InterAction Releases New U.S. Humanitarian Funding Analysis

InterAction released a new analysis of U.S. humanitarian assistance, finding that while the United States remains one of the world’s largest humanitarian donors, funding levels have fallen significantly from recent highs and the way assistance is delivered has changed dramatically.

The report, Beyond the Funding Decline: How U.S. Humanitarian Assistance Is Being Reshaped, examines funding announced and obligated between Jan. 20, 2025, and Sept. 30, 2026. The analysis estimates that approximately $7 billion in U.S. humanitarian funding has been announced or obligated during that period, compared with annual levels that often exceeded $10 billion between 2020 and 2024.

Beyond the decline in overall funding, InterAction found a significant shift in how assistance is delivered. More than half of tracked U.S. humanitarian funding now flows through mechanisms managed by the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), while large global awards have become a central feature of the U.S. funding model. Resources are also increasingly concentrated among a smaller number of funding mechanisms, recipient organizations, and humanitarian crises.

“The findings suggest that U.S. humanitarian assistance is entering a new era,” said Tom Hart, President and CEO of InterAction. “The key question is no longer just how much funding is available, but how that funding is delivered, who can access it, and what it means for the effectiveness and diversity of the humanitarian system.”

The analysis identifies eight major trends shaping U.S. humanitarian assistance, including the growing role of OCHA-managed funding, increased reliance on large global awards, rising concentration of resources, and significant shifts in geographic priorities. Several major crises, including Afghanistan, Yemen, Somalia, and parts of the Sahel, received little or no new U.S. humanitarian funding despite ongoing humanitarian needs.

Read the full analysis.

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About InterAction

InterAction is the leading alliance of more than 150 U.S.-based international NGOs and partners working to improve the lives of the world’s most vulnerable people. Through advocacy, learning, and collaboration, InterAction helps members shape policy, strengthen their organizations, and increase their collective impact.