USAID Announces its Partner Vetting System

USAID has released a notice of its proposed "Partner Vetting System" (PVS) for nonprofit and charitable groups. This policy creates unnecessary and potentially dangerous barriers for humanitarian groups from providing relief in global hot spots. Its final implementation will be determined by members of the Obama administration.

Highlights from the proposed PVS:

• "USAID does not believe that it should wait for hard proof that our funds are actually flowing to terrorists" before assigning a designation of humanitarian groups as connected to terror-related activities.

• Permits "the sharing of information, provided to USAID by applicants, with the intelligence community."

• Some organizations fear "considerable dangers associated with USAID using its implementing partners for U.S. law enforcement or intelligence purposes in foreign countries…leading to retaliation by foreign governments against partner employees and employees of subs of partners."

• As proposed, the PVS is incomplete and "procedures remain to be developed".

The entire notice can be viewed here