USAID and Peace Corps Partnerships
USAID partners with the Peace Corps to share expertise and resources to address community priorities and strengthen local capacity by leveraging the unique capabilities of both agencies through the Small Project Assistance (SPA) Program and the USAID-Peace Corps Global Interagency Agreement.
Where We Work
Annually, SPA supports around 50 Peace Corps Posts with funding from nearly 45 USAID Missions.
The USAID-Peace Corps Global Agreement, established in 2019, currently includes direct support from three USAID Missions to three Peace Corps Posts, as well as from two USAID DC offices to Peace Corps Headquarters offices.
SMALL PROJECT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM
The Small Project Assistance (SPA) program is a collaboration between USAID and the Peace Corps to support grassroots community development projects. Since 1983, USAID has provided more than $87 million in SPA funding to reach nearly 30 million local community members in over 115 countries.
Through SPA, USAID funding supports the Peace Corps to strengthen the capacity of local community groups. SPA partners can include informal community working groups, local associations, local government entities, schools, and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs). SPA supports work in every sector to build the capacity of local communities.
How SPA Works
Three components of the SPA Program enable multi-sectoral, community defined projects:
Small grants, averaging $2,500 each, are the main component of the SPA Program. This funding, paired with a minimum 25 percent match from the community, supports locally initiated and led development projects.
Technical trainings strengthen specialized skills of community partners and Peace Corps Volunteers (PCVs) to ensure a broader reach of development activities.
Program support enables Peace Corps Posts and USAID Missions to support, invest in, and learn from the work being done by communities and their assigned PCVs.
Who SPA Works With
Interested in participating in the SPA program? Select below to find out more:
Generally, any country in which the Peace Corps operates that is served by a USAID bilateral or regional Mission is eligible to initiate and participate in the SPA Program. To get involved, USAID Missions and Peace Corps Posts should contact their respective headquarters (spa@usaid.gov for USAID offices) for information on starting a field-level SPA Program, how to participate in the annual SPA funding negotiation cycle, and other programmatic information.
PCVs should contact their respective Peace Corps Post. For SPA small grants, PCVs should contact their Peace Corps Small Grants Coordinator. PCVs and counterparts may be invited to participate in SPA-funded technical training and/or SPA program support activities, as communicated by the associated Peace Corps Post.
Local community groups and leaders can participate in the SPA Program by working closely with a PCV and their counterpart in your community. If you are unsure whether there is a nearby PCV, please contact your respective Peace Corps Post.
USAID-PEACE CORPS GLOBAL INTERAGENCY AGREEMENT
The USAID-Peace Corps Global Interagency Agreement is a collaboration between USAID and Peace Corps to share expertise in support of community-led development. The Global Agreement, like other USAID-Peace Corps interagency collaborations, harnesses the unique capabilities of both Agencies: Peace Corps’ experience working closely with local organizations and communities often outside the reach of traditional development assistance, and USAID’s funding, global learning and information exchange, and technical expertise.
How the Agreement Works
USAID and Peace Corps Operating Units seeking to collaborate through the Global Agreement define shared needs, design specific program activities, and identify related funding. From training development to program assessment, cross-sectoral activities under the Agreement aim to integrate technical expertise in a variety of sectors, such as food security, global health, education, environment, community economic development, youth and development, and cross-cutting issues into program applications.
Who We Work With
USAID and Peace Corps teams with aligned goals can collaborate through the Agreement to empower local partners, Peace Corps Volunteers, and field staff of both Agencies to collaborate with, learn from, and inform USAID efforts. The Agreement facilitates sharing of knowledge and technical expertise between Agency headquarters teams to strengthen both Agencies’ work on the ground.
It is the only available mechanism to support headquarter-to-headquarter collaboration between USAID and Peace Corps. In some cases, USAID Missions may also use the Global Agreement to support the work of Peace Corps posts, especially in cases when SPA cannot be used.
To get involved, USAID and Peace Corps offices should contact their respective headquarters (iaapc@usaid.gov for USAID offices) for more detailed information on appropriate mechanism selection and the steps of the Global Agreement buy-in process.
Stories of Locally Led Progress Catalyzed by USAID-Peace Corps Partnerships
Sustainable Progress Through Small Projects
40 years of USAID and the Peace Corps partnering to cata
Dominican Republic: Scaling Up a Coffee Grower Cooperative
Kosovo: Trainer of Trainers on Youth Engagement
Additional Resources
SPA Fact Sheet: Find a more detailed overview of how SPA catalyzes community led development with program highlights.
SPA Evaluation (2013-2017): SPA has proven to be effective in helping partner countries meet their own development goals. Find out more in this evaluation of 2013-2017 SPA grants.
Peace Corps SPA Website: Explore more about the SPA Program through the Peace Corps’ website.
USAID-Peace Corps Global Agreement Fact Sheet: Find out more about what can happen when USAID and Peace Corps teams with shared goals collaborate through the Global Agreement.