[Research Synthesis] The Imperative to Reinvigorate U.S. Development Assistance Capabilities to Better Advance America’s National Interests

In partnership with William & Mary’s Global Research Institute (GRI) and the Gates Global Policy Center (GGPC) led by William & Mary's Chancellor and Former U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, this research was produced by AidData to accompany the second Gates Forum, held in December 2023 at William & Mary on the role of U.S. development assistance in an era of intensifying great power competition.

This research effort sought to answer a single overarching question: How might we reinvigorate development assistance to better advance America’s varied national interests (e.g., humanitarian, diplomatic, economic, and security)? This synthesis report distills top-line insights from five background papers for U.S. public, private, and civil society leaders to consider:

1. Lessons from how the U.S.supplies humanitarian relief and development assistance in response to strategic imperatives and local demand;
2. Promising innovations and cautionary tales from how other donors resource, organize and deliver resources to support overseas development; and
3. The relative merits of policy options to strengthen U.S. development assistance.

For the complete research volume, including the five background papers, please see [Combined Report] The Imperative to Reinvigorate U.S. Development Assistance Capabilities to Better Advance America’s National Interests.

This research will be used by the GGPC to develop a final report in 2024 with recommendations for action that will seek broad support in the Administration and bipartisan support in Congress.