Greetings Friend,

Join these upcoming events from the Council and our partners, and stay informed on what's new in global philanthropy.

When Crisis Becomes the Context: What Ukraine Reveals About War, Environment, and Philanthropy in the Decade ahead

Join Foundations for Ukraine, Philea, Council on Foundations, and WINGS on February 26 at 9 a.m. ET for a 90-minute online conversation on what Ukraine reveals about operating at the intersection of war, environment, and long-term change. As the full-scale invasion enters its fourth year, Ukraine offers a clear lens into a world where overlapping crises are no longer exceptional, and philanthropic response and transformation must move together.

Register today

Global Grantmaking Essentials Training

As foreign aid contracts and policy environments evolve, organizations are being asked to work with greater complexity and care. Our three half-day virtual training, grounded in the Council’s 40+ years of experience, offers a focused dive into global regulations, real-world tools for navigating complex systems, and insights shaped by the latest data and research. Join us for one of the following set of dates:

• Spring dates: April 7, 9, 14
• Fall dates: October 20, 22, 28

Learn more and register for the April training dates now!

Legal and Regulatory Resources

Global Development in Transition: U.S. Government Updates

• Congress Enacts $50B Compromise Appropriations Bill for FY26: The newly approved bill restores billions in foreign assistance that had been scaled back earlier in 2025 and maintains support across global health, humanitarian response, democracy initiatives, and diplomatic operations. Our attention now turns to how quickly resources move and where priorities ultimately land.
• U.S. Aid Strategy Shifts: Under its latest five-year plan, the United States Department of State will concentrate a larger share of foreign assistance in the Western Hemisphere and East Asia, reframing aid around national security and regional stability. This funding will balance humanitarian programs with strategic investments, with country eligibility linked more directly to defense ties, migration coordination, and diplomatic alignment.
• New Rules Broaden Scope of Mexico City Policy Across Foreign Aid: The U.S. State Department has introduced three new rules that significantly broaden long-standing Mexico City Policy restrictions, extending conditions beyond abortion-related services to include gender identity and diversity, equity, and inclusion activities. The changes apply across all U.S. foreign assistance, not just global health, and cover a wider range of recipients, including international organizations and U.S. NGOs.
• U.N. Signals Urgent Budget Shortfall: Despite new U.S. humanitarian commitments, United Nations leadership cautions the system is facing an “imminent” liquidity crisis, driven by delayed member payments and rules that require returning funds never received.

Global Philanthropy Updates

• Continuity After the Aid Freeze: Development Innovation Ventures, a former USAID program shuttered during 2025 cuts, has re-emerged as an independent nonprofit. Now operating as the DIV Fund, it has raised $48 million from two private donors, directing $20 million to former grantees, with remaining funds reserved for future support.
• Aid Cuts Could Cost Millions of Lives by 2030: A new analysis published in The Lancet Global Health finds that recent and projected cuts to foreign assistance, including the dismantling of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and pulled funding from other major donors, could contribute to as many as 9.4 million additional deaths by 2030 across 93 low- and middle-income countries if current trends continue.
• Gates Foundation Reaffirms its Global Health Commitment: In its annual letter, the Gates Foundation said it will stay the course despite deep cuts to foreign aid, continuing to focus on the core health and development work it has backed for decades. At least 70% of funding over the next 20 years will go to maternal and child health and infectious diseases, with the rest supporting poverty reduction through U.S. education and agriculture in lower-income countries.

Global Legal and Regulatory Updates

• Burkina Faso Junta Tightens Grip on Humanitarian Aid: The ruling military junta in Burkina Faso has put forward new regulations that require additional permits, greater scrutiny of finances, and more government control over operations, alongside an increase in staff arrests and paused registrations. Aid leaders say the growing constraints are slowing delivery at a time when millions have been displaced and needs continue to outpace access to aid.
• Rafah Crossing Reopens on a Limited Basis: After nearly two years of closure, the Rafah crossing was reopened on a limited basis under the fragile Israel-Hamas ceasefire, allowing a small number of Palestinians to cross between the Gaza Strip and Egypt. While the reopening offers a modest step forward, strict quotas, heavy vetting, and long delays mean access remains limited, with tens of thousands still waiting for evacuation or care.
• Concerns Grow Over Future of U.K. Aid Watchdog: Comments from Jenny Chapman at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office have put the future of the Independent Commission for Aid Impact under scrutiny as aid budgets tighten and spending is reassessed. While no closure is planned, many see the moment as a broader test of how much independent oversight ministers are willing to maintain as resources shrink.
• Norway Reviews its Aid Strategy: Norway has launched a year-long review of how it delivers development and humanitarian assistance, taking stock as needs grow and the global aid system shifts. The country will keep its 1% national income commitment while looking for practical ways to make its funding work better on the ground.

Additional News and Resources

• Devex: Global aid is leaving the poorest behind, new report warns
• Stanford PACS: Investing in Civil Society: The Foundation of Democracy
• Center for Effective Philanthropy: A Sector in Crisis: How U.S. Nonprofits and Foundations Are Responding to Threats

Opinions expressed in these articles belong to the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Council.

Keep in Touch!

Share your organization’s impact story with us at
engagement@cof.org.

View this email as a web page.