When Programs End Overnight:
The Impact of the Dismanting of USAID on Persons with Disabilities
Donor: General Community through GoFundMe
Timeframe: January 2025 – June 2026
When Programs End Overnight documents the specific and disproportionate consequences of the 2025 dismantling of USAID for persons with disabilities across eight countries: Bangladesh, El Salvador, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Nepal, Nigeria, and Pakistan. With no donor funding available to support this work, IDP launched a GoFundMe campaign supported by more than 140 individuals, some donating as little as $15, and directed those contributions toward this research to ensure these impacts were documented.
Using a mixed-methods design including a global survey of 82 projects across 80 implementing organizations, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions, the study captures the experiences of government officials, organizations of persons with disabilities, implementing partners, adults with disabilities, and parents and caregivers of children with disabilities.
Project Highlights:
- Conducted a multi-country mixed-methods study documenting the impact of USAID program terminations on persons with disabilities, their families, and the systems that served them across eight countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
- Re-engaged local country team members, many of whom have disabilities and had been unable to secure full employment following the USAID closure, ensuring those most affected had a direct role in data collection and documentation.
- Produced a comprehensive report with a call to action for donors, governments, corporations, foundations, and implementing partners to place persons with disabilities at the center of any restored development investment.