grant programs and other office responsibilities. Continuing and new programs will emphasize activities designed to improve the health and welfare of women and children, services to victims of torture, food access and availability, agriculture and the environment, micro-enterprise and finance and community development. These grants will expand the technical, operational and financial capacity of the U.S. recipients and their local partners.

PVC will use FY 2003 funds requested for this objective to fund only the continuing cooperative agreements and activities mentioned above. PVC plans to initiate a new strategic objective in FY 2003 to fund new cooperative agreements to be notified to Congress at a later date.

OTHER PROGRAM ELEMENTS: In 1998, PVC initiated its "Millennium Alliance for Social Investment Program." The goal of the Alliance is to increase private investments in the development programs of PVOs, CDOs and their local partners. To date, the Alliance has brokered partnerships valued at approximately $17.5 million at an approximate cost to USAID of $1.0 million.

OTHER DONORS: The United States is a leader among donors in support to PVOs, CDOs and NGOs. Other donors supporting voluntary organizations include the multilateral development banks, multilateral agencies (such as the United Nations Development Program), the European Community and other bilateral donors. PVC coordinates with the NGO Liaison Units of the multilateral development banks and has worked closely with Japan on expanding the role of voluntary associations in that country's development program. PVC serves as the Secretariat of the USAID Administrator's Advisory Committee on Voluntary Foreign Aid and works to ensure a positive working relationship between USAID and U.S. PVOs and CDOs across the full range of development issues. PVC also promotes expanded relationships between PVOs and CDOs and private sources of development funding in the United States.

Program Data Sheets

• 963-001/960-001  Increased capability of PVC's partners to achieve sustainable service delivery/Program Management Support