NEW: Resources related to US funding suspension

GFMD has gathered a list of relevant online resources related to the recent stop order on foreign aid.

Attention: Please keep in mind that the situation is evolving as we speak and may render some information outdated or obsolete. We will strive to keep abreast of changes as they happen.

We recognise that navigating the stop work order and the suspension of funding may present challenges for many organisations. This document is based on information we gathered through different channels, and in no circumstances does this document constitute any form of legal or definitive advice: every organisation’s situation, contract, and legal context is unique and subject to potential changes.

The details of your contract, grant, or cooperative agreement—and any instructions from your Contracting/Agreement Officer—take precedence over the information contained here.

Always consult your Contracting Officer, Agreement Officer, or qualified legal counsel for advice tailored to your specific circumstances.

Executive order: Revaluation and realigning United States Foreign Aid

On January 20, 2025, the White House released a Presidential Executive Order titled “Reevaluating and Realigning United States Foreign Aid,” which implements a

90-day pause in United States foreign development assistance for assessment of programmatic efficiencies and consistency with United States foreign policy.” During this time, “foreign development assistance programs shall immediately pause new obligations and disbursements of development assistance funds to foreign countries and implementing non-governmental organizations, international organizations, and contractors pending reviews of such programs for programmatic efficiency and consistency with United States foreign policy, to be conducted within 90 days of this order.

This suspension affects several foreign aid programs, including those under USAID and DRL. The full scope and duration of the suspension remain uncertain, with an initial 90-day review period in place. It is not yet clear if this will be extended or if some grants may be terminated or amended. During this period, many NGOs are experiencing disruption, particularly with regards to ongoing programs, funding disbursements, and staff-related issues. NGOs receiving US funds should prepare for the possibility that the suspension could last longer than anticipated.

Reevaluating And Realigning United States Foreign AidThe White House

Judge orders US to restore funds for foreign aid programs

Reuters: Judge orders US to restore funds for foreign aid programs. A federal judge ordered the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump to restore funding for hundreds of foreign aid contractors who argued that they were negatively impacted by a 90-day blanket freeze, a court filing showed late on Thursday.

https://www.reuters.com/legal/judge-orders-us-restore-funds-foreign-aid-programs-politico-reports-2025-02-14/www.reuters.com

See also DevEx article:

Judge orders Trump to pay USAID partners, rejects 'unbounded' powerDevex

Memorandum opinion and order:

See also Robert Nichols', of government contracts law firm Nichols Liu, LinkedIn post on the restraining order.

TRO Unfreezing Foreign Assistance | Robert Nichols | 25 commentsLinkedIn

See the Temporary Restraining Order here.

Legal actions

Ongoing Lawsuits

National Endowment for Democracy Files Lawsuit to Access Funds

The National Endowment for Democracy (NED) filed a lawsuit in United States District Court against Executive Branch agencies and officials for unlawfully withholding its congressionally appropriated funding, which is essential to fulfilling NED’s statutory mandate of advancing democracy around the world. See here for NED's press release.

National Endowment for Democracy Files Lawsuit Seeking Access to Congressionally Appropriated Funds - NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR DEMOCRACYNATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR DEMOCRACY

NED Welcomes State Department’s Initial Steps Towards Restoring Funding

NED Welcomes State Department’s Initial Steps Towards Restoring Funding - NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR DEMOCRACYNATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR DEMOCRACY

US Supreme Court upholds order that Trump's administration cannot withhold payments to foreign aid groups

According to Reuters:

A divided U.S. Supreme Court declined on Wednesday to let President Donald Trump's administration withhold payment to foreign aid organizations for work they already performed for the government as the Republican president moves to pull the plug on American humanitarian projects around the world.

https://www.reuters.com/legal/us-supreme-court-upholds-judges-order-that-trump-promptly-pay-foreign-aid-groups-2025-03-05/www.reuters.com

Attorney Robert Nichols Leads Lawsuit to Challenge Foreign Aid Freeze

Robert Nichols, a partner at Nichols Liu law firm in Washington, D.C., is leading a lawsuit against the Trump administration to challenge the foreign aid freeze and stop-work order. The suit seeks a temporary restraining order and a permanent injunction to unfreeze funding, resume payments, and clarify cost reimbursements, including idle labour time. Filed under the Administrative Procedures Act, it argues that the freeze is arbitrary, capricious, and unlawful. Due to difficulty finding plaintiffs, a 501(c)(3) organisation representing affected members will lead the case, with Nichols seeking additional plaintiffs. He emphasises that the lawsuit aims to change the funding status quo through legal arguments rather than political confrontation.

Devex Newswire: USAID’s staff clashes and PEPFAR’s partial reprieveDevex

Government workers' unions sue Trump administration over USAID dismantling

The American Federation of Government Employees and the American Foreign Service Association have filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration to stop the dismantling of the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). The lawsuit challenges the halting of foreign aid, project shutdowns, and mass layoffs, arguing that these actions are unconstitutional and have caused a global humanitarian crisis by disrupting efforts to combat disease and hunger. It seeks a court order to restore USAID’s funding, reopen its offices, and prevent further steps towards its dissolution, asserting that only Congress has the authority to dismantle the agency.

Litigation tracker

For a broader overview of other recent legal challenges, please refer to the Litigation Tracker: Legal Challenges to Trump Administration Actions from Just Security, an online forum for the rigorous analysis of security, democracy, foreign policy, and rights.

Funding

Foreign Aid Bridge Fund

The Foreign Aid Bridge Fund is an emergency initiative established by Unlock Aid in collaboration with various partners to support frontline organisations affected by the recent U.S. foreign aid freeze. This fund aims to prevent disruptions in critical services provided by high-impact organisations worldwide.

Priorities for Media and Media Support: The Foreign Aid Bridge Fund primarily focuses on sectors such as health, agriculture, sanitation, climate adaptation, livelihoods, education, and humanitarian response. It does not explicitly prioritise media or media support. However, organisations operating within these fields that have a significant media or communication component may be considered for funding, especially if their media activities are integral to delivering essential services and information to communities.

Geographical Priorities: Global. The fund addresses urgent needs across various regions impacted by the U.S. foreign aid freeze.

Type of Funding Available: The Foreign Aid Bridge Fund offers critical, short-term grant-based financing designed to ensure immediate impact and program continuity. This rapid-response mechanism provides flexible funding to high-impact organisations with sustainable business models, enabling them to maintain or resume essential operations disrupted by the aid freeze.

For eligibility criteria, please see their FAQs. For more information or to apply for funding, visit Foreign Aid Bridge Fund.

Foreign Aid Bridge Fundwww.foreignaidbridgefund.org

Network for Empowered Aid Response (NEAR) Change Fund

The Network for Empowered Aid Response (NEAR) is a coalition of local and national civil society organisations from the Global South, dedicated to transforming the humanitarian and development aid system into one that is locally driven and owned. NEAR emphasizes genuine local participation at all levels of development and disaster management to ensure effective aid delivery to those in need.

Home - NEARNEAR

Priorities for Media and Media Support: While NEAR's primary focus is on promoting equitable and dignified partnerships within the aid system, it does not explicitly prioritise media or media support. However, media organisations that function as local or national CSOs and align with NEAR's mission and values may be eligible for membership and support. NEAR's emphasis on local participation and capacity building can indirectly benefit media entities committed to community engagement and development.

Geographical Priorities: NEAR operates globally, with a significant presence in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America. The network comprises nearly 300 local organisations deeply rooted in their communities, enabling them to respond swiftly and effectively to crises.

Funding: NEAR manages the Change Fund, a locally led and governed pooled fund designed to provide financial resources directly to local organizations. Since its inception, the Change Fund has managed over $5 million in grants focused on emergency response and displacement-related initiatives. The fund offers flexible, trust-based grants to support high-impact programs led by local CSOs.

In response to specific challenges, such as the recent U.S. Government foreign aid suspension, NEAR has launched the Bridge Funding Window. This initiative aims to provide immediate financial support to member organisations significantly impacted by the sudden funding disruption, ensuring the continuity of essential services.

https://www.near.ngo/the-change-fund-bridge-funding-windowwww.near.ngo

Please visit the Fundraising Guide's Crisis and Emergency section for more grants.

+ Crisis/emergency funding

Resources on how to deal with the funding stop

Navigating the USG funding pause - guidance document

Global non-profit Humentum has published a guidance document to help NGOs navigate the recent US funding freeze on foreign aid.

Resources from Olga Wall, Avalon Consulting, Chief of Compliance and Contract Administration at Palladium, former USAID Senior Acquisition & Assistance Advisor

Organizing Suspension and Termination Costs under USAID/DOS grants and cooperative agreements

Webinar: Organizing Suspension and Termination Costs under USAID/DOS grants and cooperative agreements Where are we now and what happens next? Key strategies to manage these costs effectively and stay compliant.

Video Conferencing, Web Conferencing, Webinars, Screen SharingZoom

Templates for handling Suspension of Work (SWO) scenarios effectively

LinkedIn post from Consultant and former USAID advisor Olga Wall with templates for handling Suspension of Work (SWO) scenarios effectively

Legal briefings from law firm Nichols Liu

Government contracts law firm Nichols Liu's Robert Nichols and his team of legal experts have put together a series of webinars that include guiding principles, a legal analysis of the relevant stop work and suspension language, immediate cost considerations, and potential advocacy and litigation actions:

Webinar 3: What to Do Next in Response to the Foreign Aid Freeze

On January 25, government contracts law firm Nichols Liu hosted their third Teams meeting, What to Do Next in Response to the Foreign Aid Freeze, to provide key considerations and general guidance on managing stop work and suspension orders under the foreign assistance freeze.

You can view the webinar here.

Webinar 4: Foreign Assistance – Moving from Outrage to Action

On January 29, Nichols Liu hosted its fourth webinar, Foreign Assistance – Moving from Outrage to Action, on President Trump’s executive order freezing foreign assistance. Nichols Liu partner Robert Nichols discussed actions that foreign assistance implementors can take in response to the order, including optimizing chances for getting paid, obtaining waivers, and filing litigation to ensure rights.

Nichols Law Webinar - Foreign Assistance Implementers: Moving from Outrage to Action - Nichols LawNichols Law

You can find the slides from the webinar below.

Nichols Law Webinar - What to Do Next in Response to the Foreign Aid Freeze Covered in Third Webinar - Nichols LawNichols Law

Articles and briefings on the implications of funding stop

DevEx: USAID to cut 1,600 staff, place nearly all direct hires on leave

The news comes less than 48 hours after a federal judge allowed the Trump administration to continue removing USAID staff — beginning a reduction in workforce that those across the agency had been bracing for.

USAID to cut 1,600 staff, place nearly all direct hires on leaveDevex

GIJN: The USAID Crisis and Funding the Future of Independent Media

The Global Investigative Journalism Network has published a story about the effects of the funding freeze entitled The USAID Crisis and Funding the Future of Independent Media.

Independent nonprofit media around the globe suddenly find themselves at the center of a perfect storm of at least four new existential threats.

The USAID Crisis and Funding the Future of Independent MediaGlobal Investigative Journalism Network

Columbia Journalism Review: USAID and the Media in a ‘Time of Monsters’

Columbia Journalism Review offers a comprehensive overview of the effects of the aid funding freeze in this article entitled USAID and the Media in a ‘Time of Monsters’ - What the aid funding freeze means for independent journalism around the world.

USAID and the media in a ‘time of monsters.’Columbia Journalism Review

Reporters Without Borders: USA: Trump’s foreign aid freeze throws journalism around the world into chaos

According to this article by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), the aid freeze appears to have put a hold on $268 million that was earmarked to fund “independent media and the free flow of information” this year. In the recent past, USAID was supporting more than six thousand journalists, around seven hundred independent newsrooms, and nearly three hundred media-focused civil society groups in thirty or so countries—and yet, RSF notes, the full impact of the freeze is hard to measure, since many recipients are “hesitant to draw attention for fear of risking long-term funding or coming under political attacks.”

USA: Trump’s foreign aid freeze throws journalism around the world into chaosrsf.org

Accountability Lab rapid analysis initial impact of Stop Work Orders

Accountability Lab launched a survey last week to better understand the collective impact of recent Stop Work Orders on civil society organizations working in the development space. The preliminary results can be found on co-CEO Cheri-Leigh Erasmus’ post. See here for rapid analysis.

DevEx: What Trump’s foreign aid freeze means for USAID and its partners

US Aid Frozen: A Real Humanitarian Crisis And Lives Will Be Lost

Humanitarian & Social Protection Consultant and Founder and Director of MarketImpact Thomas Byrnes’ analyses the best available data from the United Nations’ Financial Tracking Service, the most comprehensive source of global humanitarian funding information

US Aid Frozen: A Real Humanitarian Crisis And Lives Will Be Lost - ICTworksICTworks

Navigating Stop Work Orders in the U.S. Aid Freeze

In this LinkedIn post, Consultant and former USAID advisor Olga Wall reflects on the recent Stop Work Orders under 2 CFR 200, advising recipients to negotiate compensation or cost recovery before agreeing to pause work.

Calls for action

EFJ calls for mobilisation of European donors

EFJ calls on all potential European donors to take action to compensate for the US withdrawal, in particular to ensure the survival of Ukrainian media, the network of Belarusian journalists in exile and media programmes in Kosovo.

Suspension of U.S. media aid: EFJ calls for mobilisation of European donorsEuropean Federation of Journalists

Thoughts from the community

The National Endowment for Democracy's (NED) Nicholas Benequista penned this piece: We Just Lost Our Best Chance in a Generation to Expand Media Freedom.

A US retreat from international media assistance will set back the global movement for media freedom by years. The gap left behind will not be easy to fill. The movement, however, can be sustained by fortifying its roots. In time, the movement could emerge stronger.

We Just Lost Our Best Chance in a Generation to Expand Media FreedomCenter for News, Technology & Innovation

NUJU concerned about suspension of US Aid Activity

LinkedIn post by the President of the National Union of Journalists of Ukraine Sergiy Tomilenko. The National Union of Journalists of Ukraine expresses deep concern regarding the suspension of funding for all USAID projects that have supported hundreds of media initiatives in Ukraine.

U.S. aid suspension is a COVID-19 for Civil Society

2402 Foundation's Katerina Sergatskova’s reflections on what the U.S. aid freeze reveals about fragile systems and the road ahead.