December 19, 2008

To: President-elect Barack Obama

Vice President-elect Joseph Biden

Cc: Hillary R. Clinton, Secretary of State Nominee

Robert Gates, Secretary of Defense

Re: Building a strong partnership between the U.S. government and U.S.–based international
development and humanitarian relief nongovernmental organizations (NGOs)

From: Samuel A. Worthington, InterAction President & CEO

_______________________________________________________________________

InterAction, the largest alliance of U.S.–based international development and humanitarian relief
nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), looks forward to working with the Obama administration to achieve its
global development goals. It is our hope that while partnership between the U.S. government and our vibrant
community of 175 member organizations has declined in recent years, you will work with us to align government
action with a major constituency in the United States.

Americans support our community’s work with approximately $6 billion in private donations annually. With strong
roots and support in the American heartland, our member NGOs have the decades of experience and resources
necessary to partner with you in building a strong global development structure.

Below are several possible actions, already shared with the foreign assistance transition team, that could be
taken early in the Obama administration to successfully re-establish a productive partnership between the U.S.
government and U.S.-based international development and humanitarian relief NGOs.

Support congressional leadership in the rewrite the Foreign Assistance Act, recognizing that key
aspects of development are a public good that can only be achieved through a partnership between
the U.S. government and civil society.

Invite U.S.-based NGOs to actively and significantly contribute to high-level strategy documents like
the proposed National Strategy for Global Development. NGOs – through their donors and
grassroots activists – are the constituency for relief and development in the U.S. and deserve a seat
at the table when key decisions are being made.

Create an initiative for the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) similar to the White House’s
Malaria Initiative. This proposed MDG Initiative, focusing separately on each individual MDG, would
build new coalitions of citizens, foundations, aid beneficiaries, and corporations, and would be
anchored by the U.S. government and NGO partnership.

Revamp the Global Development Alliance (GDA), which is predominantly focused on building the
U.S. government’s partnership with businesses, so that it actively promotes similar partnerships
between government and NGOs.

Given that many of the existing partnerships created by State or USAID between the government
and corporations are actually implemented by NGOs, include those organizations in all stages of
program design, implementation, and associated public relations efforts.

Rebuild the Office of Private Voluntary Cooperation (PVC) at USAID. There are hundreds of small
and medium-sized organizations that would like to partner with government but cannot because they
simply lack capacity to do so, or are not faith-based and so are unable to engage with USAID’s
Faith-Based and Community Initiatives program.

This renewed partnership would leverage the funding, weight, and influence of the U.S. NGO community –
supported by millions of Americans – in the vital work of addressing poverty, long-term development, and
economic and personal security throughout the world.