The U.S. government’s abrupt foreign assistance reductions and rescissions in 2025, combined with the structural realignment of the functions of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) into the Department of State, are reshaping the global policy and financing landscape for children in adversity.
In response to these challenges, adaptation is necessary and underway. Consultation with over 200 stakeholders—including technical experts, civil society staff, and people with lived experience—provided a wealth of strategies and possible solutions tailored to the current political and funding environment. Written by the collaborative's Senior Fellows Mattito Watson, Severine Chevrel, and Catherine Kirk, this report organizes these recommendations across four pillars to help mitigate the harm from the 2025 cuts to foreign aid for children and strengthen local capacity to support vulnerable children, their families, and communities.
An accompanying report, “A Legacy of Care: Historical Perspectives and Lessons from 35 Years of U.S. Government Support to Children in Adversity,” details the history and lessons learned from the U.S. government’s efforts to strengthen children’s development, care, and protection. These reports are also complemented by Georgetown University’s Children and Youth Resource Hub, an archive of publicly released tools, guidance, evaluations, learning products, and reports on interagency efforts generated with the support of U.S. taxpayers.
